If you've been trying to lose weight by following a diet plan, it's very likely
that you have realized you need to make some change to the bread and cereal you
eat. Diet plans vary from telling you not to eat any bread or cereal at all, through
to focusing on eating large amounts of full grain varieties.
It can all get a bit confusing! But if you know you need to ditch the white bread
for some healthier alternatives, here are some tips to help you choose your breads
and cereals.
Breads
- Some breads proudly proclaim they're made from "wheat" but this is simply a mix
of white and whole wheat flour. You need to look for "whole wheat" on the label
to be sure 100% whole wheat flour was used.
- Look for whole grain varieties. These can include rye, multi-grain, whole wheat,
oat bran, rye, oat and cracked wheat. This applies no matter what type of bread
you're buying - loaf, bagels, pita etc.
- Choose bread with a minimum of 2 grams fiber per slice. Check the label for these
details.
Cereals
- Choose cereals with a minimum of 2 grams fiber per serving. Often the name of the
cereal will help - look for words like "bran". You still need to check the label
to be certain.
- Check the serving size quoted for cereals. Some denser cereals only allow a very
small serving size, so you need to be aware of this is you're going to eat a normal
sized serving. You might need to double the calories consumed, if you eat twice
the amount in the suggested serving size.
- Sugar and salt can be a real problem with cereals. Look for 6 grams of sugar or
less per serving. If your kids really want the sugary version, maybe mix it half
and half with a healthier, look alike version of the same cereal.
- If you like hot cereals, check for unsweetened varieties. Add fresh fruit if you
need some extra sweetness.
- Check fat levels in cereal, there should be less than 2 grams of fat in a serving.
Ingredients such as granola, nuts, seeds and coconut can really raise fat levels.
- Look at the list of ingredients on cereals and see what's listed first. You want
to see things like wheat, rye, oats or corn.