Why Your Children’s Breakfast Cereals Are Not As Healthy As You Think

Did you know that the breakfast cereals that your children eat each morning are not as suitable or healthy as you probably think? Most have a problem. We will discover which one.

It is enough to visit a supermarket and take a walk down the hall where the breakfast cereals are found, to realize the wide variety of brands and types that exist today. For adults, for diets, against constipation, for women, for children…

The truth is that the world of breakfast cereals is probably one of the widest and most varied that exists, but although in the same packaging or box they tell us that we are facing apparently healthy cereals, due to the fact that they are rich in fiber or low in fat, the reality is quite different: we must look at the nutritional labeling to realize the incredible amount of sugar they contain.

But very few people really realize it. An example is breakfast cereals for children. If you have children, it is quite likely that if I opened your pantry I would find inside it with cereals specifically bought for them: Golden Grahams, Smacks, Choco Krispies, Chocapic … And one of the worst: Frosties (yes, those cereals that in addition to containing sugar in excess for more inri they coat them in more sugar). But let’s go in parts.

What are breakfast cereals?

Breakfast cereals consist of a packaged food product (very well packaged and designed to attract consumers, I would say), which are derived from different cereals such as corn, rice or oats, which result in corn flakes. , rice flakes or oat flakes, which are consumed with hot or cold milk for breakfast.

The promotion of this type of cereals is aimed at both adult audiences and children, so that in the packaging of cereals for children we will find striking colors and drawings with which they try to attract their attention.

The problem with breakfast cereals: their high sugar content.

But there is a problem: most breakfast cereals made for children are sweetened or flavored with honey, glucose syrup , so that although they are apparently “healthy” options because they are made from cereals, the reality is very different: Their sugar content makes them a real bomb, very unsuitable for children.

In fact, did you know that about half of what we find in a cereal box is actually sugar? What’s more, in a cereal bowl we will find 13 grams of sugar (the amount equivalent to two envelopes).

As you surely know, in the list of ingredients that you will find on the nutritional labeling of any food product, they tend to be organized in order based on the amount that has been used to make them.

Okay, let’s do a test. Grab any of the commercial breakfast cereal boxes you have on hand right now and take a look at their ingredient list. You may be surprised to find sugar, glucose syrup, and some other sweetener at the top of the list. You know why? Indeed, because it contains a very high sugar content.

And, what is even more evident, you can notice its high sugar content when you analyze its nutritional composition, for example by analyzing how many carbohydrates correspond to sugars.

Let’s now make an analysis regarding the composition of the children’s breakfast cereals most consumed today by the little ones every day (data per 100 grams, obtained from the information provided by the brands in their own packages or in their web pages):

That is, as we can see, all the children’s breakfast cereals that you find in your supermarket contain a very high amount of sugar. And do you know what sugar does to both you and your children? Every time they consume these cereals, their high content of carbohydrates in the form of sugars cause a spike in the hormone insulin, which is responsible for converting glucose into fat.

However, after an hour the glucose drops suddenly, causing an increased appetite, bad mood and dizziness. Indeed, that’s why your child tends to be irritable and cranky shortly after eating breakfast cereals.

The result is even more dangerous, because if your children eat these breakfast cereals daily, after a few years they could become overweight and obese, and what is even worse: they have a higher risk of suffering from type 2 diabetes. Yes, the same diabetes that is dangerously increasing in recent years among the child population.

What is the solution?

The solution is more than obvious: throw away each and every one of the breakfast cereal boxes that you have right now in the pantry, and never buy them again. But that does not mean that your children are without breakfast. Do you know that there are much healthier, healthier, and ideal nutritional options for the little ones in the house?

In fact, if your children love cereals, why not take advantage of it and opt for healthier recipes? An example is granola, a very complete food made with rolled oats and nuts, mixed with seeds, raisins and honey.

Or the porridge, a wonderful dish made with oats, with a smooth and creamy texture that you can sweeten with other healthier options if you wish (for example, panela is a good choice).