How to Choose a Grownup Cereal

With whole aisles devoted to breakfast cereals, it can be a challenge to pick a cold cereal that's both tasty and good for you. Here are some easy steps to finding the best cereals for a healthy, grownup breakfast.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Read the labels. You want to pick a cereal that is high in whole grains or bran. Look for words like "whole wheat flour" or "oat bran" at the top of the ingredient list.

2. Look for fiber. The best choices will have 5 or more grams of fiber per serving.

3. Watch the fat. Aim for 3 grams of fat or less per serving with no trans fats. Cereal that contain nuts are often higher in fats, but these are acceptable because of the health benefits of fats found in nuts.

4. Look for low sodium. This usually isn't a concern with cereals, but you want to target less than 140 mg sodium per serving.

5. Limit the sugar. The lower the sugar, the better. Cereals that contain dried fruits will have more sugar, but these also boost nutrition. Just avoid the cereals that have added sweeteners not from fruit.

6. Give the cereal extra points for soy protein, vitamins, minerals or cholesterol lowering plant sterols. Try to avoid artificial flavorings, artificial colorings and preservatives.