Superpowers and Cereal Killers

I have an amazing superpower.  I can’t fly, run at the speed of light, or shoot laser beams out of my eyes, but  when it comes to fitness I do have an uncanny ability to tell people the truth whether they want to hear it or not.

Now this might not seem like much of a superpower, but in the world of health and fitness it might as well be because nobody else seems to have it.  Companies everywhere will tell people exactly what they want to hear to sell their products and usually it’s a load of B.S. 

In this relatively lengthy article I’m about to unleash my powers in all of their glory on the breakfast cereal industry.

Beware of the Cereal Killer

 

First, I should start by saying that I think almost all breakfast cereals are total crap.  With the selection available out there you’d think that there would be more truly healthy cereals but, as you’ll see, the options are exceptionally limited.

In this article I’ll compare some popular “healthy” cereals with the only two cereals that officially receive my stamp of approval.  Before we start though, I want to cover a few things that we’ll be looking at when it comes to comparing the different candies…I mean cereals.  I may not discuss each  issue for each cereal, but it is important that you’re aware they exist.

Serving Size

For the purposes of this article I’ll be comparing all cereals based on weight instead of actual amount of cereal.  When comparing any product you should always be conscious the serving size as this can make them difficult to compare. 

Have you ever had a something in your hand and tried to calculate the total number of calories for the entire bag.  On most items it requires nothing short of an advanced degree in mathematics to figure it out.  This isn’t an accident.

Calories

This isn’t the only consideration, but when comparing cereals, the lower the calorie count the better the cereal is likely to be.

Fat & Protein

Since most cereals contain negligible amounts of both fat and protein neither one really warrants any concern in this comparison.

Carbohydrates

When it comes to breakfast cereals, there are three different kinds of carbohydrates to observe. 

- Dietary Fiber –

Other than taking potentially harmful Statin type medications like Liptor and Crestor, increasing your intake of dietary fiber is one of the very best things you can do to reduce your cholesterol.

If this isn’t an issue for you, consider that fiber is also a great way to keep yourself regular and reduce constipation instead of consuming things like Dannon’s Activia yogurt that contains as much as 17 grams of sugar per serving.

Since fiber is not digested it can be subtracted from the total carbohydrate count as it has little impact on blood sugar and fat storage.  My general rule is that if you’re cereal doesn’t contain AT LEAST 7 grams of fiber per serving its glorified candy.  For our clients we require 10 grams per serving or more.

- Sugar –

This one is pretty obvious.  The less sugar your cereal has, the better.  However, you should also pay attention to where the sugar comes from.

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has become a popular sweetener in North America as tariffs on sugar (which we have to import) have made it more cost effective to use corn (which we can grow here).

Unfortunately, fructose sticks to red blood cells through a process called glycation which can be particularly dangerous for diabetics.  In non-diabetics fructose increases triglycerides and some have proposed that it is more responsible for obesity than sugar.  Be cautious.  Companies are now aware that people are avoiding high fructose corn syrup so they list it on the label as glucose-fructose instead.

- Other Carbohydrates –

Usually the term “other” refers to starch.  Starch is another type of carbohydrate that doesn’t fit neatly into either of the other categories.  Unlike fiber it does not pass undigested and it does affect blood sugar levels and fat storage.

The sum of these three types of carbohydrates should always equal the total amount of carbohydrates listed on the box.

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how rapidly the carbohydrates (both sugar and starch) in your food reach your bloodstream.  Usually sugar is assigned an arbitrary value of 100 and everything else is compared to this.

A high number (closer to 100) means that the carbohydrate enters the blood very quickly.  When the carbohydrate enters the blood faster than the body can burn it off it is stored as fat.  Of course, if you don’t burn it off it will stay there patiently waiting until you do.

Foods with a lower GI allow carbohydrates enter the bloodstream at a more manageable rate.  The body is usually more equipped to deal with this and most are burned off.  Few, if any, of the carbohydrates are converted and stored as fat.

The First Three

With the number of ingredients on the label these days you could easily spend hours trying to figure everything out.  My suggestion is to quickly look at the first three ingredients.  Some things will immediately jump out at you as unhealthy and since they make up the bulk of your food item you might want to put it back on the shelf.

Let’s get down to business.  The cereal assassin is on the attack.

Special K
31g (1 Cup) Serving
Calories: 120
Fat: 0.5g
Carbohydrates: 22g
Dietary Fiber: Less than 1 gram
Sugar: 4g
Other Carbohydrates: 18g
Protein: 7g

First Three Ingredients: Rice, wheat gluten, sugar

Calories – Of the four cereals reviewed here, Special K has the highest calorie count at 100 calories per serving which is actually 10 calories more than a serving of Lucky Charms.

Fiber – With less than 1 gram of fiber Special K falls directly into the glorified candy category.  It offers no specific health or weight loss benefits in this regard.

Glycemic Index – Special K has a glycemic index of 69 which classifies it as a medium GI food.  This means that the carbohydrates enter the blood at a moderate rate and that the body can deal with some of them.  The rest are stored as fat.

First Three – Part of the reason for the higher glycemic index of Special K is the first ingredient, rice.  White rice has a particularly high GI which is why Rice Krispies have a glycemic index of 82.  The added sugar probably isn’t doing wonders for your health or your waistline either.  Wheat gluten is sticky and is probably used as a binder while making the flakes.

Cheerios
28g (1 Cup) Serving
Calories: 100
Fat: 2g
Carbohydrates: 20g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 1g
Other Carbohydrates: 16g
Protein: 3g

First Three Ingredients: Whole grain oats, modified corn starch, sugar

Calories – Cheerios have less calories than Special K, but still more than the other two cereals listed below.

Fiber – Having only 1 gram of fiber Cheerios sit right alongside Special K in the category of over-processed candy.

Glycemic Index – Cheerios have a glycemic index of 74 which puts them in the high GI category above Special K.  This means that the carbohydrates enter the blood rapidly and that the body can’t deal with them very well at all.  Much of what is ingested could potentially be stored as fat.

First Three – While General Mills has made claims that the whole grain oats in their breakfast cereals can reduce cholesterol, it is important to note that it is the soluble fiber in the oats that is actually responsible for the heart healthy effects.  As noted above, Cheerios is woefully low in fiber and how the government actually lets them get away with these claims is beyond me.  Since oats don’t contain gluten and don’t bind well the corn starch is most likely a thickener and binder.  The sugar is obviously just for taste and it falls within the top three ingredients which means it accounts for a large proportion of what is inside the box.

All Bran Original
31g (1/2 Cup) Serving
Calories: 80
Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 23g
Dietary Fiber: 10g
Sugar: 6g
Other Carbohydrates: 7g
Protein: 4g

First Three Ingredients: Wheat bran, sugar, high fructose corn syrup

Calories – All Bran Original has less calories than the other two cereals already listed so we’re on our way to a better choice already.

Fiber – In a single serving you’ll get 10 times more fiber than you’ll get in a bowl of Special K or Cheerios.  Keep in mind that most of the fiber in All Bran is insoluble which means that it is excellent for digestive health and keeping you regular.

Glycemic Index – The glycemic index for All Bran is 50 which makes it a low GI food and an excellent breakfast option.  Most, if not all, of the carbohydrates can be managed by the body and little fat storage should result.

First Three – Wheat bran is solely responsible for the high fiber content of All Bran and will do wonders to restore regularity to a clogged up digestive system.  Sadly, the second and third ingredients are high fructose corn syrup and sugar which we know we should limit.  Despite this obvious downfall, All Bran is still a better option than both Special K and Cheerios due to its low calorie count, large amount of fiber, and low glycemic index.

I should note here that the above statements only refer to All Bran Original.  Flakes don’t cut it as they only have 5 grams of fiber.  All Bran buds with Psyllium have additional soluble fiber which helps battle cholesterol.  If you’re taking cholesterol lowering medication you might want to make this cereal part of your breakfast routine.

Fiber One
30g (1/2 Cup) Serving
Calories: 60
Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 25g
Dietary Fiber: 14g
Sugar: 0g
Other Carbohydrates: 11g
Protein: 2g

First Three Ingredients: Corn bran, whole grain wheat, wheat bran

Calories – Fiber One has only 50 percent of the calories found in Special K and is the lowest calorie cereal in our comparision.

Fiber – With the exception of All Bran no “healthy cereal” mentioned above can even come close to the 14 grams of fiber packed in to Fiber One cereal.

Glycemic Index – According to many resources Fiber One is classified as a low GI food although the absolute value is never given.  With the high amount of fiber and absolutely no sugar it only makes sense that this is the case.

First Three – Corn bran, whole grain wheat, and wheat bran are all excellent sources of dietary fiber.  In fact, the whole ingredient list is free of any added sugars which makes Fiber One the best breakfast cereal yet.

Again, I should point out that the points above do not refer to the other flavoured versions of Fiber One that are now available.

The Survivors

After the superpowers have been unleashed and the cereal massacre is over only two breakfast cereals remain.

Despite a few of the ingredients All Bran Original still makes the cut as one of our recommended cereals.  However, Fiber One is currently at the top of the healthy breakfast cereal category and this should be the selection of anyone who really wants to make drastic changes in their physique.

Of course, you’re probably thinking that both of these cereals look like little rabbit poops in a bowl.  Perhaps you’re right.  The transition from candy-like breakfast cereals to high fiber cereals is a tough one, but after getting used to it you’ll be glad you did.  Your body and your bowels will thank you for it.

 

Add comment September 14th, 2007