These Are The Healthiest Cereals
Cereal is eaten for breakfast multiple days of the week by many Americans. However, cereal doesn’t usually meet your nutritional needs for starting the morning according to CNBC Make It.
Nutritionists recommend that you begin your morning with foods that will help to keep your body fueled throughout the day. This includes things like protein shakes and whole grain oats, sadly, cereal just doesn’t fall into this category.
Dr. Nancy Rahnama, an internist and clinical nutritionist, says “I never recommend cereal to my patients to have for breakfast, simply because it’s processed. I don’t recommend anything that’s processed.”
However, Rahnama knows that cereal is a convenient easy choice for those with a tight schedule. She says that if you do reach for a bowl of cereal in the morning it should be one that’s high in fiber and low in sugar.
These are the cereals that are the most nutritious, with vitamins and minerals, and low amounts of sugar according to Healthnews:
Highest dietary fiber: Post Raisin Bran – 9 grams of fiber per serving
Highest protein: Special K Protein – 7 grams of protein per serving
Highest calcium and vitamin D: Multi Grain Cheerios – 4 micrograms of vitamin D and 200 milligrams of calcium
Lowest added sugar: Corn Flakes, Corn Chex and Special K Protein – 4 grams of sugar per serving each
The cereals with the highest amounts of sugar per serving (12 grams each) were:
-Lucky Charms
-Frosted Flakes
-Cinnamon Toast Crunch
-Froot Loops
-Reese’s Puffs
-Fruity Pebbles
Those are some of the most popular cereals on the shelfs!
Foods You Should Probably Skip Air Frying
Large Bone-In Meat
We’re not talking about chicken wings here, we’re talking about large whole chickens. You’re better off sticking to an oven when it comes to cooking them. If you’re wondering why, chicken must be cooked to a specific temperature internally before being consumed. According to the USDA, all poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Unfortunately, air frying this food item doesn’t guarantee an even cook. But hey, at least chicken wings are small enough to get an even crisp. Just make sure you line the air fryer basket first if it’s raw meat.
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Wet Batters
An air fryer is not a deep fryer. So, if you’re looking to toss battered fries, meat cutlets, or battered veggies, think again. There’s a big chance the batter will drip down the base of the machine, causing a big mess and major cleanup after. Bad enough, some people didn’t know you even had to clean an air fryer regularly. No really, someone on Reddit shared that they didn’t wash their air fryer basket after each use. “I don’t think I’ve ever washed it lol. I’ve had it for 8 months and decided to finally wash it today,” they wrote. They continued to say how there was a bunch of “solidified juices” and “fat/ grease” from steak and chicken.
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Cheesy Foods
It’s possible to make your favorite cheesy snacks in an air fryer. But it can get messy. AllRecipes cautions against air frying cheese. This isn’t because of health reasons but for cleanup purposes. They point out that cheese melts fast. The outlet suggests sticking to foods that effectively hold the cheese in place. Maybe, just stick to frozen cheeses like mozzarella sticks.
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Leafy or Chard Greens
Sure you can go ahead and put those Brussels sprouts or broccoli in the air fryer. But skip putting spinach, collard, or chard leaves in. If you haven’t tried it already, light leaves might move and shift around during the cooking process. You may also come across a fairly dry vegetable if you don’t put a little oil with it. And, of course, you don’t want to forget the seasonings.
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Popcorn
Some people have tried it but you probably shouldn’t. Most air fryer models won’t reach the required temperature to pop the kernels. According to Jolly Time Pop Corn, the best popping temperature is between 400 and 460 degrees Fahrenheit. Plus, popcorn kernels can become lodged within the air fryer’s heating element, which can potentially cause it to short.
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Pasta, Quinoa, Rice, Grains
Some grains like bread can be cooked in an air fryer. However, it can get a little tricky with lighter breads like toast and English muffins due to the air making them fly around. But anything like pasta, quinoa, and rice doesn’t do too well. Raw grains need to absorb water to cook. But there is some good news. If you have rice that’s already cooked, just add a little oil to reat in the air fryer.
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