80/20 Health Nut: A Stolen Snack Girl post

Thursday, August 12, 2010

A Stolen Snack Girl post

So it's back to school time and we all know you should send your kiddos out the door with a healthy, non sugar filled breakfast. Cereal is popular, but its hard to find good cereal. My favorite website, managed by Snack Girl, recently posted the following that I thought I would share. Everyone should check out her website at www.snack-girl.com. She's full of great info!

"Back in March, I wrote Candy or Breakfast? Evaluate Your Cereal and since then I have been on a search for cereals that pass my, "Healthy or Crappy Cereal Test" (patent pending :)

The sad thing isn't that I couldn't find hardly any that I both liked and passed the test! The biggest problem with my test was the second ingredient measure. If the second ingredient was sugar, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, etc., I had decided the cereal failed.

Well, that turned out to be quite a high bar and I think it ruled out some healthy choices. I asked my new pal Cheryl Forberg what she thought. She thinks that if it has 5 grams or less of sugar per serving it is a good choice.

So here is a new version of the test using Kashi's Heart to Heart Cereal:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Healthy or Crappy Cereal Test
1. Is the first ingredient whole grain? Yes! The first ingredient is whole oat flour.

2. Is there 5 grams or less of sugar per serving? Yes! There is 5 grams of sugar per serving.

3. One serving must provides at least 4 grams of fiber. You can remember this one with Four Fiber. Yes! It has 5 grams of fiber!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Great! Kashi's Heart to Heart passes!

Previously on Snack Girl, I slammed Kashi for Kashi GoLean, which has 10 grams of sugar per serving. That stuff really tasted like Captain Crunch.

But, Kashi's Heart to Heart cereal is pretty tasty and has less sodium than Cheerios, but more sugar (aah, trade-offs). My kids don't love it, but I can serve it with some other cereal mixed in (like Rice Krispies) and it becomes more palatable.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!"

No comments:

Post a Comment

healthy tips

1. Instead of buying expensive vitamin waters, make your own. Fill your favorite 32 oz. cup with ice, an inch or so of pure 100% cranberry juice, a handful of the frozen fruit of your choice, and top with water. Delish and nutrish!

2. Never skip breakfast! Your body has been fasting all night. Skipping breakfast will destroy your metabolism. Best thing to eat for digestive purposes: fresh, in season fruit.

3. If you are trying to change a habit, say you'd like to stop drinking soda, post a memo on your fridge and update it every day. It could say "Days since I have had soda...7" or some such statement. Updating it daily, in full view of others, and seeing your progress is very motivational!

4. When baking, instead of using the called-for amount of oil, replace with applesauce in the same amount. I've also successfully replaced oil with sweet potato puree, canned pumpkin, and butternut squash puree. It doesn't affect the baking, but adds a bit of nutrition.

5. Chew thoroughly! The more you chew, the slower you will eat, the more digestive enzymes your body will secrete, the less stress on your digestive organs, the more nutrients you will absorb from your food, the more easily you eliminate.

6. "Before you walk into a restaurant, a grocery store, or even your own kitchen, PAUSE, take a deep breath, and connect with the intention to select only foods that serve you." Terry Walters, author of Clean Food.