BEST AND WORST BREAKFAST CEREALS

Is your breakfast cereal bowl filled with calories, sugar and sodium? Even if you think you're choosing wisely -- such as Cheerios or Honey Bunches of Oats -- you may be surprised. While these two cereals are among the most popular brands with the biggest sales, they are not the healthiest choices. DietDetective.com ranked 301 different cereal brands based on 19 criteria, including calorie count, fiber content, added sugar, sodium, protein, ingredient placement of whole grains, vitamins, presence of food additives and artificial coloring.

The top 10 healthiest cereals:
Nature's Path Organic Millet Puffs
Barbara's Shredded Wheat
Kashi Whole Wheat Biscuits Autumn Wheat
Quaker Oats Old-Fashioned
Nature's Path Oatmeal Gluten Free Selections Homestyle
Kashi 7 Whole Grain Cereals Puffs
Post Shredded Wheat Original Spoon Size
Nature's Path Qi'a Superfood Chia, Buckwheat & Hemp Original Flavor
Post Shredded Wheat Spoon Size Wheat'n Bran
Nature's Path Original Hot Oatmeal


The top 10 least healthy cereals:
General Mills Monsters Boo Berry
Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats
Post Fruity Pebbles
Post Summer Berry Pebbles
General Mills Chocolate Lucky Charms
Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cocoa Krispies
General Mills Cinnamon Toast Crunch Frosted Toast Crunch
Kellogg's Frosted Flakes
Quaker Honey Graham Oh's
Kellogg's Granola Low-fat Granola Multigrain with Raisins


Cereal is in the pantries of more than 90 percent of U.S. households. More than 2 billion boxes of cereals are sold annually. 93 percent of us consume ready-to-eat cereal. When choosing a breakfast cereal, read labels. Look for a cereal that is low in calories with low or no sodium. Do avoid cereals with added sugar. Don't be fooled by health claims on the package.