These are the best cereals for your children's breakfast
We visited a supermarket, we went to the area of cereals(for breakfast, for tea or dinner), and we find a wide variety of brands, many of them especially aimed at the smallest of the house. But do you know what they all have in common? As we already mentioned in the article Why your children's breakfast cereals are not as healthy as you think, all are characterized by contain a horrible and exaggerated amount of sugar.
The result is more than evident, as well as dangerous and alarming: each time your child eats a bowl of these "breakfast cereals" is consuming an average of between 24 to 35 grams of sugars; so that, each time they are consumed, they provoke a peak in the hormone insulin, responsible for the glucose to become fat.
And what is the final result? In the last 40 years the number of children and adolescents with childhood obesity has multiplied by 10. While in Spain, it is estimated that childhood obesity has increased between 2% to 8% for girls, and between 3 % to 12% in children (The World).
So, it becomes clear that most of the world's population has a serious health problem, especially when we are not aware of the huge amount of sugar that most of the food products we consume every day have. In the case of children's food or food products, in fact, the problem is even worse (and obviously more serious).
Having said that, there is no doubt that the most appropriate solution is to banish the corridor of breakfast cereals from the supermarket, and make a visit down the hall where you will find much more nutritious, healthy, and adequate cereals for our children. But before that, we can summarize below in a single image what breakfast cereals are you should eliminate right now from your pantry:
What are the healthiest cereals, ideal for our children's breakfast?
The truth is that we do not have to search a lot to find ourselves in the supermarket with cereals that are nutritionally adequate, and that in fact become a healthy and recommended option not only for our children, but also for ourselves.
The whole grain flakes they are a better option than typical breakfast cereals, since it is the healthiest way to process cereals in its integral version. And what does it mean that a cereal is whole? It basically indicates that we are faced with a cereal that contains full grain cereal.
In fact, we could say that all cereals are completely natural, just before the moment in which they are processed, when they are ground and the bran and germ are separated, leaving only the endosperm, thus becoming a refined cereal.
At the time of choosing them, it is enough to pay attention to the label that we find on the back or side of the product, with all the nutritional information of the product. Ideally, whole grains with at least 5 grams of fiber for each serving, and with less than 5 grams of sugar.
Of course, the key is to find on the label an ingredient of the type whole wheator wheat bran, always remembering that the ingredient that comes first is the one that has the most content in the product.
Oats
The oats It is a wonderful cereal, which provides interesting nutritional properties, and also becomes an ideal option for our children. For example, it contains a greater amount of proteins than other cereals, but it does not have proteins of high biological value.
However, provides slow-absorbing carbohydrates, which are ideal to provide energy to our little ones little by little, without causing glucose peaks. Further, It is a cereal very rich in fiber, in fact containing both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Finally, we can not forget your content in healthy fats, especially fats of the unsaturated type, which protects the health of our arteries and the heart.
Yes, It contains gluten, so its consumption is not recommended in children who have gluten intolerance and are celiac.
A quick recipe to prepare breakfast for our children is in the form of porridge, the traditional English breakfast, tremendously nutritious and very versatile in that it gives us the possibility of adding a wide variety of healthy ingredients.
Its preparation is very simple: you only have to put the equivalent of a cup or glass of milk in a saucepan to the fire, and add 3 tablespoons of whole oat flakes (it is preferable thin, otherwise you can crush them a little with the glass blender). Cook over the heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, until it thickens a little. Then remove from heat and let cool.If you wish, you can accompany it with some pieces of banana, raisins ... In short, the favorite fruits of your little one.
Wheat bran
Nowadays it is very easy to find packages of wheat bran in many supermarkets. It consists of the part of the grinding of wheat grains, standing out precisely for being the Cereal grain husk pulverized during the crushing process. It is constituted, therefore, as the most fibrous part of the wheat.
We can also enjoy the bran of other cereals, as for example is the case of oat bran. However, wheat bran also stands out from a nutritional point of view for its high content of insoluble fiber, in addition to B vitamins and complex carbohydrates.
When it is time to take it at breakfast it is very simple, although it is advisable to first let it soak in water, so that it softens and its texture is more pleasant for the little ones. Then, if you wish, you can add 2 or 3 tablespoons of wheat bran to the milk or yogurt.
Of course, it also has gluten, so it is not recommended in children with celiac disease or food allergies.
Rye
The rye It also becomes another nutritious option and also very delicious. It becomes, in fact, one of the best options, along with other nutritious cereals as for example is the case of oats.
From a nutritional point of view, rye is very rich in dietary fiber, a greater quantity than the one that the whole wheat gives us. In addition, it is rich in slow-absorbing carbohydrates and healthy fats, vitamins of group B (emphasizing especially folic acid) and vitamin A, among others.
For our kids to enjoy it at breakfast we can choose the rye flakes, and by the same steps that we have followed to elaborate the oat porridge. In fact, we just have to replace the oatmeal with the rye. Of course, since these tend to be somewhat thicker, it is possible that at the time of cooking they seem to be somewhat harder. This article is published for informational purposes only. You can not and should not replace the consultation with a Pediatrician. We advise you to consult your trusted pediatrician. ThemesInfant feeding Breakfast
