Getting the kids (and ourselves!) out the door in the morning can be a crazy time, and for many, cereal is definitely the go to breakfast food. There is such a variety to choose from, and plenty of commercials that entice our kids with zany characters. Those cereals being marketed to our kids , as we know, can be very high in sugar. So even though it is easy and very yummy, what are some better cereal choices we can make? Read on to learn more, and thanks for visiting Saddle Rock Pediatric Dentistry! 

Are Children’s Breakfast Cereals Healthy?

Kids love a good bowl of cereal for breakfast in the morning. Parents have been serving it to their children for decades. The problem is, that most popular cereals have more sugar than three large chocolate chip cookies!

A new study has found that one cup of over 40 of the most popular kids breakfast cereals, has more sugar than three chips ahoy brand chocolate chip cookies.

The cereal with the highest sugar content by weight is Kellogg’s Honey Smacks. A one cup serving of Honey Smacks cereal contains more sugar than a Hostess Twinkie.

In defense of the makers of these cereals, they have lowered sugar content over the years from much higher levels in the past, but more needs to be done to make them a healthier breakfast. Starting the day with high carbs and no protein allows for an initial sugar rush and a subsequent “carb-crash”. Kids need to be able to focus in school, and a good breakfast can help with that.  Kids should not be loading up on sugar first thing in the morning. Not only is it bad for their overall health but also their dental health. This high sugar, carb meal has spread to other meals as well, and is linked to the childhood obesity crisis we are seeing worldwide, especially in the United States. A balanced breakfast of fruit, protein and carbs is what is recommended for maximum performance.

What Can Parents Do to limit Sugar intake at Breakfast?

First of all, they can make better choices at breakfast time. There are plenty of better cereal and breakfast options. A few good alternative cereals include:

-Kellogg’s Mini-Wheats: Unfrosted Bite- Size

-General Mills Cheerios Original

-General Mills Kix Original

– sprinkle the cereal over a bowl of yogurt, or have a handful of fruit and nuts with your cereal to add protein and vitamins.

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