Consuming cereal for dinner could also be a fast repair for night starvation pangs after a protracted day at work, however that mound of flakes in all probability raises the query: Is that this “unhealthy” for me? In any case, in the event you’re reaching for the candy stuff—Fruity Pebbles or Fortunate Charms nonetheless hit, proper?!— you could fear your bowl leaves rather a lot to be desired when it comes to dietary worth.

However excellent news for these nights when you’ll be able to’t be bothered to fireplace up the oven or UberEats: Consultants say cereal isn’t essentially missing on this regard. Actually, a bowl can comprise “lots of nutritional vitamins and minerals as a result of it’s fortified,” Jasmine Hormati, MS, RD, an authorized intuitive consuming counselor and the founding father of the New York Metropolis–primarily based follow Mendinground Diet, tells SELF. “Relying on the kind you get,” she provides, “it could possibly have a big quantity of fiber in it,” even.

Contemplate our preconceived notions challenged. Nonetheless, consuming a bowl of cereal (or two, or three) can’t presumably be an perfect alternative of night meal, can it? With this query in thoughts, we dug in.

Very first thing to remember: Consuming cereal is best than consuming nothing in any respect. Given the selection between skipping dinner and having a bowl of Trix, undoubtedly have the Trix, in line with Hormati. Making dinner may be daunting if you’re drained and low on vitality, in order that field of Raisin Bran or Rice Krispies can actually turn out to be useful on days that depart you drained. Cereal is “a easy meal that doesn’t contain lots of planning, cooking, and cleansing,” Hormati says. What’s extra, she provides, cereal “additionally isn’t costly and it’s shelf-stable, so it’s simple to have it stocked within the kitchen.” Low-effort, low-cost, and sturdy? Say no extra.

In addition to, like we talked about above, cereal can truly be surprisingly nutritious. Even stereotypically “unhealthy” (sugary) choices like Cocoa Puffs and Cinnamon Toast Crunch typically convey one thing to the desk. In plenty of instances, for example, they “are nonetheless going to be fortified with B nutritional vitamins, even folic acid,” Emily Van Eck, MS, RDN, an Austin-based dietitian nutritionist, tells SELF. And that’s vital, since B nutritional vitamins serve a bunch of vital capabilities, like forming pink blood cells and serving to your physique course of meals for vitality.

In fact, that’s to not say that breakfast cereals don’t have any dietary downsides. Many cereals are ultraprocessed, which means they’re extremely manipulated earlier than they hit cabinets. This doesn’t make them inherently unhealthy, however a standard additive—further sugar—may not be doing all your physique any favors. The issue: Taking in an excessive amount of added sugar can enhance your danger for a bunch of well being issues, together with kind 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness. That’s why the CDC recommends solely 10% of your day by day complete energy come from it.

Sadly, the overwhelming majority of breakfast cereals are fairly packed. In an evaluation of 262 breakfast cereals printed within the journal Well being Promotion and Continual Illness Prevention in Canada in 2017, researchers discovered that solely 19 (7%) have been sugar-free, and practically half of the cereals analyzed contained two to a few kinds of sugar. What’s extra, many cereals, particularly these made with white flour and different refined grains, don’t supply a very good steadiness of the three main macros: carbs, protein, and fat. Whereas they’re excessive in easy carbs, they are usually decrease in protein, fiber, and different important vitamins as effectively.

Consuming cereal for dinner could also be a fast repair for night starvation pangs after a protracted day at work, however that mound of flakes in all probability raises the query: Is that this “unhealthy” for me? In any case, in the event you’re reaching for the candy stuff—Fruity Pebbles or Fortunate Charms nonetheless hit, proper?!— you could fear your bowl leaves rather a lot to be desired when it comes to dietary worth.

However excellent news for these nights when you’ll be able to’t be bothered to fireplace up the oven or UberEats: Consultants say cereal isn’t essentially missing on this regard. Actually, a bowl can comprise “lots of nutritional vitamins and minerals as a result of it’s fortified,” Jasmine Hormati, MS, RD, an authorized intuitive consuming counselor and the founding father of the New York Metropolis–primarily based follow Mendinground Diet, tells SELF. “Relying on the kind you get,” she provides, “it could possibly have a big quantity of fiber in it,” even.

Contemplate our preconceived notions challenged. Nonetheless, consuming a bowl of cereal (or two, or three) can’t presumably be an perfect alternative of night meal, can it? With this query in thoughts, we dug in.

Very first thing to remember: Consuming cereal is best than consuming nothing in any respect. Given the selection between skipping dinner and having a bowl of Trix, undoubtedly have the Trix, in line with Hormati. Making dinner may be daunting if you’re drained and low on vitality, in order that field of Raisin Bran or Rice Krispies can actually turn out to be useful on days that depart you drained. Cereal is “a easy meal that doesn’t contain lots of planning, cooking, and cleansing,” Hormati says. What’s extra, she provides, cereal “additionally isn’t costly and it’s shelf-stable, so it’s simple to have it stocked within the kitchen.” Low-effort, low-cost, and sturdy? Say no extra.

In addition to, like we talked about above, cereal can truly be surprisingly nutritious. Even stereotypically “unhealthy” (sugary) choices like Cocoa Puffs and Cinnamon Toast Crunch typically convey one thing to the desk. In plenty of instances, for example, they “are nonetheless going to be fortified with B nutritional vitamins, even folic acid,” Emily Van Eck, MS, RDN, an Austin-based dietitian nutritionist, tells SELF. And that’s vital, since B nutritional vitamins serve a bunch of vital capabilities, like forming pink blood cells and serving to your physique course of meals for vitality.

In fact, that’s to not say that breakfast cereals don’t have any dietary downsides. Many cereals are ultraprocessed, which means they’re extremely manipulated earlier than they hit cabinets. This doesn’t make them inherently unhealthy, however a standard additive—further sugar—may not be doing all your physique any favors. The issue: Taking in an excessive amount of added sugar can enhance your danger for a bunch of well being issues, together with kind 2 diabetes and coronary heart illness. That’s why the CDC recommends solely 10% of your day by day complete energy come from it.

Sadly, the overwhelming majority of breakfast cereals are fairly packed. In an evaluation of 262 breakfast cereals printed within the journal Well being Promotion and Continual Illness Prevention in Canada in 2017, researchers discovered that solely 19 (7%) have been sugar-free, and practically half of the cereals analyzed contained two to a few kinds of sugar. What’s extra, many cereals, particularly these made with white flour and different refined grains, don’t supply a very good steadiness of the three main macros: carbs, protein, and fat. Whereas they’re excessive in easy carbs, they are usually decrease in protein, fiber, and different important vitamins as effectively.