What's a healthy cereal?

You pick up a chocolate Lucky Charms cereal box and notice it's made from whole grains. On the back, it even discusses a healthy breakfast, and the nutrition label lists all sorts of nutrients. Does this make it healthy? Unfortunately, no.


Here's what to look for on the nutrition label on cereal.

1. Serving Size. Check to make sure the serving is actually the amount you eat or similar to other cereals if you're comparing.
   
2. Whole grain as the first ingredient.


3. Fat. Look for less than 4g of fat per serving.


4. Sugar. No more than 8-10g per serving.


5. Fiber. Aim for at least 4g of fiber per serving. 2g = source of fiber 4g = good source of fiber 6g = very good source of fiber.

6. As for the rest of label, ignore (at least when comparing cereals).

For example, one cup (250 ml) serving of All-Bran Guardian contains 110 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 6 grams of fibre, 10 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein. And it's number one ingredient is a whole grain - whole oat flour! This cereal is on the higher end for sugar, but is a good tasting high fiber cereal.