Cereal Choices to Start the Day Right

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Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. How often have we heard this and how often have we educated our patients on the importance of breakfast? Ready-to-eat cereals are popular, quick, and easy breakfast foods for patients of all ages. It is our job to help patients choose a cereal that fits well into their renal diet while helping them wade through claims regarding fiber, whole grains, vitamins, and minerals. With respect to cereals geared toward children, there may be concerns that some of them are high sugar containing, presweetened foods. However, other cereals might provide a way to increase the uptake of fiber and vitamins as well as provide increased choices in an already limited diet. Armed with the proper information, we can help patients choose the right cereal.

To help the renal dietitian sift through information, a review of several cereal companies’ websites revealed the following: General Mills Big G cereals contain at least 8 g whole grain per serving.¹ They fortify their entire line of children’s cereals with calcium and vitamin D.¹ A nutrition highlights panel is displayed on the front of the Big G cereal boxes to provide information related to calories, sugar, saturated fat, and sodium content, in addition to other nutrients that the company deems to be “key.”¹ Kellogg’s has added fiber to many of their cereals for children. They have also displayed some nutrition information on the front of their boxes as a way to make it easier for consumers to see the information quickly without looking at the nutrition panel. These are referred to by the company as “GDAs, Guideline Daily Amounts.” (Note that the GDAs are based on % daily values and are not related to the GDAs of the United Kingdom’s governmental standards overseen by their Food and Drink Federation. This was confirmed through a telephonic conversation with a Kellogg’s representative.) All cereal boxes display calories, total fat, sodium, and sugar content. They also display information for a maximum of any 2 of the following nutritional factors: calcium, fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamins A, C, and E.²

As renal dietitians, we must rise to the additional challenge of assessing appropriate intake of minerals such as potassium, calcium, and phosphorus that are present in foods. This challenge is further complicated for the pediatric renal dietitian who is also involved in helping patients select age-appropriate foods. Table 1 presents the nutrition information for major cereals consumed by the pediatric population, and most likely by many adult patients as well. Such information can be used to determine whether any particular cereals could be safely incorporated into a patient’s diet and helps give more choices to our patients.

Table 1. Cereals' Nutrition Information

													Calcium	Phosphorus		Vitamin A	Vitamin D	Vitamin C
Cereal∗	Serving Size	Kcal	PRO (g)	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Trans Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	CHO (g)	Fiber (g)	Sugars (g)	K+ (mg)	Na+ (mg)	% DV	% DV	Phosphate Additives	% DV	%DV	% DV
General Mills
Apple Cinnamon Cheerios	¾ cup	120	2	1.5	0	0	0	24	2	11	65	65	10	6	Trisodium phosphate	10	10	10
Banana Nut Cheerios	¾ cup	100	1	1	0	0	0	23	1	9	70	160	10	6	Trisodium phosphate	10	10	25
Berry Burst Cheerios—Triple Berry	¾ cup	100	2	1	0	0	0	22	2	8	70	170	10	8	Trisodium phosphate	10	10	10
Cheerios Oat Cluster Crunch	¾ cup	100	2	1	0	0	0	22	2	8	60	135	8	NA	Trisodium phosphate	10	10	10
Cheerios	1 cup	100	3	2	0	0	0	20	3	1	170	160	10	10	Tripotassium phosphate	10	10	10
	¾ cup for children under 4	80	2	1.5	0	0	0	15	2	1	130	120	8	8	Tripotassium phosphate	10	6	10
Chocolate Cheerios	¾ cup	100	1	1	0	0	0	23	1	9	60	170	10	4	Trisodium phosphate	10	10	25
Frosted Cheerios	¾ cup	110	2	1	0	0	0	23	2	10	55	170	10	6	Trisodium phosphate	10	10	10
Fruity Cheerios	¾ cup	100	1	1.5	0	0	0	23	2	9	60	135	10	6	Trisodium phosphate	10	10	25
MultiGrain Cheerios	1 cup	110	2	1	0	0	0	23	3	6	85	160	10	8	Trisodium phosphate	10	10	25
Yogurt Burst Cheerios—Strawberry	¾ cup	120	2	2	0.5	0	0	24	2	9	65	180	10	8	Trisodium phosphate	10	10	10
Honey Nut Cheerios	¾ cup	110	2	1.5	0	0	0	22	2	9	115	190	10	10	Tripotassium phosphate	10	10	10
Boo Berry	1 cup	130	1	1	0	0	0	28	1	12	35	190	10	6	Tricalcium phosphate & trisodium phosphate	10	10	10
Chex Chocolate	¾ cup	130	1	2.5	0	0	0	26	<1	8	55	240	10	4	None listed at current time	10	10	10
Chex Cinnamon	¾ cup	120	1	2	0	0	0	25	<1	8	40	180	10	2	None listed at current time	15	10	10
Chex Corn	1 cup	120	2	0.5	0	0	0	26	1	3	50	290	10	NA	None listed at current time	10	10	10
Chex Honey Nut	¾ cup	120	2	0.5	0	0	0	28	1	9	45	200	10	2	None listed at current time	10	10	10
Chex Multi Bran	¾ cup	160	3	1.5	0	0	0	39	6	10	190	310	10	15	None listed at current time	10	10	10
Chex Rice	1 cup	100	2	0	0	0	0	23	0	2	45	250	10	NA	None listed at current time	10	10	10
Chex Wheat	¾ cup	160	5	1	0	0	0	38	5	5	170	340	10	15	Trisodium phosphate	10	10	10
Cinnamon Toast Crunch	¾ cup	130	1	3	0.5	0	0	25	1	10	45	220	10	4	Trisodium phosphate	10	10	10
Cocoa Puffs	¾ cup	100	1	1.5	0	0	0	23	2	11	70	150	10	6	Tricalcium phosphate	10	10	10
Cocoa Puffs Combos, Chocolate & Vanilla	¾ cup	110	1	1.5	0	0	0	23	1	11	40	160	10	4	Tricalcium phosphate	10	10	10
Cookie Crisp	¾ cup	100	1	1	0	0	0	22	1	10	40	150	10	4	Tricalcium phosphate	10	10	10
Sprinkles Cookie Crisp	¾ cup	100	1	1	0	0	0	23	1	10	40	150	10	4	Tricalcium phosphate & trisodium phosphate
Count Chocula	¾ cup	110	1	1	0	0	0	23	1	12	55	160	10	4	Tricalcium phosphate	10	10	10
Dora the Explorer	¾ cup	100	1	1.5	0	0	0	23	3	6	45	180	10	4	Dicalcium phosphate & trisodium phosphate	10	10	10
Franken Berry	1 cup	130	1	1	0	0	0	29	1	12	40	200	10	6	Tricalcium phosphate & trisodium phosphate	10	10	10
Golden Grahams	¾ cup	120	2	1	0	0	0	26	1	11	60	270	10	4	Trisodium phosphate	10	10	10
Kix	1¼ cups	110	2	1	0	0	0	25	3	3	60	190	15	NA	Trisodium phosphate	10	10	10
Honey Kix	1¼ cups	120	2	1	0	0	0	28	3	6	75	190	15	NA	Trisodium phosphate	10	10	10
Lucky Charms	¾ cup	110	2	1	0	0	0	22	1	11	45	190	10	4	Trisodium phosphate	10	10	10
Reese’s Puffs	¾ cup	120	2	3	0.5	0	0	22	1	11	60	180	10	6	Tricalcium phosphate	10	10	10
Trix	1 cup	120	1	1.5	0	0	0	28	1	11	50	190	10	6	Tricalcium phosphate & trisodium phosphate	10	10	10
Kellogg’s														mg or % DV
Apple Jacks	1 cup	100	1	0.5	0	0	0	25	3	12	35	130	0	11 mg	Calcium phosphate	10	10	25
Cocoa Krispies	¾ cup	120	1	1	0.5	0	0	27	<1	12	60	150	4	29 mg	None listed at current time	25	10	25
Corn Flakes	1 cup	100	0	0	0	0	0	24	1	2	25	200	0	14 mg	None listed at current time	10	10	10
Corn Pops	1 cup	120	1	0	0	0	0	29	3	10	45	125	0	15 mg	None listed at current time	10	10	10
Crispix	1 cup	110	2	0	0	0	0	25	<1	4	40	220	0	26 mg	None listed at current time	10	10	10
Froot Loops	1 cup	110	1	1	0.5	0	0	25	3	12	35	135	0	19 mg	None listed at current time	10	10	25
Frosted Flakes	¾ cup	110	1	0	0	0	0	27	1	11	20	140	0	10 mg	None listed at current time	10	10	10
Frosted Flakes, Reduced Sugar	1 cup	120	2	0	0	0	0	28	<1	8	45	180	0	24 mg	None listed at current time	10	10	10
Honey Smacks	¾ cup	100	2	0.5	0	0	0	24	1	15	40	50	0	46 mg	None listed at current time	10	10	10
Keebler Cookie Crunch Cereal	1 cup	110	2	1	0	0	0	26	1	12	40	170	0	NA	None listed at current time	10	10	25
Frosted Mini Wheats, Big Bite	5 biscuits	180	5	1	0	0	0	41	5	10	170	5	0	153 mg	None listed at current time	0	n/a	0
Frosted Mini Wheat, Bite Size	24 biscuits	200	6	1	0	0	0	48	6	12	200	5	0	173 mg	None listed at current time	0	n/a	0
Frosted Mini Wheats, Blueberry Muffin	24 biscuits	180	4	1	0	0	0	43	5	12	170	0	0	165 mg	None listed at current time	0	n/a	0
Frosted Mini Wheats, Cinnamon Streusel	24 biscuits	180	4	1	0	0	0	44	5	12	180	0	0	101 mg	None listed at current time	0	n/a	0
Frosted Mini Wheats, Little Bites Chocolate	52 biscuits	200	5	2	1	0	0	45	6	12	270	200	0	200 mg	None listed at current time	0	n/a	0
Frosted Mini Wheats, Little Bites, Honey Nut	46 biscuits	190	5	1	0	0	0	47	6	12	200	120	0	200 mg	None listed at current time	0	n/a	0
Frosted Mini Wheats, Little Bites, Original	51 biscuits	190	5	1	0	0	0	46	6	12	200	0	0	15%	None listed at current time	0	n/a	0
Frosted Mini Wheats, Maple & Brown Sugar	24 biscuits	190	4	1	0	0	0	44	5	13	180	0	0	148mg	None listed at current time	0	n/a	0
Frosted Mini Wheats, Strawberry Delight	24 biscuits	180	4	1	0	0	0	43	5	12	170	0	0	15%	None listed at current time	0	n/a	0
Mini Wheats, Unfrosted, Bite Size	30 biscuits	200	6	1.5	0	0	0	46	6	1	260	10	0	15%	None listed at current time	0	n/a	0
Rice Krispies	1¼ cups	130	2	0	0	0	0	29	<1	4	30	220	0	36 mg	None listed at current time	25	10	25
Frosted Krispies	¾ cup	110	1	0	0	0	0	27	0	12	20	130	0	24 mg	None listed at current time	25	10	25
Rice Krispies Treats Cereal	¾ cup	120	1	1.5	0	0	0	0	0	9	25	170	0	24 mg	None listed at current time	10	10	10
Smorz	1 cup	120	1	2	0.5	0	0	25	<1	13	30	140	0	20 mg	Sodium hexametaphosphate	10	10	25
Post
Alpha Bits	1 cup	110	2	1	0	0	0	23	2	10	60	160	0	8	None listed at current time	15	10	10
	¾ cup for children under 4	80	2	1	0	0	0	18	1	7	45	120	0	6	None listed at current time	25	8	10
Golden Crisp	¾ cup	110	2	0	0	0	0	24	<1	14	45	25	0	4	None listed at current time	15	10	0
Honeycomb	1½ cups	130	2	1	0	0	0	28	1	10	50	180	0	4	None listed at current time	15	25	0
Honeycomb with Chocolate Flavoring	¾ cup	130	2	1.5	0.5	0	0	27	2	10	60	190	0	6	None listed at current time	15	10	0
Fruity Pebbles	¾ cup	120	1	1	0	0	0	26	0	11	20	190	0	0	None listed at current time	15	25	10
Cocoa Pebbles	¾ cup	120	1	1	0	0	0	26	0	11	50	190	0	2	None listed at current time	15	25	0
Cupcake Pebbles	¾ cup	120	1	1	1	0	0	26	0	11	20	200	0	NA	None listed at current time	15	25	0
Waffle Crisp	1 cup	120	2	2.5	0	0	0	25	<1	12	40	110	0	4	None listed at current time	15	10	0
Quaker														mg for Cap’n Crunch products
Cap’n Crunch	¾ cup	110	1	1.5	1	0	0	23	1	12	50	200	0	45	None listed at current time	0	0	0
Crunch Berries	¾ cup	100	1	1.5	1	0	0	22	1	11	50	190	0	43	None listed at current time	0	0	0
Oops! All Berries	1 cup	130	2	1.5	0.5	0	0	0	1	15	60	210	0	56	None listed at current time	0	0	0
Cap’n Crunch Peanut Butter Crunch	¾ cup	110	2	2.5	1	0	0	21	1	9	65	200	0	53	None listed at current time	0	0	0
														% DV for cereals below
Life	¾ cup	120	3	1.5	0	0	0	25	2	6	90	160	10	10	Disodium phosphate	0	0	0
	½ cup for children under 4	80	1	1	0	0	0	16	1	4	60	110	10	15	Disodium phosphate	0	0	0
Life Maple and Brown Sugar	¾ cup	120	3	1.5	0	0	0	25	2	8	85	150	10	10	Disodium phosphate	0	0	0
Life Cinnamon	¾ cup	120	3	1.5	0	0	0	25	2	8	85	150	10	10	Disodium phosphate	0	0	0
Oh’s	¾ cup	110	1	2	1.5	0	0	23	1	12	44.1	170	0	0	None listed at current time	10	30	10

PRO, protein; CHO, carbohydrate; % DV, percent daily value; NA, not applicable.

General Mills, Inc, P.O. Box 9452, Minneapolis, MN 55440, Phone: 1-800-248-7310 (7:30 am to 5:30 pm weekdays, CT).

Kellogg’s Consumer Affair, Kellogg Company, P. O. Box CAMB, Battle Creek, MI 49016, Phone: 269-961-2000 and 1-800-962-1413.

Post Foods, LLC, Attn: Consumer Services Post Foods, LLC, 800 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63101, Phone: 1-800-431-POST (9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, Eastern Time).

The Quaker Oats Company, P.O. Box 049003, Chicago, IL 60604-9003, Phone: 1-800-367-6287, Cap’n Crunch (Phone: 1-800-234-6281).

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References 

1. “Benefits of Cereal.” General Mills: Big G Nutrition. 2009 General Mills. Available at: http://www.generalmills.com/corporate/health_wellness/pdfs/Benefits_of_Cereal.pdf. Accessed June 13, 2010.
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2. “Kellogg Cereal GDAs.” Kellogg Nutrition. 2010 Kellogg NA Co. Available at: http://www.kelloggsnutrition.com/learn-about-labels/kellogg-gdas.html. Accessed June 13, 2010.
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