How to Avoid Refined Cereals
Refined cereals have processed grains with layers of bran and germ removed. Like white flour and white rice, refined cereals can have nutrients added back after the milling process. Gone forever are the removed phytochemicals, the plant chemicals that can protect you against disease and offer you antioxidants. Read on to learn what a refined cereal is as well as how and why you can avoid them.
Instructions
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You can't miss the refined cereals at most grocery stores. There's a whole aisle devoted to them. They're mass produced and packaged in colorful boxes. Often, they're on sale. They may proclaim that they have "whole grains" and that they provide a substantial portion of your daily nutrition. Statistically speaking, they do. But because their cereal grains have been processed, they automatically have less nutrients than unprocessed cereal does. Refined cereals are often low in the fiber you need every day. Plus, the processing has stripped the grains of their phytochemicals like lignans, which can lower the risk of heart disease, and saponins, which can lower blood cholesterol.
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Not all mass-produced cereal is refined. Bran Flakes, Raisin Bran, Shredded Wheat, Wheetabix and Fibre Crunch are examples of whole grain cereal.
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Read the nutritional information on the cereal box carefully. Read it all--not just the information on the "Nutritional Facts" chart on the side panel. Chances are, the more health claims the packaging makes about its product, the more processed it is. After all, when is the last time you saw a sticker on a head of broccoli touting its fiber and protein content?
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Certain refined cereals are better than others, of course. Those with less sugar include Cheerios, Life, Special K, Rice Krispies and Corn Flakes. Still, you can avoid refined grains by selecting a whole grain cereal. If you can read the words "partially hydrogenated" in its list of ingredients, or the first ingredient isn't a whole grain, you should put that box back on the shelf.
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Rather than eat a boxed cereal, try steel-cut oatmeal--not the kind in a rip-open pouch, but the kind in a tin. In the Resources section below, you can find a recipe to make your own, healthier version of the apple cinnamon flavored oatmeal you can find in the pouches. You can also try a warm breakfast cereal made from quinoa (pronounced "keen-wa"), a nutritious berry from South America that's often treated like a whole grain because of its similar nutritional benefits. It's a great source of fiber and is a complete protein, with all 9 essential amino acids. Find a recipe in the Resources section below.
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Tips & Warnings
The more your cereal looks like real food, the healthier it will be for you.
Don't rely on nutritional additives for the daily vitamins you need.
