Aside from being convenient, tasty and satisfying, low-sugar cereal is also a fantastic weight-loss food. Whole-grain versions of this convenient morning staple are filling and nutritious.

In fact, a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association revealed that women who included high-fiber cereal in their low-calorie eating plans lost weight without losing crucial nutrients. Of course, we’re not talking about Cap’n Crunch--(sorry! Who doesn’t love this stuff?)--so read the nutrition panels, since even boxes can be deceiving.

I ran into the store the other day to grab some granola and didn’t have time to dissect the label. I ended up with a box that said it was organic and heart healthy, but when I brought it home, I noticed it also had 14 grams of sugar per serving and 42 grams of carbs in just 2/3 of a cup. I may as well have bought cookies!

What to look for: Go for cereal with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving and less than 10 grams of sugar per 100 calories. Some safe varieties are Kashi GoLean, Fiber One Honey Clusters and Nature’s Path Optimum Slim. And as for granola, Bear Naked makes lots of great flavors with 3 grams of fiber and 5 grams of sugar per serving.

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