Breakfast Cereals

THE Benefits of eating breakfast

The importance of breakfast

As the first meal of the day, literally to “break the fast”, breakfast has a special role in providing both the energy and essential nutrients to kickstart the day. Scientific literature consistently highlights the nutritional and health benefits associated with breakfast consumption across all population groups, in particular:

Breakfast can contribute significantly to the daily intake of energy, fibre, and vitamins and minerals, including B-vitamins, iron, and calcium.¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁵
Individuals who regularly eat breakfast have a higher likelihood of meeting their dietary requirements and maintaining a better overall diet quality. ⁶ ⁷
Eating breakfast is linked to improved cognitive performance ⁸, academic achievement, enhanced quality of life and well-being ⁹, better appetite control and satiety ¹⁰, and a reduced risk of overweight/obesity in both children and adults. ¹¹ ¹² ¹³
Breakfast consumption is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in adults. ¹⁴

Various nutrition and dietetics societies across different countries emphasise the inclusion of a healthy breakfast as an integral part of a balanced diet. ¹⁵ ¹⁶ ¹⁷ ¹⁸ ¹⁹ ²⁰ ²¹ ²²

In Europe, while breakfast is only one of many potential factors that may influence health indicators, promoting breakfast is cited as a cost-effective way to achieve positive outcomes and assist in reducing the economic health burden of obesity and related non-communicable diseases.

Spotlight on Oats

The health benefits of oat products are widely accepted and scientifically founded. However, their role as contributors to healthy diets and sustainable food systems is still undervalued. CEEREAL’s brochure on the benefits of oats highlights the nutritional value of oats and oat products as well as their contribution to healthy soils and sustainable food systems.

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Benefits of breakfast Cereals

Breakfast cereals as part of a nutritional breakfast

When breakfast cereals are part of people’s breakfasts, their consumption is associated with higher intakes of carbohydrates and dietary fibre, a reduction of total fat intake, and with a lower risk of inadequate micronutrient intake, especially for calcium, folate, vitamin B6, magnesium and zinc.²³ Breakfast cereal consumption also drives consumption of essential food groups such as fruit and dairy.²⁴ Breakfast cereal consumption plays a role in reducing the prevalence of micronutrient inadequacy through fortification, dietary fibre content, and through the stimulation of milk intake.²⁵

The contribution of breakfast cereals to healthy and balanced diets can be summarised as follows

Breakfast cereal consumption is associated with diets higher in vitamins, minerals, fibre, and whole grain.²⁶ ²⁷ ²⁸

Regular breakfast cereal consumption can help lower the risk of inadequate micronutrient intake, such as Vitamin B6 and B9, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and iron.²⁹ ³⁰ ³¹

Breakfast cereals often facilitate the consumption of other nutritious foods or essential food groups.³²

Regular breakfast cereal consumption is associated with a reduced risk of being overweight in both adults and children.³³ ³⁴ ³⁵

Higher intakes of breakfast cereals, especially whole grain and specific fibre types, are associated with reduced cardio-metabolic risk factors, including glycemic responses and blood lipid profiles.³⁶ ³⁷

Breakfast cereal consumption is associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality and non-communicable diseases.³⁸ ³⁹ ⁴⁰

The contribution of breakfast cereals to healthy and balanced diets

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SpotLIGHT on Whole Grain

Whole grain is an essential component of healthy and sustainable diets. Breakfast cereal consumption can be an enjoyable and convenient way to increase whole grain intake and to improve dietary fibre and micronutrient intake overall.

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