Chloe C.

Lots of people consider breakfast to be their fuel through the morning, but are they really eating foods that feed them the energy they need? While popular cereals like Froot Loops, Honey Nut Cheerios, and Lucky Charms are delicious breakfast items, they may be more harmful than helpful.

Healthline.com reveals that “. . . most breakfast cereals contain very little fiber yet significant amounts of added sugars. In fact, sugars make up as much as 50% of the total carbs found in many popular breakfast cereals.” Cereal, one of the classic breakfast items might not actually be giving people what they need to start their day.

Sugars give you energy for sure, but only for a short amount of time. They give you a quick burst of energy, but people can feel tired and worn out after the burst is over. Sharecare.com gives an idea of how much energy is received from sugar compared to a healthier diet: “A sugar-filled diet gives you about a birthday candle’s worth of energy, while a healthy diet is more like an eternal flame.”

Sugar is not the only short-term energizer but long-term drainer. White bread, pasta, and rice are a few other foods in that category. At the surface, these foods seem to be full of carbohydrates which is a good source of energy. When transforming all-grain bread items to white bread, two parts of the grain get removed.

One is called the bran: the outer layer that is rich in fiber. According to emedicinehealth.com, “Wheat bran is used as a source of dietary fiber for preventing colon diseases.” By eliminating the bran, people have a slightly higher chance of having cancers and diseases long-term.

The germ is another part that is absent from the grain. Healthline.com explains how extracting the germ affects people. “The germ contains many important nutrients that can also play a role in maintaining your energy levels.” Without the germ, crashes in energy are more frequent.

There are several more food items that affect people similarly. A few are alcohol, coffee, energy drinks, and fast food. They all seem to give you energy but really aren’t the best to consume long-term. Next time, before you pour a big bowl of cereal, think twice about what you’re eating.