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Quick Bites

Choosing Healthy Cereal

Scan for bran. Check out the ingredient list. One of the first few items should be whole wheat, bran or whole oats. Ideally, your cereal should offer at least three or more grams of fiber per serving.
Limit sugar. 'Kiddie' cereals aren't the only ones that contain added sugar. Granola, flavored oatmeal and other varieties can be loaded. Four grams of sugar is the equivalent of 1 teaspoon of sugar. Avoid varieties with more than 8 grams of sugar per serving.
Limit processed cereals such as rice krispies, corn flakes or puffed cereals. Though these may be low in sugar, they are more refined than whole grain cereals (which can lead to hunger just a few hours after consumption).
Add fresh, frozen or dried fruit to your cereal to increase the vitamin and mineral content. The vitamin C in your strawberries helps you absorb the iron in the cereal.
Use 1% or skim milk in your cereal and skip the fat. Whole milk and 2% milk are higher in calories and fat.