Every parent knows low-sugar cereals are better for kids than those higher in sugar. What may surprise you is that choosing the low-sugar option could make children more likely to eat other healthy foods like fruit for breakfast.
Researchers took a group of nearly a hundred kids in summer camp and gave them the chioice of eating a high or low-sugar cereal. The children also could choose low-fat milk, orange juice, bananas, strawberries and individualized sugar packets. What the reserachers found was that children who opted for low-sugar cereal ate less of it and were more likely to add fruit to their cereal.
Those in the high-sugar group consumed much more cereal than the low-sugar group (61g versus 35g) and took in almost two times as much refined sugar as their low-sugar counterparts. In terms of taste, both groups reported "liking" or "loving" their cereal.
The researchers conclude that children will eat low-sugar cereals if parents offer them. Kids who have less sugar in their cereal bowl also stand a greater chance of having a more nutritious breakfast.
To access the study in the journal Pediatrics, click here: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2010-0864v1?maxtoshow=&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=cereal&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT
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