What to look for in dry cereals

Cereal can be a good choice — research indicates that people who eat cereal consume fewer calories at breakfast and are less likely to be overweight than people who eat other foods for breakfast. But not all cereals are created equal.

Read the Nutrition Facts label and ingredient list before you buy cereal. And remember that not all cereals have the same serving size. A serving of one cereal might be 1/2 cup, while another may be 1 cup.

Key items to consider when choosing cereal are:

• Fiber. Choose cereals with at least 3 grams of fiber in each serving, but if possible, aim for 5 grams a serving or more.
• Sugar. Focus on cereals marketed to adults, which are usually lower in sugar than cereals aimed at children. Avoid cereals that list sugar at or near the top of the ingredient list, or that list multiple types of added sugar, such as high-fructose corn syrup, honey, brown sugar and dextrose.
• Calories. If you're counting calories, choose cereals lower in calories, ideally less than 160 calories a serving.

Remember to top off your bowl of cereal with some sliced fruit and low-fat or skim milk. Or if you're on the go, take along a piece of fruit, a container of milk or some yogurt.

A word about cereal bars

Cereal bars may be a good breakfast option. Just be sure to look for those that meet the same guidelines as dry cereal and that are made with simple, wholesome ingredients, such as dried fruit, nuts and whole grains such as oats.

Also, don't forget some fruit and low-fat milk or yogurt to round things out. Even fruit or yogurt cereal bars won't satisfy all your nutrition requirements for breakfast.