Bowl Of Cereal Vs. Organic Apple & Grapefruit
Graphic: © herbs-info.com. Images source – Pixabay (PD).
In the words of nutritionist Adelle Davis, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.”
Breakfast is rightfully regarded as the most important meal of the day – it makes us happier, lowers the risk of Type 2 diabetes, boosts our cognitive performance, and prevents weight gain. [1][2][3][4] However, these health benefits have more to do with the content of your breakfast than the timing.
What is in a Bowl of Cereal?
As far as convenience is concerned, a bowl of cereal is an easy pick for most people – but at a cost. Cereals are often loaded with unhealthy carbohydrates, high-processed foods, unnecessary additives (e.g., preservatives), and sugars that may wreak havoc on your body.
Word of Advice: Ignore the marketing ploys and health claims in the commercials or on the front of the box. Always read the ingredients list before indulging in a bowl of cereal – the devil is in the detail! That said, there are several healthier alternatives such as whole foods (fruits, grains, vegetables, etc.) or dairy products.
What is in an Organic Fruit-Based Breakfast?
Rather than eating a bowl of cereal with questionable ingredients, consider single-ingredient foods such as grapefruits and apples.
As one of the most nutritious citrus fruits, grapefruit is rich in fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants. [5] A medium-sized grapefruit contains vitamin C (64% RDI), vitamin A (28% RDI), fiber (2 grams), low calories (52), protein (1 gram), magnesium, folate, thiamine, and potassium.
Likewise, a 182-gram apple is rich in fiber (4 grams), potassium (6% RDI), vitamin K, manganese, vitamin C (14% RDI), vitamin E, and B vitamins. Additionally, apples contain polyphenols (micronutrients packed with antioxidants), especially on the skin.
So, what is your choice? A bowl of cereal or organic apples and grapefruit?
Please note that this content should never be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinicians.
[1] Breakfast Cereal and Caffeinated Coffee: Effects on Working Memory, Attention, Mood, and Cardiovascular Function https://sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938499000256.
[2] Eating patterns and type 2 diabetes risk in older women: breakfast consumption and eating frequency https://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2013/06/12/ajcn.112.057521.abstract.
[3] Effect of breakfast composition on cognitive processes in elementary school https://ase.tufts.edu/psychology/spacelab/pubs/MahoneyEtAl.pdf.
[4] Association between Eating Patterns and Obesity in a Free-living US Adult Population https://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/158/1/85.full.
[5] Grapefruit, raw, pink and red, all areas Nutrition Facts & Calories https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1905/2.