Picking Between Cereals: More Fiber, Less Sugar
8:00 PM
Let us draw your attention back to a
post we did on how to use the nutrition label to find the best whole grain
foods. This article from May’s issue of Men’s
Health uses the test on several popular cereals to see which ones pass.
You may have noticed: A new
stamp lists grams of “whole grains” on product labels. But don’t be
fooled: “Just because the packaging says ‘whole grain’ doesn’t
necessarily mean a product is high in fiber,” says Alan Aragon, M.S.,
a Men’s Healthnutrition advisor.
That’s because the criteria for the “100% Whole Grain” and “Whole Grain” stamps are based solely on grams of whole grains, without regard for fiber content. So you can have a “whole grain” cereal like Cinnamon Toast Crunch that contains just 2 grams of fiber per serving.
What’s more, foods touting the whole grains stamp have more sugar and calories on average than those without it, according toHarvard University
The better bet is to look for a 10-to-1 ratio of carbohydrates to fiber. Foods with this ratio or lower had more fiber and less sugar than foods with a higher ratio. See how your favorite cereals stack up.
That’s because the criteria for the “100% Whole Grain” and “Whole Grain” stamps are based solely on grams of whole grains, without regard for fiber content. So you can have a “whole grain” cereal like Cinnamon Toast Crunch that contains just 2 grams of fiber per serving.
What’s more, foods touting the whole grains stamp have more sugar and calories on average than those without it, according to
The better bet is to look for a 10-to-1 ratio of carbohydrates to fiber. Foods with this ratio or lower had more fiber and less sugar than foods with a higher ratio. See how your favorite cereals stack up.
Original article, "Does Cereal Pass the Fiber
Test?” by Julie Stewart, Men’s
Health
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