Corn Flakes For Breakfast? Think Again!
Categories: Jonny's Take, Nutrition & Supplements
Jonny Bowden, author, nutritionist and weight loss coach cuts through all the misconceptions about diet and fitness to help you transform your body, your health and your life.
I've ranted about high sugar cereals for years. Even those masquerading as "healthy" cereals are usually high-glycemic (meaning they raise blood sugar quickly), and they contribute to weight gain, cravings and ultimately, lower energy.
And most of these cereals are fiber lightweights, despite the fact that we're constantly being sold on the notion of cereals as "high fiber" foods. With the exception of Fiber One, UltraFiber, Bran Flakes and a few others, most commercial cereals only contain a gram or two of fiber, which is one of the reasons they're so "high glycemic" in the first place.
Now a new study has shown that high-glycemic foods like cornflakes are not only bad for the waistline -- they're also bad for the heart.
Researchers looked at four groups of volunteers. One group ate a cornflake mush mixed with milk -- not unlike the typical American breakfast. The second group was given a pure sugar mixture, the third got bran flakes and the last group was given a placebo (water).
Over four weeks, Dr. Michael Shechter and his research team applied a test that allowed them to visualize how the arteries were functioning. It's called "brachial reactive testing," and it uses a cuff on the arm, like what's used to measure blood pressure, which can visualize arterial function in real time.
The results were dramatic. Before any of the patients ate, arterial function was essentially the same. After eating, except for the placebo group, all had reduced functioning. Enormous peaks indicating arterial stress were found in the high-glycemic index groups: The cornflakes and sugar group.
"We knew high glycemic foods were bad for the heart. Now we have a mechanism that shows how," says Dr. Shechter. "Foods like cornflakes, white bread, French fries, and sweetened soda all put undue stress on our arteries. We've explained for the first time how high glycemic carbs can affect the progression of heart disease."
During the consumption of foods high in sugar, there appears to be a temporary and sudden dysfunction in the endothelial walls of the arteries. Endothelial health can be traced back to almost every disorder and disease in the body. It is "the riskiest of the risk factors," says Dr. Shechter.
Dr. Shechter recommends sticking to foods like oatmeal, fruits and vegetables, legumes and nuts, which have a low glycemic index. How interesting that the same kinds of foods that keep your weight down also protect your heart.
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| Photo: TheBusyBrain, Flickr |
And most of these cereals are fiber lightweights, despite the fact that we're constantly being sold on the notion of cereals as "high fiber" foods. With the exception of Fiber One, UltraFiber, Bran Flakes and a few others, most commercial cereals only contain a gram or two of fiber, which is one of the reasons they're so "high glycemic" in the first place.
Now a new study has shown that high-glycemic foods like cornflakes are not only bad for the waistline -- they're also bad for the heart.
Researchers looked at four groups of volunteers. One group ate a cornflake mush mixed with milk -- not unlike the typical American breakfast. The second group was given a pure sugar mixture, the third got bran flakes and the last group was given a placebo (water).
Over four weeks, Dr. Michael Shechter and his research team applied a test that allowed them to visualize how the arteries were functioning. It's called "brachial reactive testing," and it uses a cuff on the arm, like what's used to measure blood pressure, which can visualize arterial function in real time.
The results were dramatic. Before any of the patients ate, arterial function was essentially the same. After eating, except for the placebo group, all had reduced functioning. Enormous peaks indicating arterial stress were found in the high-glycemic index groups: The cornflakes and sugar group.
"We knew high glycemic foods were bad for the heart. Now we have a mechanism that shows how," says Dr. Shechter. "Foods like cornflakes, white bread, French fries, and sweetened soda all put undue stress on our arteries. We've explained for the first time how high glycemic carbs can affect the progression of heart disease."
During the consumption of foods high in sugar, there appears to be a temporary and sudden dysfunction in the endothelial walls of the arteries. Endothelial health can be traced back to almost every disorder and disease in the body. It is "the riskiest of the risk factors," says Dr. Shechter.
Dr. Shechter recommends sticking to foods like oatmeal, fruits and vegetables, legumes and nuts, which have a low glycemic index. How interesting that the same kinds of foods that keep your weight down also protect your heart.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
u262f 7-06-2009 @ 6:34PM
Neat study! I feel sorry for the glucose group, though.
Reply
tom 7-14-2009 @ 2:31AM
I HAVE BEEN EATING CORN FLAKES ALL MY LIFE THIS DR IS A CORN FLAKE. I HAVE A NORMAL HEART LOW BLOOD PRESSURE. AND A NARROW WASTE. I SUPPOSE HE IS GOING TO TELL ME RED WINE IS BAD FOR YOU ALSO. I WILL EAT WHAT I WANT.
SewVeryTall 7-13-2009 @ 7:50AM
So why wasn't this test done on a breakfast that's actually supposed to be good for us? Is it because anything you eat, other than water, will make the test spike? This test, as done, doesn't really tell us much...it just looks dumb.
Reply
katyamh 7-13-2009 @ 8:17AM
I think the bran flakes were supposed to be the control that didn't show the same spike in arterial stress because of the additional fiber. I suppose it might have been too many variables to put some of other good foods mentioned, but I agree - it would have been interesting especially with fruits, because they have lots of sugar, but also lots of fiber to counteract that.
margie 7-13-2009 @ 8:07PM
What are you totally stupid or something? The test was done on breakfast because it's the first meal of the day and the most important one. I'm a diabetic and breakfast has a high impact on my health. Test water? I swear you have to be a nut case here. Number 1...water is good for you duh....You need to take a few lessons in healthy living I say.
Larry 7-13-2009 @ 9:58AM
Typical AOL. The story talks about 4 groups, water, bran, corn flakes and sugar groups. The results are water group - no spike, but all the others spiked the results... cornflakes and sugar groups had reduced arterial functioning... In a story like this there should have been a clear "but," like in "but, in the group who ate bran flakes, their arterial function was..." We'll never know if we should eat bran flakes because someone edited that out. It is implied that bran is healthier, but you need to SAY it.
Reply
u262f 7-13-2009 @ 8:30PM
The abstract in the June 16th issue of Journal of the American College of Cardiology explicitly says, "at 30 to 90 min, serum glucose levels were significantly higher after glucose and cornflakes (high glycemic) compared with fiber (low glycemic)." Technically, though, the study abstract says "high-fiber cereal" instead of "bran flakes".
dave french 7-13-2009 @ 10:16AM
Another moronic article about things that have a very negligeable affect on the average human....can you please write about car repair, wind power or solar energy instead. You obviously wasted your parents money at college.
Reply
jeb 7-13-2009 @ 11:39AM
How many PhD's did these scientists need to tell us that ANY food that is highly processed is not good for us??? Glad someone is putting their research money into stating the obvious!!!!
Reply
u262f 7-13-2009 @ 8:39PM
The research also provides clues into how it works, which can lead to information about how to fix it. It's the media (such as journalists, reporters, and bloggers) that puts simplistic labels like "bad for us" and "good for us" on the results.
emmasdolly1812 7-13-2009 @ 12:25PM
This article is pretty useless. AOL's nutrition info is always vague and/or confusing. "Fiber One, UltraFiber, Bran Flakes and a few others." Why can't they name them if it's just a few others? They didn't mention the fact that a HUGE portion of our food is made from corn (hence, cornflakes), which is nutritionally a zero due to the genetic engineering that's been done to it.
Reply
butch 7-13-2009 @ 12:31PM
Makes me glad I eat cherrios lol
Reply
Teresa 7-13-2009 @ 1:08PM
If you click on the 'source' it shows you where this info came from. This guys seems a little out there. Some of his intel is good, but with some of it he disagrees with everyone else giving advise and/or health tips.
Reply
whoops 7-13-2009 @ 11:47PM
nice tip. and you're right. this guy is also a product pimp.
Christy 7-13-2009 @ 2:19PM
Of course it was the cereal. It couldn't have been the sugar in the MILK! Excellent job on cutting through those misconceptions about cereal. A big thumbs up!
This study is based on inexact science, including the debated Gylcemic Index. Consider this; pound cake and Twix candy bars have a lower GI than watermelon. So, take that wih your bowl of cornflakes.
The best advice about food - more natural, less processed; a balance of complex carbs, proteins, fruits and veggies; limit sweets; and use only good fats. It's really pretty simple and it doesn't take anyone with a PhD., RD. or MD. to figure that out.
Reply
sweetbabyrose806 7-13-2009 @ 2:15PM
If you want to know what cereals are high in fiber look for the cereals that are wic approved....even if you're not on wic. The wic approved cereals are going to be the ones that are highest in fiber and usually dont have too much sugar since mommies are supposed to be eating healthy for baby....on top of that, even though all of these articles we are reading keep talking about foods that are bad for you, they are going to affect you the worst if you don't have an otherwise healthy diet and regular exercise. Those two things combined mean that it's ok to every now and then splurge on those yummy fruity pebbles or cocoa puffs.
Reply
Ani 7-13-2009 @ 3:14PM
When will Post bring back Oat flakes? That was my favorite cereal way before Life Cereal and Raisin bran came along. I like Rice Check, but it tastes rather bland.
Reply
C .P. 7-14-2009 @ 6:24PM
remember "Bucwheats"? I think it was a Gen Mills product. Now that was good cereal...haven't seen it since the early 70's.
We've become so busy lived people that we've taken all the nutrition out of breakfast to make it "easier to eat on the go" ,and in that process ,we've just crammed (refined) flour and sugar into everything we can make a mylar wrapped bar into or into a "power drink".
We've let the government tell us how to eat "for our own good" ..yeah right. So why is everyone getting fat eating what they regulate.
Fresh fruit , raw veg's .eat all you want.
firefly 7-13-2009 @ 3:41PM
What now !!! you know these people who ever they are always finding something wrong with what we eat when cornflakes been on the market for years. now all of a sudden they find that there not good for you. lets just all ban cereal all together. yea and you'll never here the end of that. it will be like GM trying to get back on it's feet let them keep it up you'll see WATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply
u262f 7-13-2009 @ 9:00PM
Times change. Humans who had to walk everywhere, plow the fields, hand-wash laundry, and chase down animals for food and clothing probably needed a different mix of food than humans who mostly sit at desks, in their cars, and in front of TVs and computers.
It could be that, when the FDA created the first food pyramid, it really was healthier for people with the average American life style to eat mostly carbs. Carbs might have slowly become a problem over time because that average has shifted and a larger percentage of people have desk jobs, own machines to do chores, and relax by sitting at movie theaters instead of playing active games in the park.
Also, it's just information. Nobody's banning anything here.