Western societies regard cereal as their first meal for the day, it is the meal that makes a breakfast. Traditional breakfast used to be based around meals like grits and porridge, but since the dawn of the 19th Century, this has changed to ready-made cereals. Majority of the working population does not have the time to cook porridge in the mornings and so turn to these quick fixes; Cereals that come in boxes, just add milk, or yoghurt if you prefer!
Because it is such a highly-competitive market, in the beginning of the 1970s till the late 1900s the variety of different types of breakfast cereals in the United States almost doubled in numbers. They started at around 160 different options and went up to about 300 different options by the year 1998.
Varieties that were added to the mix ranged from:
- Newer flavours like Strawberry, Marshmallow and Candy
- Newer ingredients like Corn, Wheat and Oat Based cereals
- High-Sugary Cereals like Frosties and Coco Pops
- Cereals with dried fruits and nuts
- Cereals with seeds and nuts only
- Muesli Type Cereals
- Keto Friendly Cereals
- Granola Cereal Varieties
- Gluten Free Cereal Varieties
- Weight watchers and low-fat Cereals
To name a few. According to some sources there are numerous types of cereals for every alphabet! For something that started out as a digestive aid, it sure has gained popularity really fast and we now cannot image our day without it.
Diets and Lifestyles
The other interesting relationship with cereal is that it is now incorporated, not just as a breakfast meal but also as part of various diets and lifestyles. Whatever diet or lifestyle is trending during a certain period, cereals will be sure to catch up to them.
The latest trend being the ‘Keto’ Diet. Which is basically a high-fat, low carbohydrates and moderate protein, type of diet. It has become so popular that restaurants around the world have opened just around the concept of Keto. And why would cereals not be a part of the trend?
Not only are cereal breakfasts heavy on carbohydrates, but also other typical breakfast foods like pancakes, bagels and pastries which are the go-to in the 20th century. As a result, the Keto diet has taken the first spot amongst a lot of health enthusiasts and It is no wonder companies need to consider Keto-friendly cereals to accommodate that lifestyle. People who aren’t even on the diet can have them as well.
Keto-friendly cereals would then follow the ‘protocol’ of being low in carbs, and high in fibre and perhaps have some protein in them as well. Just looking at the different types of cereals in this category makes one’s mouth drop to the floor.
So what makes up a good keto friendly cereal? Find out here: https://magicspoon.com/. Also, the best cereals would usually have more or less 3 net grams of carbohydrates, 12 grams of complete protein and 5 grams of fat in them. Another admirable factor of such cereals is that it does not use sugars or sweeteners in its ingredients, but instead incorporates something more natural – monk fruit. Monk fruit or as its known in Thailand ‘Luo Han Guo’ is almost 200 times sweeter and is completely natural as it is derived from plants. Sugar is one thing to look out for in cereals that claim to be Keto-friendly.
Other varieties of cereal have the opposite i.e. much higher carbs and much lower protein. From Froot Loops, to Frosted Flakes or even Special K ‘Protein’ cereals, have on average between 12g to 24g of carbs per serving, and as low as only 1g of protein in them because the rest of it is chock full of sugar.
Protein plays a fundamental role in our bodies. If we remembered that our hair and nails are made of mostly protein, how much more should the emphasis on incorporating this crucial component to our diets be? Read more about this here.
Not only do we see the difference it makes to our bodies when we go to the gym and gulp down a protein shake pre-work out, but also along with carbs and fats in moderation, protein needs to be included to our shopping list for everyday meals. Science refers to it as a ‘macro-nutrient’ (types of foods that are required in large amounts in the diet.) because our body needs it in large amounts to help us repair and build tissue.