Why a bowl of cereal is best way to start the day

A BOWL of cereal for breakfast is the healthiest start to the day, research has found.


 BOOST Cereal lovers have healthier lifestyles BOOST: Cereal lovers have healthier lifestyles

It is packed with vitamins which have positive effects on the body.

But people who eat cereal also consume more milk than normal and eat less fatty foods, meat, eggs and sugary drinks, the 10-year study found.

Cereal lovers also consume more fibre and carbohydrates during the day and even do more physical exercise.

The scientists set out to find out why breakfast is often described as the best meal of the day.

For children, eating breakfast is already linked to better nutrition, lower body mass index, higher rates of physical activity and improved quality of life.

The study of 2,379 teenage girls in the US by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute says consumption of cereal goes hand in hand with other positive habits, like exercise.

The lifestyle of cereal eaters was compared to that of people who had other types of breakfast.

Cereal provides more fibre, iron, folic acid, and zinc and less fat, sodium, sugar, and cholesterol, compared with other breakfast foods.

Researchers also found that people who eat cereal have better overall diets. They drink more milk eat less fat, sweets, bread and fizzy drinks.

Scientists also recorded a big jump in physical activity on days when cereal was eaten. The researchers said: “Eating cereal for breakfast may have implications for healthier eating throughout the day, as cereal eaters ate more fibre and less fat all day.

“It is possible those who start the day eating well continue this pattern and it leads to a commitment to healthy eating in general. The findings have implications for dieticians, who might promote the importance of eating cereal at breakfast.”