How healthy is cereal?

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kamp150
kamp150 Posts: 75 Member
in Food and Nutrition
How healthy is cereal like fruity pebbles?
what is the healthiest kind?
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  • SarahAFerguson
    SarahAFerguson Posts: 250 Member
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    That depends entirely on what is in the cereal. I don't eat most cereals because of added salt and sugar, but there are some brands have good amounts of protein and fibre and not too much sugar. You have to be really careful to read the labels and watch the serving sizes.
  • HitTheFloor
    HitTheFloor Posts: 11 Member
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    How healthy is cereal like fruity pebbles?
    what is the healthiest kind?

    Look at the ingredients list on the side of the box. If you see more than 3 things you don't know what it is i'd recommend avoiding it.

    In all seriousness; fruity pebbles is loaded with sugars and processed carbs known as simple carbs which are much less healthy compared to complex carbs like brown rices, certain pastas, etc.

    I'd say to stick away from it except during cheat day if you want a bowl badly, just make it fit your calories for the day.

    I don't eat cereal anymore so I couldn't tell you any healthy alternatives off the top of my head.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    How healthy is cereal like fruity pebbles?
    what is the healthiest kind?

    Fruity Pebbles are about as unhealthy as you can get. I posted the ingredients below. Essentially, you are eating Sugared rice, coated in trans fats (hydrogenated oil), a bunch of food dyes then some added vitamins and minerals sprinkled in to make it "healthy."

    I am not that into cold cereals but I do love hot cereals like oatmeal. For cold cereals, try brands with minimal added sugars and identifiable ingredients. Check out cereals like Barbara's Puffins or any of the all natural ones.

    Fruity Pebble Ingredients:
    Rice, Sugar, Vegetable(s) Oil Hydrogenated, Salt, Contains less than 0.050.05% of Flavor(s) Natural & Artificial, Red 40, Yellow 6, Turmeric Oleoresin, Blue 1, Yellow 5, Blue 2, BHA, Vitamins And Minerals, Sodium Ascorbate (Vitamin C), Ascorbic Acid, Niacinamide (Vitamin aB), Iron Reduced, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin B6, Vitamin A Palmitate, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Folic Acid (Vitamin aB), Vitamin D, Vitamin B12
  • dorianaldyn
    dorianaldyn Posts: 611 Member
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    How healthy is cereal like fruity pebbles?
    what is the healthiest kind?

    You mean the fake rainbow dayglow "pebbles" didn't give it away that it's probably not the healthiest option?! Granted, the sugar-laden cereals are delicious, but they're really not that good for you.

    Try some good old fashioned oat meal cooked on the stove top with some fresh blueberries.
  • Pandasarecool
    Pandasarecool Posts: 508 Member
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    Try some of these, they are my favorites, they are all pretty healthy with little to no added sugar and all whole grain:

    Uncle sams original
    Kashi (Careful, some of them are high in sugar, I personally like the go lean original)
    Honey bunches of oats with pecan clusters
    Natures path brown rice, and Kumut (Spelling??) puffs (can't get much healthier, or cheaper than these!)
    Natures path mesa sunrise
    Un-frosted mini wheets
    Plain cheerios (The cinnamon or banana ones are OK as well, just a bit more sugar.)

    I know there are more, but I can't think of them off the top of my head.

    Also, try plain oatmeal (add cinnamon and mashed banana! Yum!):drinker:
    Or maybe some of the hot cereals out there.

    Fruity pebbles are pretty much sugar and food coloring. :noway:

    Have a great breakfast!:bigsmile:
  • lewcompton
    lewcompton Posts: 881 Member
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    Use cereal for what you need... Oat for lowing cholesterol (oatmeal or cheerios)... Fiber for colon health (Fiber One or Bran Flakes)... Vitamins if you don't swallow them (Total cereal)... Decently balanced cereal Kashi Go Lean Crunch... I like Kashi personally and have it with Fage No Fat Greek Yogurt and Costco Mixed Berries... I try to have Carb, Fat, Fiber, and Protein at every meal. I try to have healthy fats when I do have fats and Kashi is a good choice... One cup of Kashi, one half cup of Fage and one half cup of berries really does the trick for about 300 calories.
  • issyfit
    issyfit Posts: 1,077 Member
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    I stick to cereals that are 100 percent whole grain and less than 8g. sugar per serving. That is the South Beach guideline. Oatmeal (not instant) and original Cherrios are my regular cereals.
  • mhaight85
    mhaight85 Posts: 68
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    If you are going to eat cereal go for something with substance! Honey Bunches of Oats, Special K, Quaker Oatmeal Squares, even Frosted Mini Wheat's are pretty good options...much better than Fruity Pebbles and other sugary "kids" cereals. When we were kids my parents always made us mix sugary cereals with healthier cereals, example fruity pebbles mixed with rice crispies or lucky charms mixed with plain cheerios. If you really want to eat sweet cereals, maybe try that trick to reduce your sugar intake. Or check your grocery stores "natural foods" section for brands like Mom's Best natural cereal, they make a lot of sweet cereals but the list of ingredients is much smaller and the words I can pronounce! I feel like that must be better than those highly processed ingredients I can't pronounce.... :O)

    Make sure you're using lowfat milk with your cereal too, if you use whole milk/vitamin D you are going to pack a lot of fat and calories into your cereal! Also, beware of serving sizes, I've seen some with serving size as small as 1/2 cup.
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
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    Well, assuming that this question is completely serious, the fact the the second ingredient is SUGAR should tell you something. And the one before that is RICE (more than likely WHITE rice). Fruity pebbles=crap food.

    If you must eat cereal, go with natural kinds. Granola, whole grains........... Not fruity pebbles. Ever.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
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    And the one before that is RICE (more than likely WHITE rice). Fruity pebbles=crap food.

    ^^^Ricecism
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
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    No cereal is healthier than Cookie Crisp, the cookies-for-breakfast-cereal.
  • ishallnotwant
    ishallnotwant Posts: 1,210 Member
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    Dang now I bet you all are going to tell me that the two huge bowls of Cookie Crisp I had for dinner the other night weren't healthy, either! But, guys, I put TWO PERCENT milk on them! That makes them lowfat! :tongue:
  • wow29
    wow29 Posts: 283 Member
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    BUMP
  • ishallnotwant
    ishallnotwant Posts: 1,210 Member
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    No cereal is healthier than Cookie Crisp, the cookies-for-breakfast-cereal.

    Hey you were posting while I was posting. Nice, we had the same thoughts. :laugh:
  • ilovescarymovies
    ilovescarymovies Posts: 202 Member
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    plain special k cereal and gluten free rice chex--low in calories. you can put a pack or 2 of no calorie sweetener in it if you need too.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    fruity pepples is paleo, right??
  • DontStopB_Leakin
    DontStopB_Leakin Posts: 3,863 Member
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    Unless a food is laced with arsenic, no particular food is "unhealthy".
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
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    Hey you were posting while I was posting. Nice, we had the same thoughts. :laugh:

    Indeed. The two-percent milk is good. I pour diet coke on mine - - you know, because it's zero calorie.
  • IronDame
    IronDame Posts: 275
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    One word: Macros
  • tomomatic
    tomomatic Posts: 1,794 Member
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    A great article on Nerd Fitness:

    Seven Healthy Foods That Actually Suck
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/01/13/tools-of-the-empire-7-healthy-foods-that-actually-suck/

    Cereal is #2 on the list.

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