Breakfast cereal has been singled out as a poor choice for blood sugar control.
Lee Jin-bok, a family medicine specialist and clinic director, named cereal as a food he would not eat even if it were given away for free, medical sources said on the 19th. Lee said that after trying to find a good cereal, most products turned out to have a high glycemic index, and that it is best to avoid them when possible.
Depending on the variety, cereal can be high in refined grains and added sugar and low in dietary fiber, pushing blood sugar up quickly. Eating such foods out of habit every morning forces the pancreas to repeatedly release insulin to bring blood sugar down.
When overeating and a lack of exercise combine to produce insulin resistance, the pancreas must release even more insulin. If this metabolic disruption continues for a long time, insulin secretion declines and the risk of type 2 diabetes rises.
Lee said shoppers should first check the nutrition label for carbohydrate, dietary fiber and protein content when buying cereal. The recommended standard is a product with no more than 10 grams of sugars, at least 5 grams of dietary fiber and at least 8 to 10 grams of protein per serving. Sugars are calculated by subtracting dietary fiber from total carbohydrates. Products listing sugar, syrup or high-fructose corn syrup near the top of the ingredient list are best avoided.
Lee also stressed that "no sugar added" labels should not be trusted. "Cereal that is low in sugar but high in carbohydrates can still raise blood sugar sharply," Lee said. Checking the serving size is essential as well. Lee explained that cereal nutrition labels are typically based on 30 grams, so eating 60 to 70 grams in practice means consuming nearly double the carbohydrates and calories.
Reports at home and abroad point in the same direction. According to the American Heart Association, a single serving of sugar-coated frosted flakes contains 12 grams of sugar — close to half the 25 grams of added sugar recommended as a daily limit for women. For those who do eat cereal, the suggested alternative is to choose whole-grain products high in dietary fiber and pair them with protein foods such as Greek yogurt or boiled eggs.