Oatmeal, particularly the slow-cooked kind, is generally healthier than Cheerios.
Both are made from whole oats, but the difference comes down to processing. Unprocessed whole oats, like those in steel-cut oatmeal, take a while for the body to digest.
With Cheerios and other processed cereals, “you basically have rapidly digested sugar mixed with bran and germ,” said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. “It provides fiber and minerals, but also digests in the mouth almost immediately.”
That gives you a quick spike in blood sugar, but no energy for later.
One 2013 study, for instance, found that people who ate oatmeal felt fuller and had better appetite control than those who ate the same number of calories of processed cereal.
Both oatmeal and Cheerios are whole grains, which puts them ahead of cereals like Corn Flakes and Special K, in which the bran and germ have been removed, Dr. Mozaffarian said. Whole grains have more fiber and a wider range of vitamins and minerals.
As a practical rule-of-thumb, Dr. Mozaffarian suggests using the total carbohydrate-to-fiber ratio to find more healthful breakfast foods – aiming for a ratio of less than 10 to 1, which is comparable to the ratio in whole wheat flour.
A serving of Corn Flakes, for instance, includes about 24 grams of carbohydrate and 1 gram of fiber, a less-than-ideal ratio. Cheerios achieves the desired ratio of about 10 grams of carbohydrate for every gram of fiber. Instant oatmeals that contain lots of added sugar may be worse than Cheerios using this standard.
For his own breakfast, Dr. Mozaffarian eats Kashi Good Friends cereal along with fruit and full-fat milk. Kashi has more sugar than Cheerios or oats, providing about 42 grams of carbohydrate per serving. But it also has 12 grams of fiber, giving it a better carb-to-fiber ratio than many other cereals, Dr. Mozaffarian said.
The fruit adds even more fiber, and the full-fat milk digests more slowly than low-fat milk.
“If you eat a breakfast of refined cereal and skim milk,” Dr. Mozaffarian said, “your blood sugar is going to crash a few hours later, and you will be hungrier and eat more for lunch.”
The good-for-weight-loss whole grains are those, like brown rice, whole oats, unhulled barley, and buckwheat groats, that have not gone through the grinding, or processing, of their kernels into flour. These whole grains contain only about 500 calories per pound.
Almost any whole grain can turn into a healthy and satisfying hot start for your morning. Some examples include barley, cornmeal, amaranth, quinoa, farro, millet and wheat berries. Prepare the grain according to package directions and then customize it to meet your taste.
Grains to avoid are wheat (such as wheat berries, spelt, kamut, farro and bulgur), rye, barley and triticale. Oats are technically gluten-free, but they carry a higher possibility of cross-contamination during manufacturing. To be safe, choose gluten-free oats such as Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Rolled Oats.
From chia to kamut, sorghum to spelt, like many whole grains, they are significant sources of protein, fiber and other important nutrients, such as B vitamins, iron, folate, selenium, potassium and magnesium.
A balanced breakfast typically includes protein, fiber, and a range of nutrients. If you're looking for a healthy morning meal, try easy options like eggs, whole wheat toast with toppings, nuts, and green tea. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.
Naturally gluten-free and rich in vitamins and minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium, and folate, millet may be the most nutritious substitute for oatmeal ( 2 ).
Qureshi says, "The prebiotic fibers in plant-based foods support your gut health by providing nourishment to the probiotics (aka good bacteria) in your microbiome." So plant foods—like fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds—are a staple of gut-health-friendly breakfasts.
"Black rice has been shown to have the highest level of antioxidants of all rice varieties, due in large part to the anthocyanin content—a powerful anti-inflammatory that gives the grains their dark purplish hue—as well as flavonoids and carotenoids," explains Megan Roosevelt, RDN, LA-based registered dietitian, ...
Grain-free diets may limit nutrient intake, increase your risk of constipation, and be difficult to sustain in the long term. Unnecessarily demonizing grains for purported health reasons may also promote orthorexic eating behaviors.
healthy grain-free products like almond flour and coconut flour. starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, potatoes, and butternut squash. nonstarchy vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, and asparagus. animal and plant-based protein sources like chicken, fish, eggs, and lentils.
While it assumes a grain-like taste and texture after cooking, quinoa is a seed. This rice substitute is gluten-free, high in fiber, and much higher in protein than rice. Quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids that your body needs.
Many grains are also high in gluten, including spelt, kamut, triticale, and all varieties of wheat, barley, and rye. Gluten is actually a particularly harmful lectin that has been confirmed to have toxic effects on the intestinal walls. Gluten toxicity is likely due to a protein called gliadin.
We recommend enjoying 3 serves of whole grain foods daily to help reduce the risk of disease(4). Making the simple swap from refined grain foods to whole grain varieties such as brown rice, wholemeal pasta, oats, wholemeal bread and whole grain breakfast cereals will ensure you hit your daily whole grain target!
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