CEREALS

Why is it important for children to eat breads and cereals?

Breads and cereals are good sources of fibre, carbohydrates, protein and a wide range of vitamins and minerals. This food group gives the main source of energy in the diet. Grains are an essential part of a healthy diet, providing nutrients and energy for a child’s normal growth and development.

Whole grains vs processed (white) grains

Whole grain foods are any foods that contain every part of the grain, including the outer layers, bran and germ. Processed, white grains have the bran removed which is where many of the nutrients are stored; they therefore end up having less nutritional value than whole grains.

 How many serves ofcereals do children need to eat?

For children, offer a variety of cereals each day and choose predominately wholegrain products. The recommended daily serves for children and adolescents are shown below. It should be noted that the number of serves varies according to activity levels, age and health status.

Recommended number of grain foods per day

	2-8 years	9-11 years	12-13 years	14-18 years
Boys	4	5	6	7
Girls	4	4	5	7

Breakfast Cereals – Here is the story of the first breakfast man ever ate? Do you know about John Harvey Kellogg's lucky accident that gave birth to the Corn Flake? The story of breakfast is a long and complex tale that spans continents and millennia. Here we show you a brief timeline of the history of breakfast and the early beginnings of what came to be one of the most popular breakfast foods – breakfast cereals.

Today, breakfast cereals are still based on natural grains – wheat, maize, rice, barley, oats and rye. Made from either flour or whole grains, they contain all of the basic nutrients that we need to start the day: carbohydrates, protein, fat, minerals, vitamins and fibre.

Composition and Nutrient Value of Cereal Grains

Belonging to the complex carbohydrates food group, cereals are rich sources of minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, oils, proteins and fats. Whole cereal grains have an outer bran coat, a starchy endosperm, and a germ.

Bran: The outer layers of the kernel are called bran, which is made of about 5% of the kernel. The kernel is rich in fiber and minerals while the bran contains high amounts of thiamine and riboflavin.

Aleuron: While refining, the bran layer is removed and the aleurone layer is exposed, which lies just below the bran. This layer is also rich in phosphorous, proteins, fat and thiamin.

Endosperm: Unfortunately, this layer is also lost during processing. When the endosperm is utilized, this large central part of the kernel has high percentage of starch and protein and is low in vitamin or mineral content.

Germ: The small structure at the rear part of the kernel is known as the germ. Rich in protein, fat, minerals and vitamins, this germ is the storehouse of nutrients for the seed while germinating.

In the next blog, we will discuss about pulses and legumes.