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Break your fast with cereals

Cereals are a good source of vitamins and minerals

"Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar"... this is an adage that's just right for today's waistline-conscious generation.

An ideal South Indian breakfast generally consists of idli, dosa or upma. But today, many health-conscious families prefer cereals at their breakfast tables. But are cereals as healthy as they promise to be?

Regardless of the salt content, breakfast cereals give you a good nutritional start for the day. It is a fact that those who have cereals for breakfast on a regular basis have a slightly more nutritious diet than the rest.As most cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals, they do not require an additional dose of these supplements. Adding milk completes the dietary nourishment. This is ideal for those who wish to eat well and stay healthy.

Full of vitamins

A teenager requires a good amount of iron and calcium, and cereals provide all that in correct measure, in fact they provide 20 per cent of the micronutrient intake and about the same proportion of our iron needs.

They are ideal with a glass of fruit juice, as vitamin C aids iron absorption. Avoid tea with it as the tannins in teainhibit it.

High-fibre cereals are likely to keep your stomach full through the day and you are less likely to rely on snacks.

However, children should not be given a high fibre or bran cereal, as it would prevent them from getting the required nutrition through the day.

Diets rich in whole gram foods may reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, type-2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.

Though there is sugar in cereals, the risk of dental decay is reduced thanks to the presence of milk, which prevents demineralisation.

Sugar content

Sugar in cereals is safer than the sugar in fizzy drinks, which can cause tooth decay.

Cereals with high sugar levels, generally, have no more calories than those with lower levels, which tend to contain more starch and are unlikely to contribute much to obesity. But the sweet varieties are on a par with confectioneries.

With the exception to crunchy oats, which are baked in oil to give that crispy texture, all the others contain little fat.

Overall, breakfast cereals account for five per cent of the total intake in our diet.

No meal should have more than a quarter of the recommended daily maximum of 6 gm.

All-bran provides 17 per cent and has about the same amount of salt as a slice of bread.

At the supermarket, you may look for the low fat, low sugar, low salt and high fibrecereals. But remember, any cereal is healthy, especially for children.

According to studies, eating a wholesome breakfast improves the behavioural pattern and performance levels at school. Make sure children are aware of its worth.

JESSINA ABOOBACKER & ARPARNA KETAN

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