Nothing starts a cold winter day better than a steaming bowl of hot cereal. Besides warming and filling you up, hot cereal gives you plenty of reasons to feel good about what youre eating. Its packed with fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals, and pouring low-fat or fat-free milk over your cereal adds still more protein, calcium and vitamin D. If you also top your bowl with fruit instead of a glob of sugar, youre off to a strong start on getting at least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Its no wonder that even national fast-food chains have added oatmeal to their breakfast menus lately.
But not all hot-cereal choices are equally nutrition-smart, and its easy to wind up paying extra for ingredients you could add yourself for less. Some of the extras in packaged hot cereals actually detract from their healthy qualities, such as added sugars, sodium and even saturated fat.
The best hot cereal that comes to my mind is steel-cut oats, which can be prepared overnight in a slow-cooker, says Nicola McKeown, PhD, an assistant professor at Tufts Friedman School and a scientific advisor to the Whole Grains Council
Make sure any hot cereal you choose is whole grain, McKeown adds. If in doubt, you can always cook your own from scratch. Make a big batch, as cooked cereals freeze and reheat well.
THE WHOLE STORY: You might assume that all hot cereals-epitomized by good old oatmeal-are whole-grain choices. But Cynthia Harriman, director of food and nutrition strategies at the Whole Grains Council, cautions, While oatmeal (all versions, from instant to steel-cut) is always whole grain, and most other multigrain choices are also whole grain, some popular longtime cereals like Cream of Wheat (farina) are not whole grain. (Theres a special whole-wheat version of Cream of Wheat now, but the original is not whole grain.) The original Cream of Rice is also not a whole-grain cereal.
Southerners who like to start their mornings with a bowl of grits should also be aware that corn grits may or may not be whole grain. (Topping your grits with the traditional big dollop of butter, by the way, is also a nutritional no-no.) According to Harriman, corn grits come in three general types:
-Degerminated corn grits (often sold as quick grits), with the germ removed.These arent whole grain, however, as whole grains must contain all three parts of the grain-the outer bran, starchy endosperm and the germ.
– Hominy grits-Like other forms of nixtamalized corn, hominy loses some of its bran and/or germ, so is usually not whole grain. But you can get whole hominy grits.
– Whole corn grits-Says Harriman, Dont believe it unless it says its whole.
To add to the confusion, grits made with different grains are also available. You can buy millet grits and barley grits, for instance-both whole grain.
Even when youre buying a sure whole grain like oatmeal, the way its processed can make a difference. Avoid instant when possible, says Harriman. Although instant oatmeal is a whole grain, with the same nutrition as rolled oats or steel-cut oats, it has a higher glycemic index than regular oats. Steel-cut oats are the best choice of all from the point of view of supplying the slow, steady stream of blood sugar that supports good health.
Another reason to be wary of instant hot cereals is that theyre the choices most likely to have added salt. Check the label and pick one that has no more than 100 milligrams of sodium per serving.
Even if you dont want to cook up a big batch in advance-like our oatmeal porridge (see box), which is perfect for storing leftovers for later reheating-you arent losing much time buying quick rather than instant varieties. Most quick or easy hot cereals cook up in five minutes or less.
READ ALL ABOUT EXTRAS: When shopping for hot cereal, whats not in the box can be just as important as what is. Watch out for added sugar, Harriman advises. Many packaged oatmeals and other whole grains have high levels of added sugar. Buy plain cereals instead, and add your own finishing touches: nuts, fresh or canned fruit. Even if you add a touch of sugar, honey or maple syrup, youll doubtless end up with a lot less sugar than in the packaged, sweetened varieties. Spices like cinnamon and nutmeg can also help you add flavor and the perception of sweetness. You can even add fiber with some extra bran.
The ingredients list doesnt have to say sugar for a cereal to contain added sugars. Other sweeteners to watch for include fructose, honey and maple syrup. If youre not careful, you could end up starting your day with as much sugar as found in a small candy bar.
If you prefer to buy packaged cereals with dried fruits already in the mix, study the label to make sure youre getting what you pay for. Some brands substitute flavored and colored fruit pieces for the real fruit that the front of the package promises; those blueberries could actually be concoctions of figs, food coloring, sugar and even trans fat, with only a shot of blueberry juice. Other brands that seem to promise bananas or plums contain no fruit at all.
Energy is another word to watch out for, because it can simply mean calories or saturated fat. Avoid energy in the form of coconut cream, for example; although some claim the saturated fat in coconut affects the body differently than other types, thats still being investigated. Some brands tout extra protein (sometimes in the form of whey protein isolate) as promoting energy and fullness, but most Americans get plenty of protein from their diets.
PRICEY PROMISES: Even extra ingredients that dont have a nutritional downside may not live up to their promises or price tag. For instance, some hot cereals have added flaxseed in order to make claims about containing heart-healthy omega-3s. While flaxseed has its nutritional benefits, keep in mind that the primary omega-3 in flaxseed is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is not the same as the DHA and EPA in fish oil associated with heart health. While your body can transform ALA into the more complex DHA and EPA, this process is highly inefficient. Youd have to eat an awful lot of flaxseed-enriched hot cereal to equal one serving of salmon.
Dont fall for natural label claims, which mean very little if anything. Even genetically modified (GMO) products can be labeled natural, though this is currently the subject of litigation. The only such term you can trust is organic, which must meet USDA standards- this will ensure you are not getting any pesticide residue or GMO products, if these are concerns of yours.
Once youve built up a breakfast repertoire of hot-cereal standards, branch out for some morning variety. Whole grains you may have heard of as dinner side-dish alternatives can also serve as breakfast options, such as quinoa, faro, amaranth and teff. See our February 2011 Special Supplement for a complete guide to choosing and cooking whole grains for every meal.
Changing breakfast behavior may be tough for families, says Tufts McKeown, but making one batch of oatmeal or other hot, whole-grain cereal is cheaper and healthier than many other breakfast options.