Why these cereals decrease your energy & cause weight gain?

Most of us saw TV commercials promoting cereals for breakfast as "healthy foods". The promotions are obviously initiated by the food corporations.  However, you should know that these popular North American breakfast foods are decreasing your energy levels, may cause diabetes, excess body fat and even faster aging!

Here is why

1. Blood glucose and insulin

Some cereals like the flakes with sugar frosting, the fruity sugar cereals with artificial colors, the frosted wheat bisquits or the marshmallow cereals are spiking the blood glucose causing weight issues resulting in a cascade of fat storing hormone called insulin. Subsequently, if you eat this type of cereal you will crave sweets later in the day. This is not the way to start your morning meal if you care about your waistline.

In fact, even cereals with added fiber such as bran flakes or raisin bran have been found to cause just as much of a massive spike in blood sugar as the low-fiber cereals such as rice or corn based cereals. 

Remember, speaking of hormone insulin as the effect of high blood sugar will decrease growth hormone a.k.a. as the youth hormone, so if you want to look and feel younger, the commercial cereals are not going to help you!

2. Diabetes and belly fat

Think about diabetes next time you're eating the bowl of bran flakes, rice puffs, or wheat bisquits while you're rushing out the door in the morning.

The more commercial cereal you eat, the more you constantly stress your pancreas involved in controlling your blood sugar.  Insulin levels surge to try to control your blood sugar spikes after eating the above mentioned cereals. Consequently, your insulin sensitivity suffers, causing Diabetes type 2. If this happens you will inject insulin with needles and prick your fingers for blood tests 3-5 times every day of your life.

Remember, high insulin levels will trigger your body to store body fat.  If you want to be lean and fit, cereals should not to be consumed as they only make you fatter!
 

3. Gut Inflammation

Cereals with wheat ingredients can possibly cause gut inflammation from too much gluten and lectins (both are proteins found in grains), even if you're not officially gluten intolerant or gluten sensitive. 

You may think that corn-based cereals are better than wheat.  Not really!  Corn-based cereals are almost always made from GMO corn. Many scientists are concerned about the long term health effects, since there are no long term studies on the effects of GMO corn to our health.

4. Cravings for more carbs

The blood sugar spike and subsequent insulin surge causes a significant drop in your blood sugar.  This physiological effect cause craving sugary foods later in the day.

The result of this is a constant roller coaster of blood sugar and insulin all day long, causing you to eat more calories in any given day.

I usually recommend egg-based breakfasts not cereal-based breakfasts. It is known that people who eat eggs for breakfasts eat much less calories throughout each day because they don't have the blood sugar swings, hormone imbalances, and subsequent cravings.  Egg breakfasts are proven to control your appetite, while cereal breakfasts are proven to increase your appetite for more food, particularly more starchy and sugary carbs.
 

5. Carb-burner vs. fat-burner

The more carbs you eat each day from foods such as cereal, pastas or breads, the more you train your body to rely on carbs for energy.  When your blood sugar drops, you need more carbs again, or you'll have a major energy issue.

On the other hand, if you consume more calories from healthy fats like avocados, coconut oil, grass-fed butter and olive oil, nuts, seeds, eggs, and organic meats, your body became a fat-burning machine.

By relying mostly on healthy fats for energy instead of carbs, this pattern will balance your hormones and will cause very stable blood sugar levels throughout each day. It allows you to have very stable energy levels throughout each day without the typical spikes and drops in your energy that most carb addicts feel every single day. Consequently you will lose body fat easier! 

6. Healthy alternatives to cereal

Instead of the typical cereal in the morning, try a bowl of plain Greek 0-2% organic yogurt that is loaded with healthy gut probiotics, healthy fats and protein. Add organic berries (fresh or frozen), nuts for more healthy fats, and a little vanilla protein for some added sweetness if you desire.

Another option is any combination of eggs, veggies, avocado and even organic breakfast meat if you wish. 

These breakfasts will leave you leaner, keep your blood sugar and energy levels stable, hormones balanced for the day, and prevent cravings for more starchy and sugary carbs later in the day.

If you liked this article, please forward it to any of your friends, family or co-workers that would enjoy reading it. Please remember, I am here to help you!

Maria Pawlicka, BAA, M.Sc., CNP

Certified and Registered Nutritionist