The most common questions most Dieticians and Nutrionists get is "Are Breakfast Cereals Healthy?"
When we think of breakfast in an Indian household, dosas, idlis, poha, upma, paranthas, roti are some of the common foods consumed in India.
But in the present scenario, most of us are in a very fast moving world, so we look for easier options to choose from rather than making any traditional breakfast. So most of us have included breakfast cereals as a part of our diet.
What are breakfast cereals?
Breakfast cereals are processed food products typically made from grains like wheat, oats, corn, or rice. They are often fortified with vitamins and minerals and are marketed as convenient breakfast options.
We have varieties of breakfast cereals such as corn flakes, wheat flakes, multigrain, muesli, granola and oatmeal.
Why were breakfast cereals invented?
In the 1890s, Breakfast cereal was created by an American physician Dr. John Harvey Kellogg.
He is called the "Father of Breakfast cereals". He created corn flakes as a special food for mentally ill patients to help in their recovery.
His theory was that bland food is the cure to mental illnesses and indigestion. He developed a dough with wheat, corn and oats, baked them at high temperatures and then after cooling, the hard bread was broken into crumbs. He called it Granula. Does it sound familiar? It was quite similar to the granola available now.
But the actual invention happened when Dr. Harvey left the dough overnight accidentally. The dough had fermented but instead of throwing it off, he put the dough through rollers and he got thin, crispy flakes which could be baked. This is how cereal flakes were developed.
He experimented further and found that corn produced crispier flakes and had a better flavour. But his brother William Kellogg started the commercial business and made the cereal more tastier by adding sugar and spending large amounts of money to advertise and sell the cereal and made it into a billion dollar industry. Over time, they evolved into a commercial product to cater to busy lifestyles and dietary preferences.
In the western countries, it was and still is a preferred convenient breakfast option in every household.
So how are corn flakes processed commercially?
Corn is a cheap crop and is mass produced in tonnes in various western countries. They have developed various products from corn because of the surplus production and one of them was the breakfast cereal.
Corn is processed and turned into a powder and mixed with a lot of sugar and salt and other preservatives and then it is cooked and dehydrated to look like a flake.
When these cereal flakes are dehydrated, the carbohydrate content becomes high. So any cereal you take is loaded with carbohydrates and the addition of sugar will double up the carbohydrate content in that particular cereal.
During the processing of breakfast cereals, a lot of nutrients are added. So initially they strip out all of the nutrients while processing the cereal and then add back all the artificial nutrients in the form of vitamins and minerals.
So we have iron enriched cereals, fiber rich cereals and low fat cereals. These marketing gimmicks that are mentioned on the cereal box cover and it is misleading us with false health claims.
When were breakfast cereals introduced in India?
Breakfast cereals were introduced in India around 1994, exactly 100 years after its invention, marking a shift from traditional breakfast options like dosas and parathas to processed foods.
The multinational companies have changed the face of our Indian breakfast. The ad campaigns were planned in a way to put down traditional breakfast and replace it with these processed foods.
These cereals were portrayed as healthy options with a lot of marketing stating that it can give you a lot of nutrients, it can help you lose weight and how your children can benefit from eating these breakfast cereals with claims such as meeting your iron, calcium and low fat requirements.
It was also convenient for Indian mothers to give a bowl of cereal as this reduces the need for early morning food preparation as most of the Indian preparations do take a considerable amount of time and most children now prefer it over traditional breakfasts.
What are the side effects of breakfast cereals?
Firstly these cereals are high in sugar and refined carbohydrates!!!!
Sugar always ranks within the first five ingredients in the ingredient list.
Types of sugars commonly added to breakfast cereals:
- Sugar and its variations- cane sugar, beet sugar, coconut sugar, organic sugar
- Honey, jaggery
- Maltodextrins
- Sucrose or table sugar
- Fructose or fruit sugar
- Malt sugar or maltose
- Caramel
- Syrups such as High Fructose Corn syrup
The added sugars provide empty calories and high consumption of sugar can lead to a lot of health problems mainly weight gain. In a Canadian study published in 2017, the research has shown that these cereals are child-targeted and are loaded with sugar and sodium and they have also pointed out the need for stricter regulations on promotion of food products for children and teens under 17.
The Australian Government has set up a program called the Healthy Food Partnership program which regulates the sugar, sodium and saturated fats addition in food products. They have proposed a 10% cutback on the sugar added to cereals which have more than 25g of sugar /100g of cereal.
Influence of breakfast cereals on blood sugar
As Breakfast cereals contain sugar and refined grains, it can spike the sugar levels resulting in insulin resistance over a period of time. Females are prone to developing medical issues such as insulin resistance, PCOD and PCOS.
They have a high content of sugar and very low fibre content, prediabetic and diabetic patients should strictly avoid breakfast cereals. If frequently consumed, diabetics will be unable to control their sugar levels and will miss out on various nutrients which would be essential to control diabetes.
It has a high glycemic index of 70-82 making it more difficult to manage the sugar levels.
Most of the breakfast cereals lack protein and this can increase the glycaemic load (GL) and the labels usually consider the protein content of the cereal along with milk.
Weight management and breakfast cereals
Companies claim that these cereals can make you lose about 5 kilos of weight per month. In fact it works the other way around.
They can make you gain weight because of their high carbohydrate content and low protein content. The spike in your sugar level can make you satisfied for sometime, but after a while once the sugar level crashes, you are hungry again.
These cereals do not keep you full for a longer time and therefore resulting in over eating and making wrong choices of food and result in frequent eating. The frequent spikes in sugar levels can also cause stubborn belly fat and make it more difficult for you to lose weight and also have a lot of cravings for sugary foods. You may also end up with a fatty liver condition with the excess belly fat that you are carrying.
The companies ask you to eat two bowls of cereal to make you lose weight from which they are profiting while we are unknowingly affecting our health. Well it may help in weight loss if it is a part of a low calorie diet plan, but per se it does not directly help in weight loss. Calories in and calories out matters.
Are breakfast cereals safe for children?
These cereals that are designed for children have a lot of added colors and they are blown out into different shapes and colours to make the product look attractive.
They are loaded with sugar and you will see various flavors such as frosted sugar flakes and honey coated corn flakes. Just like any other processed food, these contain a lot of preservatives and additives and can change the structure of the nutrients and make them harmful for your child's consumption.
There are certain preservatives such as BHA(Butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT(Butylated hydroxytoluene) which are commonly added preservatives in cereals and are said to be cancerous and also damage the reproductive health. There have been studies that BHA and BHT have not been associated with cancer risk in small amounts and only animal studies have shown cancer incidences but yet why add such preservatives in our foods.
Although the cereals have been fortified with minerals such as iron and zinc and vitamins such as Vitamin A and this may help in meeting the nutrient gap, as we know most of the breakfast cereals are high in sugar and this can lead to weight gain.
Children may also show hyperactivity, tooth decay and behavioural issues because of the high sugar content and also develop a lot of food and skin allergies because of the added artificial colors.
Breakfast cereal being low in fat and protein can affect a child's growth and development. So do not get misled by the words such as "froot" which sounds like fruit. There are no added fruits, but just added fruit flavouring. It is not recommended to give these cereals to your children.
Breakfast cereals and Heart disease
High sugar intake and breakfast cereals with refined grains have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases in children according to the American Heart Association while high fiber cereals can reduce the risk of heart disease.
What are we even feeding our children!!!!!!!
Breakfast cereals and pregnancy
Breakfast cereals high in sugar can cause excessive weight gain in pregnancy leading to gestational diabetes which is nothing but diabetes in pregnancy. So particularly if there is a risk of getting gestational diabetes, then these breakfast cereals should not be included. They look like safe choices but you have to read the labels and opt for low sugar and high fiber cereals. You need to make very safer and healthier choices in pregnancy and eat healthy to nourish your baby.
Conclusion
I can understand with our busy lifestyles, breakfast cereals can be a convenient meal that you can pick from a supermarket and bring it straight to your dining table.
But you should understand the reality of breakfast cereals as they are high processed, high in sugar, made of artificially processed vitamins and minerals, loaded with colours, flavorings and preservatives.
Yes this topic can be argumentative as there are many studies promoting breakfast cereals and they can be nutritious providing us with key nutrients and have demonstrated that those who consume breakfast cereals have higher intake of various nutrients.
This may work in the western countries as they do not have a variety on their breakfast menu unlike indian diets.
Key Take away
Traditional Indian breakfast recipes are designed to be healthy, nutritious and very filling. They may contain carbohydrates but still are low in added sugars. They do not cause weight gain and any deficiencies. We include a variety of whole grain cereals, pulses, vegetables, milk products and healthy fats to start our day off.
So do not fall for the aggressive marketing done by these cereal industries.
Say yes to idli sambhar, dosa and chutney, paratha and curd and poha with groundnuts and also eggs, fruit and whole grain bread.
A few pointers to help you make the right decision.
If you are unable to cook a traditional breakfast due to lack of time. There are some healthy cereal options that are available in the market.
- Look for whole grains cereals as the first ingredient and should contain whole wheat, ragi, barley. Avoid corn.
- Stick to the servings mentioned. If it says 30gm, do not eat two to three times the servings mentioned on the cereal box.
- Ensure added sugar should be less than ten grams in one serving.
- Opt for high fiber and sugar free brands if you are diabetic
- Every serving should have a high content of fibre at least 5grams per serving. When you read the labels and if the ingredient sugar is in the first three ingredients. then please avoid that cereal. Please put it back into the shelf. The ingredients are always in the descending order that is from the highest to the lowest. So if sugar is in the top three in the ingredient list, the sugar content of the product is very high and the product should be avoided.
- Add fruits, nuts and seeds to increase the fibre content.
- Use at least 2% fat milk or higher for giving you the feeling of fullness and milk also adds protein.
- You can eat eggs along with cereal for more protein.
- Avoid preservatives such as BHT and BHA and opt for safer preservatives such as Vitamin E and other natural preservatives.
- Keep breakfast cereals as an occasional meal, not a staple in your diet.
Frequently asked Questions
Are breakfast cereals safe for diabetics?
Most brands of breakfast cereals are high in sugar, have high glycaemic index, low on fiber and protein, hence they are not suitable for diabetics. If a diabetic does want to include breakfast cereals in their diet, its best they choose for sugar free, high fiber options along with adequate protein to balance the blood sugars.
Do breakfast cereals help in weight loss?
Breakfast cereals do not help in weight loss unless it is a part of a calorie deficit diet and one exercises regularly.
Do these cereals contain gluten?
Breakfast cereals contain many ingredients which may not be suitable for people who hare sensitive to gluten such as wheat flour, wheat berries, wheat germ, rye, barley, barley malt and other malt extracts, malt syrups, oats unless it is gluten free oats and has not been malted or processed in machinery used for wheat.
You can opt for cereals that contain rice, buckwheat, corn, maize, sorghum, quinoa and millets such as ragi. Read the labels carefully to look for gluten sources
Do breakfast cereals cause cancer?
Breakfast cereals do not cause cancer but one should be wary of the ingredients added such as artificial colours and preservatives may be harmful for our health. Moreover as most breakfast cereals are low in fiber, a persistent intake of a low fiber diet can increase the risk for stomach and bowel cancers. Follow a high fiber diet and fortify cereals with fruits, nuts and seeds to improve the fiber intake in breakfast cereals
Do breakfast cereals cause bloating?
Some people may not be able to tolerate high fiber cereals with bran, artificial sweeteners, gluten rich grains, certain sugars and may cause bloating and gas. Introduce the cereal in to your diet with smaller quantities, or increase fiber intake gradually to adjust to the change in the diet.
A few may not be able to tolerate adding milk to cereal if they are lactose intolerant. They can opt for lactose free milk such rice milk, oat milk, soy milk to overcome this issue.
Can breakfast cereals cause diarrhoea?
Some may be sensitive to low sugar cereals such as those sweetened with sugar alcohols such as mannitol, xylitol and sorbitol and artificial sugars such as aspartame, sucralose and saccharin may disturb the digestive system and cause a laxative effect. Some high fober cereals may trigger the same reaction.
Can breakfast cereals cause constipation?
Low fiber, high sugar cereals can cause constipation if combined with an overall lower fiber diet along with low water intake. Eat a fiber rich diet to alleviate such issues.
