“It’s time to start thinking of Starbucks for great food”. Or so says the promo material for the new La Boulange line of “artisanal pastries” being offered at the ubiquitous coffee shop. La Boulange Bakery is a San Francisco institution that has been serving up “fantastic brunches and healthful lunches” in the … Read more
Oatmeal is one of America’s favorite breakfast foods, and National Oatmeal Day is celebrated on October 29, each year. It is a themed celebration and, to a moderate extent, under the radar. Oats are fiber-rich whole grains and an excellent source of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Oatmeal is made of ground … Read more
General Mills announced recently that it has filed a patent on a technique to pelletize fiber and calcium for use in ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereals. The process will use a gelatinized starch to coalesce calcium and fiber for the purpose of supplementing processed cereals. Mmmm… Is this a big deal? Well…General Mills … Read more
Even whole-grain gurus have a tough time deciphering front of package whole-grain claims. With 34,000 new whole grain products introduced in 2012 (compared to just 264 in 2001), it has become increasingly difficult to determine just how different “made with whole grain” really is from “100% whole grain”. Now, from the Harvard … Read more
If you have a gut – it is trendy to be referring to it not as a gut, but rather as a “Wheat Belly”. The Wheat Belly craze – based on the eponymous diet book – claims (erroneously) that wheat-containing and processed foods made with wheat act like opiate drugs, promoting addictive … Read more
An inquisitive reader wrote to ask about one of her favorite cereals, Kellogg’s Cracklin’ Oat Bran: “I’m concerned about my fiber intake and I have been eating Kellogg’s Cracklin’ Oat Bran…is this a good source of fiber?” – Jamie from San Diego Great question Jamie! So, what about this Cracklin’ Oat Bran? … Read more
Bill Joel sang about “Gettin’ put on the back in the discount rack…” like it was a bad thing. The grocery store discount rack is a virtual treasure trove of stuff most people would not otherwise buy, were it not for the enticingly marked down prices. Check out this find from my … Read more
The Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics offers the following ideas to get you packing your plate with nutrient-dense, lower calorie fruit and vegetable options: Begin with Breakfast Wake up to fruit; make a habit of adding fruit to your morning oatmeal, ready-to-eat cereal, yogurt or toaster waffle Mix up a breakfast smoothie … Read more
If you have traveled or lived anywhere with a British influence, you’ve no doubt come into contact with Weetabix Cereal. It’s a simple, straightforward whole wheat cereal, and only recently available – but not that well-received – in US grocery stores. Here at home, Post Cereals now offers a very similar product, … Read more
With its “Special K Challenge“, Special K has gone to great lengths to advertise the link between its cereal and weight loss. The “Challenge” is to make 3 of your 4 small daily meals either Special K cereal or one of their bar or shake products. The problem is, that while its … Read more
With the introduction of their FiberPlus Antioxidants bars, Kellogg’s is going head to head with General Mills’ popular FiberOne bars. Previous Kellogg’s bar offerings didn’t have much in the way of nutrition: the Special K Cereal Bars had less than 1 gram of fiber and just 1 gram of protein for 9 … Read more
Have you ever heard people complain or even experienced this yourself that eating breakfast leaves you feeling hungrier later in the morning? This happens when the foods you choose for breakfast are not filling enough. Eating a cereal like Special K or Rice Krispies, which fills you up quickly but likewise empties … Read more
Muffins can be a health-conscious person’s downfall. Portion sizes have ballooned over the years, and it’s not unusual to see a commercial muffin contain over 400 calories. And because you should include some fiber at each meal, a good breakfast means you need a good dose of fiber. If you’re interested in … Read more
Wheaties Fuel is a newly formulated breakfast cereal recipe from Wheaties, “co-created with a team of today’s elite champions including Peyton Manning, Albert Pujols, Kevin Garnett…designed for the active individual.” While the attempt at reformulating an old classic is noble – it’s probably unnecessary. From a nutritional standpoint, there are more than … Read more
By definition, a bagel is a firm-textured bread that is boiled and then baked. Your standard bagel will cost you 300 calories and usually has only 1 or 2 grams of fiber, depending upon the flavor. Thomas’ new Bagel Thins are a completely different story: 110 calories per serving and 5 grams … Read more