What the heck is whole grain cereal?
Most of us know it by its many pseudonames like Froot Loops, Cheerios and Corn Flakes.
As a child, I was a Froot Loop Fiend!
I would rise with the sun on Saturday mornings, find the biggest bowl I could and pour myself a huge serving of cereal.
I would then submerge it in a half gallon of milk and wait for it to get soggy.
Cereal tasted the best when it got soggy…anyone else agree with this?
It took me years to break free of my obsession with Loops.
I ate them and honey corn flakes well into my thirties.
As I adopted better eating habits, the obsession began to fade.
In the end, I figured out it wasn’t the cereal I enjoyed, but the sugar in the cereal.
Most people know of the high volume of sugar in breakfast cereals.
In an effort to keep the consumer happy, reduced sugar and no sugar added alternatives emerged.
Some companies even offer adult breakfast cereals to capitalize on mature adults who want a fast, easy breakfast.
Sound like you?
[By the way Kashi, a leading brand of adult breakfast cereal uses tons of GMOs in their cereal. You may want to stay far away from it!]
So what’s the beef with cereal since we already know most are loaded with sugar? Follow me…and find out.
We’ve all heard of fortified cereals, right?
Maybe you have, maybe you haven’t.
If you haven’t here’s a brief explanation.
Cereals in your grocery store are fortified.
This means vitamins and minerals have been added to them.
They have to be fortified unless they would just be colored pieces of sugar floating in a sea of milk.
The body needs these vitamins and minerals since disease starts with mineral deficiencies.
Food companies should get a plus for this.
They’re actually giving us something our bodies require to be healthy.
Well, what if they’re giving us the wrong form of nutrients for our bodies to utilize?
This is the case with some cereals fortified with iron.
Iron Man and Iron Woman
Iron isn’t bad.
It’s a vital component of blood and helps oxygen to bind with hemoglobin so it can be transported throughout the body.
If you’ve ever had too little iron, then you know it can cause fatigue and decreased immunity.
These symptoms are more common in women and children than in men.
In women, iron deficiency can cause anemia.
Anemia in women may rear its ugly head as the urge to eat ice.
Women require 18 milligrams of iron while men only need 8 milligrams.
Why do women need more?
Women tend to lose iron during their monthly cycle but absorb iron better than men do.
Although it’s better absorbed in women, too much iron can be detrimental to both sexes.
The Heme Engine Inside Of Us
There are two forms of Iron.
One form called heme is present in foods containing hemoglobin.
Yup…this means it’s found in things like red meat and eggs.
This form of iron is readily absorbed by the body.
The other form is called nonheme and comes from grains, beans, and breakfast cereal.
Guess what? Nonheme forms of iron aren’t absorbed as well as heme forms.
If you like statistics, 35% of heme is absorbed while only 20% of nonheme is used by the body.
So what’s the big deal about breakfast cereal?
We’ll get to it, hold your horses!
Giving Blood, Or Giving Up Excess Iron
I use to be a squeamish SOB.
I’ll be the first to admit it.
I hated needles.
Giving blood broke me out of it.
I decided to face my fear in order to benefit someone other than myself.
It turns out having a needle stuck in my arm while sitting inside a big red bus has its benefits.
Excess iron in the body can cause free radical damage.
Free radical damage = inflammation= start of all disease.
Kinda important isn’t it?
People who give blood on a regular basis seem to be more healthy than those who don’t.
Why? Obviously, you’re letting some of the iron go when you donate blood.
In excess, iron is a toxic heavy metal in the body.
It just goes to show you- our bodies are “hella” smart.
They don’t want too much nor too little.
It always wants just enough.
Cereal Killer
By now, you know how important Iron is to the body.
You also know the effects of too much iron.
So, what kind of iron do you think is in regular breakfast cereal?
Is it heme or nonheme…could it be either or both?
Well, the answer may amaze you or make you mad!.
In many cases fortified cereals contain iron fillings.
That’s right…iron fillings!
This is hardly the form of iron your body can use.
What are the implications for adults?
Better yet, what are the potential life threatening risks for children and babies?
I’ll let you decide. Take a look at the Youtube video below for those who are “See-ers and Believers.”
Do you or your family still eat breakfast cereals? Will this change your eating habits? Leave comments below..I appreciate them!
I’ll be back with Cereal Killer Part 2 soon…you’ll learn how cereal is killing your sex drive and I’ll also give you a healthier, libido boosting, cereal alternative!