Eating a healthy cereal for breakfast can help you maintain a healthy weight. That's the conclusion of two studies sponsored by two cereal manufacturers and published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
In the first study, researchers looked at the dietary habits of 2,000 girls and teenagers. They found that breakfast skippers weighed the most. Regular cereal eaters had the healthiest overall diets and weighed the least. Those who ate other breakfast foods were in the middle.
A second study, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, looked at adult men and women and -- guess what? -- those who ate cereal regularly for breakfast had the healthiest overall diets and weights.
Conclusion: Have a high-fiber, low-fat cereal without too much sugar for breakfast, say oatmeal with skim milk or soy, and some fruit. It's good for you.
