Are Lucky Charms Heart healthy?

Are Lucky Charms Heart Healthy?

Lucky Charms are a favorite breakfast choice for many. Are they good for your heart? Or do they do more damage than what they're worth?

Are Lucky Charms heart healthy?

Lucky Charms aren't as bad as you might think. They contain important vitamins, minerals and fiber. They are high in simple sugars so you'll need to balance this out with the rest of your diet. Lucky Charms are based on whole oats instead of corn. This is healthier for your heart.

Lucky Charms use whole oat flour

Oats are well known for their health benefits. The word 'whole' in whole oats means that the outer layer and the seed (the bran and the germ) of the oat are not removed before being processed into oat flour. This increases its fiber content (which we don't get enough of) and Vitamin B content (which is needed by almost every biological process in the body).

Whole oat flours are less refined and provide greater nutritional value than refined oat flours (which have the bran and the germ removed).

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It is better to have a bowl of Lucky Charms than to eat nothing at all

Chrichmond.org explains that those who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight than those who don't. Children who skip the first meal of the day typically don't make up for the lost nutrients later on in the day. Those who skip a cereal-based breakfast generally have lower calcium, iron and fiber and protein intake in their entire diets. Concentration and performance is also negatively affected when breakfast is skipped, according to Chrichmond.org.

Are Lucky Charms too high in sugar?

Lucky Charms are made up of 43% sugar. You would be in serious health danger if 43% of your entire diet was made up of sugar. It is okay to eat something that is high in sugar, though, if the rest of your diet balances it out. One serving of Lucky Charms will give you between a fifth and almost half of the sugar that you should be eating per day in total. If you already eat too much sugar, you should avoid eating Lucky Charms altogether.

Are there any healthy ingredients in Lucky Charms?

Yes. There are the ingredients in Lucky charms that are actually good for you:

• Fiber: 5 g per 100 g (20% Daily Value)
• Iron: 15 mg per 100 g (83% Daily Value)
• Calcium: 333 mg per 100 g (33% Daily Value)
• Zinc (I could not find the amount of zinc from a verified source of information)
• Vitamin A: 1667 International Units per 100 g (33% Daily Value)
• Vitamin B (I could not find verified amounts of Vitamin B)
• Vitamin C: 20 mg per 100 g (33% Daily Value)
• Vitamin D (No verified information found)
• Vitamin E (No verified nutritional information found)
• Folic acid (No verified nutritional value found)
• Niacin-amide (improves cholesterol) (No nutritional information found)
• Potassium 191 mg per 100 g (5% Daily Value)

Are there any harmful ingredients in Lucky Charms?

Yes. Here are some of the harmful processing ingredients in Lucky Charms that aren't good for you:

• Sugar
• Corn syrup
• Modified corn starch (see why it is bad for you)
• Tri-sodium Phosphate (which can cause vascular damage and renal failure)
• Artificial colors (Blue 1, Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Red 40)
• Artificial flavors

What does this mean for your heart?

It is better for your heart to eat Lucky Charms in the morning than to nothing at all.

The fiber, iron, calcium, zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, folic acid and Niacin-amide (which improves cholesterol) can benefit heart health - compared to skipping breakfast altogether.

This food does come with unhealthy ingredients like sugar, corn syrup, modified corn starch, tri-sodium phosphate, artificial colors and artificial flavors. The rest of your diet should be healthy enough to balance out these unhealthy ingredients. Too much of any of them can wreak havoc on heart health.

If you eat too much sugar or processed food already, it is better to eat something else for breakfast instead.

Are cereals like Lucky Charms the best option for breakfast?

No. Unprocessed food will always reign supreme over processed food. You can get all of the nutrients that you find in a bowl of Lucky Charms, and more, with a less processed breakfast. Unprocessed meat, eggs, oats, dairy, nuts and fruit are healthier options compared to any kind of processed cereal product.

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What are the best things to eat for breakfast?

Here are some great breakfast options that contain important nutrients. These nutrients are ones that you don't want to miss out on - without the nasty chemicals and sugars found in processed cereals:

• Plain yogurt and fruit
• Oats and honey
• Eggs on toast
• Unprocessed muesli and milk

You can have one of the above breakfast ideas - or a combination of them - for a heart-healthy, nutritious breakfast.

The final verdict

Lucky Charms are a processed cereal that contains a lot of sugar and unhealthy, artificial ingredients. They also contain fiber, vitamins and minerals - precious nutrients that you need. It is better to eat Lucky Charms than it is to skip breakfast. There are, however, better options that give you the nutrients that you need without the added unhealthy ingredients.

You should always consult your doctor or medical care provider before making any changes to your diet - especially if you have a heart condition. Stay Strong!

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