Size of Cereal Flakes Matters

People who eat flakes of smaller size may end up eating much more. If the size of the flakes is large they will be less tightly packed together resulting in a smaller portion size in the same bowl.

A favored food item for a person on a diet is a bowl of corn or wheat flakes. Have you ever thought that the amount of flakes in the bowl can vary depending on the size of the flakes? Well, researchers have managed to confirm this.

Researchers from the Penn State University in their study, brought forth a very seemingly obvious but rarely considered fact - if the size of the flakes is small, there will be more amount of flakes in a given bowl. On the other hand, if the size of the flakes is large, they will be less tightly packed together, therefore resulting in a smaller portion size in the same bowl.

The study was carried out systematically where individuals were given wheat flakes of different sizes. The researchers found that individuals who consumed smaller-sized flakes ate more of the cereal in terms of weight and energy content.

It is necessary that individuals calculating their energy intake in terms of portion size take this fact into consideration, and not only consider the volume in terms of the size of the bowl or cup.

The article is being published in the Journal of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

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Cornflakes Nutrition and Benefits

There are several types of breakfast flakes available in the market which include cornflakes, wheat flakes and oats. Some of the benefits of these flakes are:

• Breakfast flakes tend to be low in calories and fats, and therefore good for people who want to control their calorie intake. It is also necessary to make sure that you have it with low fat milk and low calorie sweeteners or minimal quantities of sugar so that the benefits of the cereals are not lost.

• Cereals are rich in vitamins and minerals like iron. Nuts and fruits can be added to the cereal to improve the nutritional quality.

• Cereals are rich in fiber and therefore good for the digestive tract as well as the heart. Whole grain cereals are preferable in this regard.

• Cereals are tasty and easy to digest, thus giving a light feeling at the beginning of the day.

References:

1. http://www.andjrnl.org/

Source-Medindia