Consumer Reports: Tasty yet healthy breakfast cereals

Monday, September 15, 2014
Consumer Reports looks for healthy yet tasty cereals
Michelle Charlesworth reports on the best options for a health breakfast that doesn't skimp on taste

FRESNO, Calif. (WABC) -- Cereal is a staple in 91 percent of American households. Most eat it for breakfast, but 11 percent have cereal for dinner, according to the market research company Mintel. Consumer Reports hunted down the most nutritious cereals that are also tasty.

Consumer Reports defines a healthy cereal as one that per serving contains:

- at least 5 grams of fiber

- a maximum of 3 grams of fat

- a maximum of 140 milligrams of sodium

- under 8 grams of sugar

Consumer Reports' expert sensory panel was asked can a cereal be healthy and not taste like cardboard? The answer is yes! They found 13 cereals to recommend that are both healthy and tasty.

They are:

- Bob's Red Mill Old Country Style Muesli

- Kind Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax

- Regular Cheerios

- Cheerios Multigrain

- Post Grape-Nuts The Original

- Post Shredded Wheat Wheat 'n Bran Spoon Size

- Alpen Muesli No Sugar Added

- Kellogg's All-Bran Original

- Total Whole Grain

- Quaker Oatmeal Squares Brown Sugar

- Nature's Path Organic Flax Plus Flakes

- Kix Crispy Corn Puffs

- Post Shredded Wheat Original Spoon Size

There are plenty of good reasons to eat breakfast. Studies show it may protect you against heart disease, reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, and may even improve your mind. Research on adults and children finds that having breakfast can enhance memory, attention, and verbal abilities by stabilizing your glucose levels. So eat up!