Pregnancy is a time of immense joy and excitement, but it also comes with its fair share of questions and concerns, especially when it comes to nutrition. Finding the best breakfast cereals for pregnancy can be a great way to start your day off right and ensure you’re getting the nutrients you need for you and your baby.
Here I’ll explore some of the top breakfast cereals that are not only delicious but also packed with essential vitamins and minerals for expecting mothers. Whether you’re craving something sweet or savory in the morning, there’s a cereal out there that will satisfy your taste buds while supporting a healthy pregnancy. So sit back, relax, and let’s dive into the world of breakfast cereals for moms-to-be.
What Should Your Cereal Have?
There is a very easy rule that tells you what to eat during your pregnancy. During these nine months, you should eat anything that helps your body get all the vitamins and nutrients it needs. Very easy!
Nutritionist, environmental health specialist says, “To support your health and the health of your baby, it is important to eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of nutrient-dense foods while you are pregnant.” When you buy cereal, try to find one that is high in nutrients and low in extra sugars. Muesli, whole grains and cereals with added iron and folic acid are some choices.
“Choose different kinds of cereal and eat a wide range of other healthy foods, like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats.” Before making changes to your food while you are pregnant, talk to a doctor or nurse.
Then, when it comes to your breakfast cereal, you can be sure that you need one that has these basic qualities:
It should have a lot of fibre in it. This is important because you need to eat more fiber-rich foods while you’re pregnant. It keeps you from getting constipated, which is a problem a lot of pregnant women have. So, try to find food with a lot of fibre or whole grains.
During your pregnancy, you need to get a lot of folic acid. So look for a grain that has been added to and has a lot of folic acid. Birth problems can happen when a woman doesn’t get enough folic acid. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention say that each year between 3% and 6% of kids are born with these defects.
The carbs in your cereal should be just right so that they give your body the fuel it needs.
It’s also important that the cereal you eat while you’re pregnant is healthy and has extra vitamins and minerals that you need.
Choose a breakfast that has a lot less sugar. Don’t eat too much sugar!
Benefits Of Cereals During Pregnancy
Improved nutrient intake
A lot of people in the US don’t get enough of certain vitamins and minerals from their food. Foods that have been enriched may help because of this. A recent study found that eating foods that have been treated with vitamins A and C increased the amount of folate that people got.
Fortified cereals may be especially helpful for people who need more nutrients, like young children, vegans, and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Still, enriched foods may make it more likely that you will get too much of some nutrients.
Lower risk of birth defects
Adding folic acid to cereal grains, which is a man-made type of folate, has successfully lowered the number of neural tube defects in North America, which are one of the most common birth defects there.
Folate is a B vitamin that your body needs to grow and develop properly.
In fact, all women of childbearing age should get 400 mcg of folic acid every day from vitamins and fortified foods. They should also eat foods that are high in folate.
So, women who are pregnant or may become pregnant may benefit from food that has been fortified.
best breakfast cereals for pregnancy
Total Whole Grain Breakfast Cereal
Vitamins and minerals added to Total Whole Grain Breakfast Cereal can help keep you healthy during pregnancy. This cereal is made with whole-grain wheat and doesn’t have much extra sugar.
Total Whole Grain Breakfast Cereal has 100% of your daily amount of vitamin C, vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc each time you eat it. It has 18 mg of iron and a bump of folic acid, which is also known as folate. Folate is a food that is very important for pregnant women. Folic acid is a man-made form of folate. Folic acid in cereal may make you sick if you have the MTHFR gene mutation. You might want to reduce or get rid of cereal.
Ezekiel Whole Grain Cereal
A lot of people think that Food for Life’s Ezekiel cereals are some of the healthiest foods you can buy. USDA Organic means that the grains, seeds, and legumes have grown and are still alive.
To be fair, some people might not think it tastes the best among cereals, even with the sea salt added. That being said, it’s simple to mix with other grains or your favorite toppings, like berries. You can pick from different tastes, such as almond and golden flax.
Ezekiel cereal is a great choice if you want to eat something high in fiber, no matter what taste you choose. Each serve has 6 grams of fiber.
Cascadian Farm Organic Hearty Morning Fiber Cereal
The organic cereal brand Cascadian Farm makes a range of tasty breakfast cereals that are higher in fiber and lower in added sugar than many other brands on the market. This cereal has 10 grams of fiber per serve, which makes it even higher in fiber than the Ezekial brand I already talked about.
Whole-grain wheat is used to make this cereal by Cascadian Farm. There are 6g of protein and 2mg of iron in a cup of Cascadian Farm Organic Hearty Morning Fiber Cereal. Soy milk in your cereal or eggs on the side would be a good way to add more protein to this meal and make it whole.
Quaker Old Fashioned Quaker Oats
Oats are a whole grain food that are full of minerals, vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. A lot of people eat oat cereal in oatmeal. One brand that you can find in most grocery shops is Quaker Old Fashioned Quaker Oats.
You can get whole grains and extra fiber in every bowl of Quaker Old Fashioned Oatmeal. That’s half a cup of dry cereal, which has 5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. To keep your blood sugar levels in check, you should add extra protein to your bowl of oats or on the side. On the side, you could have a scoop of collagen peptides powder or a plate of eggs.
One great thing about oatmeal is that you can add toppings that you like to make it your own. You can add nuts, seeds, veggies, nut butter, or protein powder to a bowl of oats.
Post Grape Nuts Cereal
People who are pregnant should eat Post Grape Nuts because it is high in iron. It has 10 important vitamins and minerals added to it, such as iron. Each serving gives you 16.2 mg of iron. For pregnant women, 27 mg of iron a day is suggested. B6 can also be found in this food in large amounts. Vitamin B6 is very important for supporting your baby’s brain growth while you’re pregnant, and it may also help you feel less sick.
Whole-grain wheat flour, malted barley flour, salt, and dried yeast are what Post uses to make Grape Nuts Cereal. Grape Nuts have zinc, vitamin B1, and vitamin B3 added to them along with iron, folic acid, and vitamin B6.
Post Bran Flakes
It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that bran flakes are on this list, but they are very healthy. Post Bran Flakes have a lot of fiber and iron that has been added to to make it stronger. People say it’s one of the best bran and whole grain foods.
Whole grain wheat and wheat bran are used to make Post Bran Flakes. Thiamin, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin B2, folic acid, and vitamin D3 are just some of the nutrients that have been added to this cereal. A lot of the daily recommended amount of vitamin B12 is in each serving. Vitamin B12, like vitamin B6, helps your baby’s brain grow and develop. It also helps make red blood cells and DNA that are safe.
Kashi Go Original Breakfast Cereal
Kashi Go is one of my favorite cereals all the time, but it’s even better now that I’m pregnant. It has 12g of protein, 13g of fiber, and 8g of whole grains per 1¼ cups. With 2.9 mg, it gives you a little extra iron.
It has 8g of sugar per serving, which is less than the 10g per serving you should have. There are seven whole grains in Kashi GO: corn, sesame seeds, oats, rye, buckwheat, and hard red wheat. Another two grains are barley and oats.
Folic acid can only be taken in so much at a time. In other words, you can have too much folic acid. Foods like cereal shouldn’t be your main source of folate. Folic acid in cereal may make you sick if you have the MTHFR gene mutation. You might want to reduce or get rid of cereal. All pregnant women should eat a lot of naturally high-folic acid foods, like fruits, veggies, strawberries, avocados, and lentils.
All Bran Complete Wheat Flakes
During pregnancy, Kellogg’s All-Bran Complete Wheat Flakes breakfast is a good breakfast choice that gives you a fiber boost. Folic acid is also found in this grain. Folic acid is a man-made form of folate. It is especially important to get folate while you are pregnant to lower the chance of birth defects. It tastes good and has extra iron in it to give you a boost.
Kelly’s Bran Complete Wheat Flakes are made from whole grain wheat and wheat bran. All Bran Complete has 33% of your daily iron needs met in a cup, as well as 40% of your daily folate needs met in folic acid.
Post Great Grains Raisins, Dates & Pecans Whole Grain Cereal
If you like Post Great Grains, you won’t be disappointed. In a quarter-cup dose, the Raisins, Dates, and Pecans flavor of Great Grains cereal gives you 33% of the daily value for folic acid.
What’s in a box of Great Grains Raisins, Dates, and nuts cereal? Whole-grain wheat, raisins, dates, dates, wheat flour, barley flour, nuts, and added nutrients. Iron, zinc, vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin B1, vitamin B12, and vitamin D are some of the nutrients that have been added.
Multi-Grain Cheerios
Whole grains can be found in Multi-Grain Cheerio Cereal, which you can find in many grocery shops across the United States. This tasty cereal has vitamins and minerals added to it and less than 10g of added sugar per serve.
There is 235 mcg of folic acid in one dose of MultiGrain Cheerios, which is 39% of the daily value. It also has extra zinc, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and pantothenic acid added to it.
Are Cereal Bars Good for Pregnancy?
If you want to eat something tasty but not always easy to get to, try cereal. The taste is the same without the milk (and probably the mess), and cereal bars are easier to take with you when you’re hungry.
There are almost as many cereal bars as there are granola or trail-style bars. Is there anything you should watch out for in this snack?
Cereal bars come in two different kinds. That one is crunchy, with whole pieces of breakfast cereal, like a Rice Krispy Treat. A soft-baked bar made with oatmeal cereal is the other choice. Both kinds of cereal bars are safe to eat while pregnant, but they are not all the same in terms of protein.
Sweet cereals like Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Lucky Charms are often used to make crunchy cereal bars.
Even though the cereal in these bars has been fortified with some vitamins and minerals, they are not a good source of protein or fiber, and they usually have a lot of added sugars. Crunchy cereal bars aren’t very good at this, so your snack probably won’t last very long.
There are more kinds of soft-baked cereal bars. Because they are usually made with oatmeal, these bars have more protein and fiber than other snacks, making them a better choice for a healthy food.
Many soft-baked cereal bars still have some extra sugar in them, but some bars also have fruit purees in them to help sweeten them up and add extra vitamins.
Are All Cereals Safe to Eat When Pregnant?
You can eat cereal at any time of your pregnancy, but it can be hard to tell which brands are safe because they are made differently.
Here are some important things to think about when it comes to the safety and nutrition of common types and brands of cereal.
Cinnamon Cereal
When it comes to spices, cinnamon is one of those that is safe in small amounts but dangerous in large amounts. Good news for people who like cinnamon cereal: the amount of cinnamon in cereal is a “typical food amount” and is safe for pregnant women.
Chocolate cereal
There are sugary chocolate cereals like Cocoa Pebbles and Cocoa Puffs and healthier ones like Milo. You can eat either one while you’re pregnant, but the sweet chocolate cereal might not fill you up as much.
Fruit and Fiber-type cereals
Fruit and fiber grains are a better way to get both healthy foods and sweet tastes. A lot of the time, these foods have extra nutrients added to them. They usually have some fiber, some protein (usually from nuts or oats), and a little sweetness.
Don’t be afraid to try this type of cereal if you like creamy cereal but want something more balanced.
Sugary cereal
There’s no question that a bowl of sugary cereal brings back memories of childhood. Sugary foods are not the healthiest choice when you are pregnant because they usually have a lot of added sugar and not many important nutrients.
But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be a part of a healthy diet. These grains can still be part of a healthy pregnancy diet as long as they are eaten in moderation.
Cereal that contains Honey
No one needs to be told that honey is bad for kids. On the other hand, women who are pregnant can safely eat honey, even in breakfast foods. Since cereals are usually baked or toasted, any germs that might be in them (like those in honey that hasn’t been pasteurized) will be killed.
Grape-Nuts and similar
Grape Nuts aren’t the sexiest cereal, but they’ve become a staple in many homes recently. Grape nuts are a great addition to meals or snacks during pregnancy, especially for women who want something hard. They have a great crunch and a lot of fiber.
Can I Eat Cereal for Dinner When Pregnant?
When you’re sick and wants are going on, sometimes the only thing that sounds good is a bowl of cereal. One of the main reasons why some foods make you feel sick is their smell, and hot foods have bigger smells.
A cold bowl of cereal is less likely to upset sensitive stomachs. You can make it as tasty or boring as you like, and it has a lot of crunch. But if you eat a bowl of cereal and milk for dinner, does that give you all the nutrients you need?
A lot of grains are high in carbs and low in protein and fat when eaten by themselves. It’s more possible that cereal without milk or a milk substitute will make you hungry again soon. A simple way to balance out a meal is to eat cereal with full-fat or low-fat milk or yogurt.
Some people like dry cereal, so you might want to add other protein and fat sources to your meal to make it full. It’s easy to eat eggs, sausage, or string cheese.
A lot of women also say they like a bowl of cereal as a snack before bed. If you’re getting ready for bed but are still hungry, cereal by itself is a great light snack.
How To Choose Your cereals for pregnancy?
If you want to eat cereal for breakfast, these tips will help you pick a healthy kind.
Limit added sugar
Try to pick a breakfast cereal that has less than 5 grams of extra sugar per side. Find out how much sugar a food item has by reading the label.
Aim for high fiber
The best breakfast cereals have at least 3 grams of fiber per serve. Eating enough fiber can be good for your health in many ways.
Pay attention to portions
It’s easy to eat more than the serving size of breakfast cereal because it’s tends to be crunchy and tasty.
Remember that the nutrition facts on the package are for a “serving,” which is often a lot less than what you might think is a good serving size.
Read the ingredients list
Don’t believe the health claims on the front of the box. Instead, read the list of chemicals. The first two or three items are the most important because they make up most of the cereal.
However, food companies may use tricks to hide how much sugar is in their goods.
If sugar is mentioned more than once under different names, even if it’s not near the top, the item probably has a lot of sugar in it.
Add some protein
As a substance, protein is the most filling. It makes you feel fuller and less hungry.
This is most likely because protein changes the amounts of several hormones, including peptide YY, which makes you feel full, and ghrelin, which makes you hungry.
For extra protein, you can eat Greek yogurt or a handful of nuts or seeds.
Adding protein to breakfast cereal is also easy. Just eat it with milk or a milk replacement that is high in protein, like soy milk. Oatmeal and coconut milk are not very good sources of protein, which is a shame.
Final Words
Choosing the best breakfast cereals for pregnancy is a crucial step in ensuring both you and your baby get the necessary nutrients to start the day right. With a wide array of options available, it’s important to select cereals that are rich in essential vitamins and minerals beneficial during pregnancy. Whether you prefer whole grain, fortified, or low sugar options, incorporating a balanced breakfast cereal into your morning routine can provide the energy and nutrients needed for a healthy pregnancy journey. Enjoy this important mealtime choice as a delightful way to nourish yourself and your little one during this special time.
