What Happens to Your Body When Eating Breakfast Cereal, Says Science
Breakfast has a reputation for being labeled "the most important meal of the day," and if there's one meal that is a morning staple, it's breakfast cereal. A bowl of cold cereal is quick and easy to make, as it just needs two ingredients, and it does have a sort of nostalgic charm to it. But what exactly is happening to your body as you eat that bowl of breakfast cereal? Well, it's not as innocent as you may think.
Before you decide to turn on some Saturday morning cartoons and down a huge bowl of breakfast cereal for old time's sake, we decided to do the research and uncovered what eating breakfast cereal can do to your overall health. And if you're really looking to make the best meal choices, here are The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.
You could be raising your blood pressure.
It's no secret that tons of cereals are actually sugar bombs, as they're loaded up with that pesky added sugar. If you happen to eat this type of breakfast cereal, your blood sugar levels will rise, just to then quickly crash not too long after. And this bad news for your heart, as a study published in the journal Open Heart found that sugar consumption may just be worse for your ticker than salt! See, too much sugar also leads to higher insulin levels, which can cause increased blood pressure.
You could end up eating more.
Most common breakfast cereals are examples of processed foods, and processed foods tend to have a higher glycemic index. These types of foods have been linked to increased hunger and overeating. And that's not all. Breakfast cereals (the wrong types, at least!) are often devoid of fiber, and this vital nutrient is important, as it keeps you full and satisfied. Not long after you have this meal, you'll be in the kitchen again. This leads us to…
You could gain weight.
Granted, you're not going to instantly see five pounds added on to your body after one bowl of breakfast cereal. But if this is what you're eating every day, then you could start to pack on the pounds or struggle to lose weight if that's your goal. Not only will you eat more as you're unsatisfied, but you'll likely end up craving more of the stuff (thanks to all that sugar), and the cycle of eating "junk" foods continues.
And just so you know, here are the science-backed way to curb your sweet tooth in 14 days.
You could experience brain fog.
If your breakfast cereal of choice is a sugary option, then you're loading up on the sweet stuff and missing out on nutrients. This can be rough on your brain. Yes, you read that right! Sugar really has a lot of downsides, and that includes impacting your memory skills. Your sugar and insulin levels are rising and crashing, which one study found can lead to a reduced memory. Not the best way to kickstart your day, after all.
You could be impacting your life span.
It's not all doom and gloom, though. There is also hot breakfast cereal to consider, such as porridge. Porridge is a whole grain and one study found that a diet rich in whole grains is associated with a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and overall, you could live longer.
So as long as you're choosing to eat a breakfast cereal that is free of added sugar and yet filled with fiber and whole grains, then you're on the right track!
