Chocolate cereal is a breakfast cereal that contains chocolate or chocolate flavoring. It can be made from traditional cereal with added chocolate flavoring or cereal pieces filled or glazed with chocolate. Chocolate cereals are marketed towards children and are often criticized for their poor nutritional profile. However, recent research has shown that cocoa contains flavonoids that may have health benefits. Consumers should study the nutrition label and avoid cereals that are low in fiber and high in calories, fat, and artificial additives.
As the name suggests, chocolate cereal is a version of breakfast cereal that contains some form of chocolate or chocolate flavoring. Beyond this basic definition, chocolate cereal can take many different forms. While chocolate cereal is a favorite of many children, it has traditionally been criticized by health experts for its poor nutritional profile. Since the early 21st century, however, new information about cocoa’s health benefits has led to a crop of healthy so-called chocolate grains.
In many cases, chocolate cereal includes a traditional type of breakfast cereal, such as puffed rice or puffed corn, that has been flavored with chocolate. Other chocolate cereals consist of cereal pieces, such as hulls, that have been filled or glazed with chocolate. Some chocolate cereals contain pieces of cereal that are mixed with chocolate chips or chunks.
Oftentimes, chocolate cereals are marketed towards children and as such their packaging and advertisements commonly feature cartoon characters and bright colors. Due to these marketing strategies and the sweet taste of many of these cereals, they are often regarded as very appealing by children. Many parents and caregivers feel conflicted when their child asks for chocolate cereal, worrying that it doesn’t make for a healthy breakfast.
According to many health experts, such conflicted feelings are appropriate in most cases, as chocolate cereals have traditionally been teeming with unhealthy ingredients like trans fats, corn syrup, and added sugar. Also, despite the fact that a chocolate cereal can be made from grains, these grains are often so heavily processed that they retain little of their inherent nutritional value. In fact, the “chocolate” in some of these cereals isn’t chocolate at all, but rather artificial chocolate flavoring.
Recent discoveries about cocoa’s potential health benefits appear to challenge the assumption that all chocolate cereals are bad, however. In particular, research has shown that cocoa contains substances called flavonoids, which may help ward off high cholesterol and cancer. It’s important to note, however, that the flavonoid content appears to decrease when cocoa is processed, as it generally is when used in cereals. As with all breakfast cereals, a good tactic for deciding whether a chocolate cereal is worth eating is studying its nutrition label. Health-conscious consumers should generally avoid chocolate cereals that are low in fiber and high in calories, fat, and artificial additives.
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