You are passionate about keeping sugary cereals out of your children’s bowls? Do you insist on only bringing home breakfast grains that have a high concentration of vitamins and minerals on the cereal boxes? But does this actually imply that they’re in good health?
What Are Fortified Cereals and How Do They Work?
All fortified foods include vitamins and minerals that we intentionally add to them rather than occurring naturally. Vitamin fortification was developed in the twentieth century as a means of preventing disorders due to vitamin insufficiency. The fortification implementation in meals targeted staples and foods that were affordable to the majority of the population. As a result, items that are often fortified include staples such as cereal, grains, infant formula, milk, and juice. In addition to pre-packaged and ready-to-eat cold cereals, you can also buy fortified oatmeal and hot cereal. All ready-to-eat cereals that mention a whole grain as their first component also need fortification unless the cereal is entirely whole grains. All wheat-derived goods are fortified with B vitamins, folic acid, and other nutrients. While milk and juice are the most typically fortified in the United States with calcium and vitamin D (yay for strong bones and teeth! ), fortified cereals include a wide variety of vitamins and minerals.
Common Fortifiers and their Benefits
Here are some common fortifiers, as well as the reasons why they are beneficial to you:
Vitamins
Thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin (vitamins B1, B2, and B3), as well as vitamins B6 and B12, are all members of the B vitamin family. Their primary function is to provide energy, but they also have beneficial effects on the neurological system, blood, and skin.
Folic acid
The United States is one of just a few nations that require wheat flour fortification with folic acid. A folic acid is a synthetic form of folate. Folic acid, often known as vitamin B9, is a water-soluble vitamin that is essential for the production of new cells in the body.
Calcium
Children who eat a bowl of calcium-fortified cereal in the morning are more likely to acquire the appropriate amount. In addition to being essential for the development of strong teeth and bones, adequate calcium intake throughout infancy may help prevent osteoporosis later in life.
Zinc
Zinc is a multi-tasking vitamin that helps with wound healing, immunological health, and metabolic function. It’s also a popular remedy for the symptoms of a cold.Some cereals are devoid of true nutrients or include excessive amounts of sugar or fat. The most nutritious fortified cereals are those that are manufactured from whole grains and have a high amount of fiber and protein. Having a substantial amount of fiber and/ or protein for breakfast can keep you full until lunch.
The Negative Effects of Fortified Cereals on the Body
It is theoretically possible to take an excessive amount of vitamins and minerals while consuming fortified cereals. However, there is no need to be concerned about it.
Overconsumption of vitamins and minerals may cause an upset stomach in the short term. However, long-term implications of overconsumption of vitamins and minerals (particularly vitamin A, nicotinamide, and zinc) include liver and bone damage. It may also lead to a compromised immune system. If you’re concerned, you should think about your eating habits. If the cereal is well-balanced, you may be able to forgo taking vitamins or a multivitamin completely. This is a way of reducing your risk of overindulging in sugary cereals and other processed foods.However, if you avoid cereal only because of the carbohydrate content, you may want to rethink your position. Too many individuals have to avoid carbohydrates or added sugar. Since cereals contain grains, they will include carbohydrates, which are present on the label of custom bakery boxes as grams of carbs and sugar. So, do not drive yourself insane by avoiding carbohydrates and sugar when it comes to fortified cereals.
Try to find a high-fiber cereal with less sugar that you’ll really like eating and stick with it. Women should consume no more than six teaspoons of sugar per day. On the other hand, men should not exceed more than nine teaspoons per day. This makes it around 25 and 36 grams of sugar, respectively. For your packaging solution click here
