Rise and Shine: The Healthiest Cereals

What Makes a Winner

Companies submitted nearly 40 new cereals to FITNESS. Our experts — Anar Allidina, RD, a dietitian in private practice in Toronto; Keri Gans, RD. the author of The Small Change Diet; and Stephanie Middleberg, RD, the founder of Middleberg Nutrition in New York City — helped us determine which ones should move on to the next round. Those finalists were sampled and voted on by FITNESS staffers.

"These are way too delicious to be healthy," one staffer declared. The nutrition facts prove otherwise: One bowl delivers close to half the fiber you need in a day. (180 calories per cup)

Pair this blend of barley and oats with a small carton of nonfat Greek yogurt — our favorite way to eat it — for 23 grams of power-you-up protein. (220 calories per 2/3 cup)

Many cereals contain almost 200 milligrams of sodium per serving. But these frosted squares, which are "just the right size for snacking," have only 10, the least of any cereal we tested. (190 calories per cup)

This "hearty, filling" cereal has nearly a third less sugar than the frosted-cornflake version. (190 calories per cup.)

Between the dried apples and lightly salted pumpkin seeds, "this tastes like fall in a bowl — and I want to eat it year-round," one staffer said. Eight kinds of whole grains make that totally okay. (210 calories per cup)

Many gluten-free cereals are low in fiber, but this one has five grams of the filling nutrient. Plus, the subtle cinnamon flavor is so good, it's "sinful." (120 calories per 3/4 cup)

These are sweet enough to satisfy an afternoon sugar craving, but not too sugary to eat for breakfast. And tester loved the texture: "They stayed crunchy in milk to the last spoonful," one said. (200 calories per cup)

This six-ingredient cereal drew raves for its big freeze-dried berries and crispy flakes. "You could hear me eating this three cubicles away!" a staffer said. (180 calories per cup)