Did you grow up eating cereal with milk? Is it still your go-to today? It's time to start questioning this easy, obvious, every day habit of choosing cereal with milk for a breakfast, for a snack, for anything. This simple meal is part of the foundation of the standard american diet (fittingly abbrivated the SAD diet). It provides you with very little nutrtion, and most likely more chemicals, sugars, and horomones than you probably bargained for.
Breakfast is the first food you put in your body each day. This is literally how you start your engines. This is your primary fuel. If you haven’t thought carefully about what you are eating, might now be a good time to start? Shifting the breakfast habit could be transformative, but don't take my word for it, try it yourself!
I get it- Cereal with milk is an obvious choice. Most people don’t think twice. After all, "it's not that many calories". But calories aren't everything! That model of understanding nuturtion is outdated.
So many of the people that I coach are stuck on the “cereal with milk” breakfast train, and haven’t really considered changing it. After all, it tastes good, and it couldn't be easier to make! What's there to lose? An awful lot of potential nutrition is what!!
What’s so wrong with cereal?
Have you ever read the ingredients? Check for words you don’t understand on the label. Then ask yourself, does this LOOK like a grain to me? Most chances are, that grain has been pulverized to form a flour. The grain has already been broken down, AND, stripped of essential nutrients in the process. That's why many cereals say they are "enriched" with added vitamins. If I took $100 from you, and gave you $50 back, would you feel enriched?
When you eat processed cereal, typically you are not very close to the grain in its original form. An example of grains in their original, or close to original form include things like steel cut oats, old fashioned oats, brown rice, etc. You can tell just by LOOKING at it that it hasn't been processed. Most cereals don't look like this. Does yours?
The cereal you are eating has already been processed, so your digestive system ends up having less work to do, and your body gets less nutrition. Aside from having less nutrition, cereal gets immediately turned to sugar in your system, and you get an insulin spike. What’s that mean? Fat gets stored (imagine little cells happily making their home in your belly) and you find yourself craving more sugar before you know it!
What’s so wrong with MILK?
Milk doesn’t have as much nutrition as you are led to believe, and it’s difficult to digest. Spinach and kale are great sources of calcium and easier for our bodies to break down and use, anyway! Did you know that milk doesn’t actually make your bones stronger? In fact, studies have shown the opposite to be true. If milk isn’t doing anything FOR you, why contribute to the despicable farming practices of dairy cows?? It’s not worth it.
If you are going to have milk, up-level it and have KEFIR, fermented milk, instead. It’s sort of like a drinkable yogurt, jam packed with beneficial bacteria to keep your gut SUPER happy!
If you are eating cereal with milk, try this equally quick, but more nutritionally sound breakfast...
Low Sugar Gluten-Free Granola ( you can SEE the whole grains in there!!) and kefir! Pile on the nutrition even further by adding hemp seeds, chia seeds, bee pollen, and raw cacao nibs. Don't skimp out on this good stuff - it makes an this super easy meal even MORE tasty and filling!
You can make your own granola if you want to get fancy, but right now my favorite brand is Bear Naked, specifically their “fit” varieties which only have 3gram of sugar per ¼ cup. Not too shabby! (I find it necessary to say that I'm in no way being compensated to promote this! I'm just happy to share a low-sugar granola option!)
Kefir is super beneficial to your internal microbiome, meaning that having a little bit each day can contribute to better digestion, enhanced immunity, and even a better MOOD.
Goats milk kefir is also an option, but even if you are sensitive to dairy, most people don’t have a problem digesting kefir. The process of fermentation takes out most of the the lactose! Kefir also stays good a pretty long time in the fridge, so it's easy to keep on hand!
Give this cereal with milk alternative a try and let me know how you feel.
Do YOU have suggestions for super quick and easy alternatives to milk and cereal? Let our community know! <3
