Why Breakfast Cereals Aren't the Best Way to Start Your Day

Coming from someone who grew up eating cereal on a regular basis, and who still ate it throughout most of his adult life (healthier options by that time of course), breakfast cereals were hard to give it up until I learned about the health consequences of partaking of it on an almost daily basis. Yes, it is a quick and easy source of food, they taste good (almost to the point of being addicting) and the marketing departments make them sound like they are the healthiest foods possible, but there are a few things to consider before grabbing those boxes and digging in or pouring a bowl for the children.

One of the major issues is what they are primarily composed of: the grains. According to a growing number of experts, including Dr. Loren Cordain, a professor at Colorado State University and an expert on Paleolithic lifestyles, humans are NOT designed to eat grains, and doing so may actually be damaging to your gut. The problem isn't only that they are inferior sources of nutrients compared to foods like fruits and vegetable; grains actually contain anti-nutrients that may damage your health. Ironically, we're often told that whole grains are the best for our health, but the high-fiber bran portion of grain – a key part that makes it a whole grain -- actually contains many anti-nutrients that may increase intestinal permeability and lead to leaky gut syndrome.

Gliadin

Gliadin is the primary immunotoxic protein found in wheat gluten and is among the most damaging to your health. Gliadin gives wheat bread its doughy texture and is capable of increasing the production of the intestinal protein zonulin, which in turn opens up gaps in the normally tight junctures between intestinal cells (enterocytes).

In celiac disease the body will make antibodies to gliadin after it is digested by the intestinal enzyme tissue transglutaminase, resulting in severe autoimmune damage to the delicate, absorptive surfaces of the intestines. It does not, however, require full blown celiac disease to suffer from the adverse effects of this protein. In fact, it is likely that our intolerance to gliadin and related wheat proteins is a species-specific intolerance, applicable to all humans, with the difference being a matter of the degree to which it causes harm. This helps to explain why new research clearly shows gliadin increases intestinal permeability in both those with, and those without, celiac disease.

Lectins

Lectins are a key mechanism through which plants protect themselves against being eaten, and are found in highest concentrations in their seed form -- which makes sense, considering that seeds are the plants' "babies" and whose survival ensures the continuation of their species. When animals consume foods containing lectins, they may experience digestive irritation, along with a wide range of other health complaints. The degree to which the adverse effects are expressed depends largely on how long that species has had to co-evolve with that particular form of plant food it is eating. Since humans have only been consuming unsprouted grains and beans in large amounts for approximately 500 generations, we still suffer far more than certain rodents and birds, who have had thousands of generations longer to adapt to this way of eating.

We are mostly exposed to lectins from grains, beans, dairy products and nightshade plants, such as potato, tomato, and chili peppers. However, bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) has a prominent role to play in lectin-induced adverse effects, due to the fact that it is a relatively new form of wheat, and contains wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) – a particularly resilient and problematic lectin, considering it is not eliminated through sprouting and is actually found in higher concentrations in whole wheat.

Sugar

A new report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) revealed that many popular children's cereal brands contain more sugar than snack cakes and cookies. For instance, one cup of Kellogg's Honey Smacks, which is nearly 56 percent sugar by weight, has more sugar than a Twinkie, while a one-cup serving of 44 other children's cereals analyzed contain more sugar than three Chips Ahoy! cookies.

If you need a recap of why sugar is a health disaster, we have posted other blogs on this topic. However, as it pertains to leaky gut, you should know that sugar, like grains, can upset the balance of bacteria in your digestive tract, encouraging damage to your intestinal lining that can lead to leaky gut. So, sugary children's cereals are a double-edged sword, assaulting your gastrointestinal tract with both damaging sugar and grains.

For breakfast, try focusing on healthy protein choices, quality fats and fruits and vegetables to get your body and brain started off in high gear and fueled for the day to come!

In Health, 

Dr. Brad Niewierowski