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March 7, 2025 By Anuja Mohile 1 Comment

Which breakfast cereal should you choose?

482477031_XSImagine walking into the supermarket cereal aisle—rows of colourful boxes promising to be ‘high in fibre,’ ‘low in sugar,’ or ‘fortified with vitamins.’ But how do you know which one is actually good for you? With so many brands and labels, making a healthy choice can be confusing.

Breakfast is meant to break the overnight fast, providing sustained energy and essential nutrients to start the day. However, many cereals that appear healthy may actually contain hidden sugars, excessive salt, or low fibre content. Let’s break down what really matters when choosing your ideal breakfast cereal.

Key Ingredients to Check on a Cereal Box

1. Sugar: Is Your Cereal Too Sweet?

Many breakfast cereals contain added sugars to enhance flavour. While carbohydrates are essential for energy, excess sugar can lead to spikes in blood sugar levels, increased cravings, and long-term health risks such as obesity and diabetes.

✅ Best Choice: Choose cereals with 5g of sugar or less per serving.

❌ Avoid: Cereals with over 10g of sugar per serving, especially those labelled as frosted, honey-coated, or flavoured—these often contain more sugar than nutrition.

⭐ Tip: Sweeten plain cereals naturally by adding fresh fruits, dates, or a drizzle of natural honey.

2. Fibre: The More, The Better!

Dietary fibre is essential for digestion, gut health, and keeping you full longer. A fibre-rich breakfast helps stabilise energy levels and prevent mid-morning cravings.

✅ Best Choice: Look for cereals with at least 3-6g of fibre per serving or 20g per 100g. Wholegrain cereals like bran flakes, shredded wheat, and oats are great choices.

❌ Avoid: Low-fibre cereals with less than 2g per serving—these will leave you feeling hungry soon after eating.

⭐ Tip: Add chia seeds, flaxseeds, or nuts to boost your fibre intake.

3. Salt: The Hidden Ingredient You Overlook

Many processed cereals contain added salt to enhance flavour and shelf life. Too much sodium can contribute to high blood pressure and heart disease.

✅ Best Choice: Opt for cereals with 0.3g of salt or less per 100g (0.1g of sodium or less).

❌ Avoid: Cereals with over 1.5g of salt per 100g (0.5g of sodium or more).

⭐ Tip: If sodium isn’t mentioned on the label, check for ingredients like sodium bicarbonate or preservatives, which indicate hidden salt content.

4. Fat: Watch Out for Unnecessary Additions

Most breakfast cereals are naturally low in fat. However, some granola, muesli, and nut-based cereals contain added oils that can increase caloric intake.

✅ Best Choice: Cereals with 5g of fat or less per 100g.

❌ Avoid: Those with excessive added oils, trans fats, or palm oil.

⭐ Tip: If you enjoy granola, opt for lightly roasted options with minimal added oil.

5. Added Nutrients: Do You Really Need Fortification?

Many cereals are fortified with Iron, Calcium, Vitamin D, and B Vitamins, especially for children and adults who may have nutrient deficiencies.

✅ Best Choice: If you struggle with nutrient intake, choose a cereal with fortified vitamins and minerals.

❌ Avoid: Highly processed cereals with artificial additives and preservatives.

⭐ Tip: Pair your cereal with milk, nuts, or yoghurt to enhance its nutritional value.

How to Build the Perfect Breakfast Bowl

A healthy breakfast isn’t just about cereal—it’s about balancing macronutrients for a more filling, nourishing start to your day:

🥣 Base: Choose a wholegrain cereal like oats, bran flakes, or shredded wheat.

🥛 Protein: Add Greek yoghurt, low-fat milk, or a plant-based alternative.

🥜 Healthy Fats: Sprinkle chia seeds, flaxseeds, or a handful of nuts.

🍓 Natural Sweetness: Fresh berries, banana slices, or dried fruits.

Navigating the cereal aisle doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By reading food labels carefully and making informed decisions, you can choose a nutritious breakfast that supports your energy, digestion, and overall health.

💡 Takeaway: Look for low sugar, high fibre, moderate salt, and avoid unnecessary additives for a balanced start to your day.

Which breakfast cereal do you enjoy the most? Share your favourites in the comments!

#BeTheForce

February 28, 2025 By GOQii Leave a Comment

Power Up Your Mornings: Easy Low-Carb Breakfast Recipes

Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day—it sets the tone for your energy levels, focus, and overall well-being. If you’re following a low-carb lifestyle, you don’t have to miss out on delicious and satisfying breakfasts.

Whether you prefer something savoury, slightly sweet, or protein-packed, these low-carb breakfast ideas will keep you feeling full and energised without causing a blood sugar spike.

Each recipe is diabetes-friendly, high in healthy fats, protein, and fibre, and perfect for meal prepping or making fresh in the morning.

1. Spinach & Feta Crustless Quiche

This fluffy, protein-rich quiche is packed with iron-rich spinach and calcium-loaded feta cheese, making it a balanced and delicious way to start your day.

Ingredients

  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup spinach, chopped
  • ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • ¼ cup milk or heavy cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350° F (175°C) and grease a pie dish or muffin tin with olive oil.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk or heavy cream, salt, and pepper until smooth.
  3. Fold in the chopped spinach and feta cheese.
  4. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and spread evenly.
  5. Bake for 25–30 minutes until set and golden brown on top.
  6. Let it cool for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.

2. Coconut Flour Pancakes with Berries

Love pancakes? You don’t have to give them up! These low-carb, gluten-free pancakes are high in fibre and protein, making them a fantastic choice for a healthy morning.

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs
  • ¼ cup coconut flour
  • ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • Fresh Berries for topping

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the eggs, coconut flour, almond milk, vanilla extract, and baking powder in a bowl until smooth.
  2. Let the batter rest for 3–5 minutes to thicken.
  3. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly grease it.
  4. Pour small portions of batter onto the skillet to form pancakes.
  5. Cook until bubbles appear, then flip and cook for another 1–2 minutes until golden brown.
  6. Serve warm with fresh berries on top.

Avocado & Bacon Breakfast Bowl

This creamy, nutrient-rich breakfast is packed with healthy fats, protein, and fibre, making it a perfectly satisfying low-carb meal.

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe avocados, halved and pitted
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 4 eggs
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Chopped parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Scoop out a small amount from each avocado half to make space for the eggs.
  3. Place the avocados in a baking dish to keep them steady.
  4. Crack an egg into each avocado half.
  5. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Bake for 15–20 minutes until the eggs are set or to your desired doneness.
  7. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with crispy bacon and parsley, and serve.

With these three delicious low-carb breakfasts, you can kickstart your day feeling full, energised, and ready to go. Whether you’re meal-prepping or making something fresh, these recipes will keep you on track with a diabetes-friendly or low-carb lifestyle.

Which one will you try first? Let us know in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health.

August 15, 2024 By Trupti Hingad Leave a Comment

A Fusion of Taste & Health: Exotic Salads for you to try.

रोजाना एक कटोरी सलाद खाने के स्वास्थ्य लाभ

This Independence day let’s get healthy and try out some of these power packed nutrient salads. Why are salads important and what are its health benefits is nicely described in this blog https://goqii.com/blog/health-benefits-of-eating-a-bowl-of-salad-daily/.

Salad or veggies is the most important part of the meal platter. You cannot afford to skip if you want to get your daily dose of micronutrients. But, it is so boring and monotonous to cut slices of cucumber, tomato and onion and have it daily. There are various veggies available which you can twist and turn and make your salad interesting and colourful and tasty too. Wondering how? Keep reading.

Here I am listing some tasty salads with amazing dressings

  1. CRUNCHY MUNCHY SALAD
Crunchy Munchy Salad

Crunchy Munchy Salad

Ingredients:

Wheat/Oat Flakes – ½ bowl

Baby Corn – 5-6 in no

Bell Peppers (3 coloured) – ½ bowl

Lettuce – 2 leaves

Pomegranate – ¼ bowl

Seasoning

Lime juice – 2-3 tap

Salt – according to taste

Chaat Masala – According to taste

Method

Roast the oats a bit. Then mix all ingredients with the seasoning. Toss well and serve.

  1. DETOX SALAD
Detox Salad

Detox Salad

Ingredients:

Broccoli – ½ bowl florets

Carrot – ½ bowl juliennes

Bell Pepper – ¼ bowl juliennes (red, yellow, green)

Baby Corn – 4-5 in no diced finely

Cherry tomatoes – ¼ bowl or regular tomatoes

Red Cabbage- ½ bowl finely chopped

Zucchini (yellow) – ¼ bowl sliced

Alfa Alfa sprouts – 2 Tbsp (for garnishing)

Seasoning:

Vinegar – 2 tsp

Red Chilli Flakes – 1 tsp

Salt – according to taste

Flax seeds – coarsely pounded 2 tsp

Walnuts – coarsely pounded 3-4 in nos

Method:

Toss all ingredients with seasoning in a bowl.

Refrigerate for ½ an hour & serve.

  1. SPROUTED METHI SALAD
sprouted-methi-seed-salad-recipe.1024x1024

Sprouted Methi Salad

Ingredients:

Sprouted Methi Seeds – ½ cup

Pomegranate – ¼ cup

Cucumber – 1 in number diced

Carrot – 1 in number diced

Capsicum – ½ each diced (3 coloured)

Tomato – 1 in number chopped

Spring Onion – 1 stalk finely chopped

Seasoning:

Chaat Masala – ¼ tsp

Lemon Juice – ½ lemon

Salt – according to taste

Method:

Add all ingredients in a salad bowl. Add seasoning to the same. Toss well. And Serve.

  1. WALDORF SALAD
waldorf-salad-horiz-b-1500

Waldorf Salad

Ingredients

10-12 cup Walnuts halves
2 tsp Flax Seeds
½ cup low-fat Yogurt
1 stick finely chopped Parsley
1 stick finely chopped Celery
1 teaspoon honey
2 leaves of Ice berg Lettuce chopped
2 large crisp Apples
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup Golden Raisins
½ Lemon, juiced
Method

Cut apple into chunks. Add all ingredients in a salad bowl. Toss all the ingredients. Refrigerate for 30-45 mins and serve.

  1. BEAN SALAD WITH PROBIOTIC DRESSING
Bean Salad with Pro-biotic dressing

Bean Salad with Pro-biotic dressing

Ingredients

Bean Sprouts – 1 cup

Fresh Pomegranate – ¼ cup kernels

Cucumber – 1 in number (diced)

3 coloured Bell Pepper – ½ each (diced)

Tomatoes – 1 in number (diced)

Dressing:

Curd – ½ cup

Honey – 1 tsp

Olive Oil – ½ tsp

Flax Seeds – 2 tsp (coarsely crushed)

Chaat Masala – ½ tsp

Salt – if required

Method:

For dressing: Whip all ingredients together with a fork. Add other ingredients in a bowl. Add the dressing and toss well. Refrigerate & serve on a bed of lettuce.

 

  1. TANGY TROPICANA

 

Tangy Tropicana

Tangy Tropicana

Ingredients:

Pineapple – 3 fresh slices (diced)

Cherry Tomatoes- 6-8 in numbers

Red, Yellow & Green Bell Peppers – ½ each cut into juliennes

Lettuce – 2 leaves chopped

Walnuts – 2 in no chopped

Seasoning:

Lime juice – ½ lemon

Honey – ½ tsp

Ginger – grated a small piece

Salt – As per taste

Black Pepper Powder – As per taste

Method:

Soak grated ginger, lemon juice & honey together

Add all veggies & walnuts in a salad bowl

Add the dressing prepared, salt & pepper

Toss well

Serve chilled

What are you waiting for? Get healthy-dress up your meal platter with the above colourful veggie mixes!

We hope these exotic salads inspire you to add a healthy and colorful twist to your meals this Independence Day! If you try any of these recipes, share your experience in the comments below. For more nutritious recipes and tips, check out Healthy Reads or speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

December 16, 2018 By Trupti Hingad 1 Comment

A Cereal Breakfast – WHY IT’S THE BEST WAY TO START THE DAY!!!

breakfast 1

Good Morning begins here….

I do not need to explain to you what Breakfast means. It has been iterated many times on this platform that it is one of the most important meal of the day. Still the phenomenon of skipping this meal is widely prevalent across the globe. People skipping breakfast is higher among those living in the metros such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and the likes.

First thing in the morning, the body is low on energy reserves and needs fuel in the form of breakfast. Hence, skipping it can impact general health both in short and the long term.

 Few benefits of breakfast to highlight its importance:

-It helps support brain function.

-It can improve nutrient intakes

-It helps to maintain weight

-It improves metabolism

-It promotes physical and mental well-being.

But, then the question arises- What does one have daily in the breakfast? Some examples of balanced breakfast are whole grain cereal with toned milk and 1 fruit, or  bowl of puffed rice (Poha), toned milk and few cubes of papaya or whole grain bread sandwich with veggies , 1 fruit and toned milk or oats porridge with dates , raisins apple and almonds.

breakfast 2

According to me, Cereal is the best breakfast. Most Indians staple diet is mostly based on cereals. I remember the days of my childhood, when my grandma used to give me cereal breakfast(wheat flour cooked in milk)and that used to keep me energetic throughout the day.

The word “cereal comes from the word ‘ceres’ meaning the ancient Roman goddess of the harvest.It is food derived from any plant in the grass family that yields edible grain or seed.

It is people’s basic food since Neolithic times, following the birth of agriculture.Wheat, Millet, Oats, Corn, Rice, Barley, Rye comes under cereal category.Research shows that eating a cereal breakfast can help kick-start our metabolism and set us up for a more successful day.

This is not restricted to this, eating cereal breakfast has lot more benefits:

1. Cereal eaters beat breakfast skippers in terms of BMI(body mass index)

2. It can help reduce disease risk factors: obesity and overweight are major risk factors for all lifestyle disorders. It helps to reduce the same.

3. Eating cereal break-fast can improve nutrient intakes:.Cereal taken along with milk gives carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals too especially vitamin B complex and iron and also gives a good amount of fiber. It is a simple, safe and inexpensive way to give required nutrition to a pregnant woman. Also, elderly get the required nutrition with such breakfast with fewer calories, as calorie needs declines with age but not nutrient needs.

4. It may help promote future health: The type of breakfast chosen may impact cardiometabolic risk. More frequent cereal consumption in children is associated with lower waist to height ratio, total cholesterol, and LdL cholesterol.

5. Cereal enhances general well-being:People who eat regular BF get less stressed, less anxious, and less likely to be depressed.

6. Cereal is typically a low fat, cholesterol free food which fits into healthy eating recommendations

7. Cereal is relatively low in calories and nutrient dense. An average serving of cereal with skim milk has fewer calories compared to other breakfast choices.

8. Cereal helps to incorporate milk into the diet. If eaten with milk, it is a terrific gateway to calcium, vitamin D, and protein. In fact, a bowl of high fiber cereal with skim milk has more than twice the calcium of a breakfast of toast and juice.And cereal is one of the top contributors for iron, thiamine, folate, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, zinc, and potassium, bringing essential nutrients to your breakfast table each morning.

But the next question that comes up in the mind- Is it fine to eat ‘Ready to Eat’ breakfast cereals?

There has been a lot of misinformation floating around about breakfast cereals. It’s so convenient and easy to prepare – even the kids can help out, making it a great breakfast option for busy families.

The amount of sugar contributed by ready to eat cereals is just 4% of the total daily intake of sugars.  Did you know that a glass of orange juice (125ml) has the same sugar content as a 30g serving of cornflakes?

Taste matters: If the food is unacceptable, it will not be eaten and unless it is eaten it cannot give nutrients. Even though it contains a slight amount of sugar, it doesn’t lead to tooth decay and dental problems.

Children who eat cereals at breakfast are likely to meet their recommendations of calcium and folic acid than those who eat non-cereal breakfast.

Taking sugar out of these cereals does not typically reduce the calories. So, if we remove a gram of sucrose, it lowers sugar content by one gram but, it does not affect the calorie level since the sugar is often replaced by one gram of starch to maintain the texture.

Ready to eat cereal contains less than one-half the sodium of many popular breakfast items and also the very small percentage of the total sodium in the diet.

Last but not the least beneficial component of cereal is fiber. It helps to protect against colon cancer, breast cancer, reduce the risk of Dm, coronary events, bulkier stools

So, if, you are always short of time, snoozing the alarm and waking up late….just pour a cup of milk over two tablespoons of your favorite cereal, sprinkle some nuts or fruits and get yourself nourished.

Hence, let’s take five minutes off to relax and prepare for the day with a bowl of cereal , milk and fruit and ensure a POSITIVE start of the day!!!

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