Eat your cereal (whole grain, that is) and protect your heart

Hot or cold, cereal's not just for kids anymore. A recent study that followed over 10,000 doctors found that eating whole grain cereal seven times a week reduced a person's risk of developing heart failure by 28%. Want to take a day off? Eating whole grain cereal six times a week reduced risk by 22%, and eating it up to once per week reduced risk of the illness by 14%. Whole grains are thought to lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol and even reduce the risk of heart attack.

For the sake of this study, the cereal had to contain at least 25% whole grains. Read food labels to find out if the cereal you're eating contains whole grain. Here's an excellent list of cold cereals that not only contain whole grains, but are free of partially hydrogenated oils and excess added sugars. That link also includes a list of cereals to stay away from. And don't forget...oatmeal is an excellent whole grain cereal as well.

For more detailed information about whole grains, check out this article from MyPyramid.com.