Are you one of those adults who ate cereal every day as a kid, and now it’s more of a “I’m too lazy to make dinner” kind of snack? Why is that?!
Turns out, cereal gets a bad rap. Sure, if you’re downing a bowl of dry Frosted Flakes twice a day, your sugar intake is going to skyrocket – but what about the other cereals out there, the ones that are actually packing a pretty nutritional punch and get lumped in with the rest?
As kids, there was no way we’d be reaching for things like Honey Bunches of Oats or Raisin Bran when there were Froot Loops and Cocoa Puffs at our disposal. But now that we’re ~grown~, we have a right – no, a duty – to get back into the cereal game.
Just watch this video by dietician Steph Grasso – she argues with, well, herself about the nutritional value of cereal. And makes a pretty good case, I’d say.
The reality is, cereal is a great choice for those mornings when you just can’t whip up an egg white omelette or refuse to do another bowl of oatmeal. Between the fiber intake and all the vitamins and minerals packed into one bowl, it’s a no-brainer.
Take the classic Cheerios, for example. I’ll even use the best flavor – Frosted, of course – to drive the point home. At 140 calories per cup, we’re at a good place, even for those calorie-deficit girlies. Less than 2 grams of fat, only 12 grams of sugar (for comparison, a packet of Quaker Oats has 11), 3 grams of protein (plus whatever you’re getting from your milk – there are 8 grams in a cup of 1 percent, if you’re curious) and a healthy dose of vitamin D, calcium and iron.
I mean, if we’re looking at return on investment – all that for simply pouring a bowl – what’s not to love?
And now, cereal manufacturers are getting more and more creative. Like Magic Spoon, which makes zero-sugar, high-protein cereal. Sure, they run about $10 a box, but how much are those protein bars from Whole Foods you can’t get enough of, hm?
So, what do you think? Is it time to go back to the basics?