Do healthy breakfast cereals exist?

Q: I love cereal, but sometimes it seems nutritionally no better than dessert. Are healthier options available? And if so, how can I find them?

- CAROLINE HOPKINS LEGASPI

A: There's a lot to love about cereal. It's often delicious, easy to prepare, available in seemingly endless varieties and flavours, and can contain various beneficial nutrients.

But with that abundance comes many ambiguous or misleading health claims, and ingredients you may not associate with good health.

Better-for-you options do exist, experts say, but finding them can be daunting. Here are their tips on how to do it.

FLIP THE BOX

It may sound counterintuitive, but the first step to choosing a healthy cereal is to ignore the front of the box, said Dr Preeti Kishore, an endocrinologist at NYC Health + Hospitals in the Bronx.

Some cereals have front-facing claims that seem to imply healthfulness, such as that they are good for your heart or immune system, can lower cholesterol, or are made with real fruit.

But their nutrition labels may tell a different story. Some, for instance, have as much (if not more) added sugars and calories as some desserts. And many are made with refined grains, which are quickly digested and can spike your blood sugar, leaving you hungry afterwards, said Maddison Saalinger, a dietitian at the University of Miami. Over time, diets high in refined grains can increase the risk for Type 2 diabetes, obesity and other chronic diseases.

Even some cereals with claims such as “immunity support” don’t have any supporting evidence, Kishore said.

PRIORITISE WHOLE GRAINS