Ah, sugar—our taste buds can’t get enough of it, but our bodies are better off without it. Although there’s no denying the joy of treating yourself to a bit of sweetness every now and then, consuming too much sugar on a regular basis can put your overall health at risk and should be avoided as much as possible if you’re looking to lose weight and/or maintain a healthy metabolism. And while processed, sugary foods are never a great idea, they can be especially detrimental to your health if you eat them for breakfast, as they typically lack the fuel your body needs to take on the day and will lead to blood sugar spikes later on. In fact, there’s one sugary breakfast food that health experts warn you should avoid at all costs: breakfast cereal.
To learn more about the health risks of regularly chowing down on sugary cereal, we spoke to health experts Dana Hunnes, PhD, dietitian and author of Recipe For Survival, and Varsha Khatri, nutritional therapist from Illuminated Health. They broke down the downsides to this deviously delicious meal, from blood sugar spikes to a slowed metabolism. Find it all below!
Few breakfasts are as quick and convenient (and tasty) as a bowl of cereal. Who could possibly turn down a bowl of sugary goodness that takes seconds to pour? Unfortunately, though, if you’re trying to lose weight (or just keep your overall health in check), kicking your cereal habit may be necessary. Hunnes tells us that “things like Fruit Loops, Cocoa Puffs, and Frosted Flakes” are “made with little (if any) whole grains, and have a lot of added sugars in them,” making them a terrible choice for breakfast.