Corn flakes what carbohydrates. Corn flakes - the benefits and harms. What are the cons and harms of the product

17.01.2021

We have known about the benefits of breakfast cereals for many years: advertising is created by very talented people, and usually when it comes to food, they use the theme of family and small children - this works flawlessly. Breakfasts from cereals are actively advertised: wheat, rice, oats, corn, with various additives - they do not require cooking, and in recent years they have become simply universal all over the world - they are eaten with milk, juice, etc. Corn flakes are more popular than others - perhaps because they are talked about in advertising more often than others.

Today we will talk about such a fast breakfast that is common all over the world as corn flakes. Are they as healthy as they say in TV commercials? Let's figure it out, corn flakes are good or bad for our body. Go...

A bit of history

Corn flakes have their own history dating back to the 19th century in the United States.

Brothers D.H. and V.K. The Kelloggs, who owned a sanitarium in Michigan, decided to introduce cornmeal dishes to the menu of patients. One of these dishes was prepared in the kitchen on the day when they had to urgently leave for a couple of hours on business, and they did not control the cooking process.

Returning, they found that the dish was spoiled: the dough did not come out of flour, everything was curled up in lumps and flakes. There was not enough cornmeal, and it was a pity to throw it away, so the brothers used simple tools for rolling, and then crushed the resulting thin layers, and fried them in oil. Unexpectedly, everyone liked the dish very much: the flakes were crunchy, and with milk, marshmallows and sugar they seemed very tasty to the patients. One of the brothers was a doctor and patented this recipe - the original corn flakes; then the brothers founded a new company and began to mass-produce them.

Today, Kellogg's is over 100 years old, and it is she who is the world's largest manufacturer of breakfast cereals, including corn flakes.

So is it good or bad?

Of course, we want to know what is more in the corn flakes that our children love so much - good or bad? The quality of most products, as you know, does not depend on their usefulness or harmfulness, as such, but on the technology of their preparation. We will talk about the right technology - this is how manufacturers talk about it.

Features of the production of corn flakes

First, shells and germs are removed from corn grains, and then the resulting raw material is ground into grits. A safe product should contain only corn itself, salt, sugar and malt syrup and water.

First, all the ingredients are mixed with a mixer, and then the mixture is loaded into the cooking machine, where the grains are steamed - all the grains should turn golden brown.

After heat treatment, the mass is unloaded onto a conveyor and passed through a device that destroys lumps: it separates the adhered grain particles so that drying is uniform. Then, in small portions, the product is sent to the dryer; then it is cooled to ambient temperature and subjected to a conditioning process to evenly distribute any remaining moisture.

As you can see, the process is not so complicated, and quite consistent: on a special machine, the raw materials are flattened, getting thin flakes, and then they are fried for one and a half minutes in a special oven under the action of steam, at a temperature of 275 to 330 ° C.

There is another way to produce corn flakes - the extrusion method, in which steps 2 to 6 are not required: the mixture is immediately forced through the holes of a special apparatus - an extruder; at the same time, it is cooled, and flakes are cut from the resulting dough, which are then dried, flattened and fried.

Previously, corn flakes were produced without additives, but now they are enriched with vitamins and minerals; cover with icing, caramel, chocolate, sugar syrup; add dried fruits, fat, milk and other ingredients to them. At the same time, of course, E is also added: flavor enhancers, flavors, stabilizers, etc.

Promotes weight gain and obesity

British nutrition experts, examining the corn flakes of some manufacturers, found that they are not as useful as they are trying to make us believe.

Of course, manufacturers like to talk about the benefits of their corn flakes - they always need large sales volumes, but you should not take their assurances literally. A study has shown that a serving of corn flakes can have as much sugar as a chocolate cake - that is, ¼ of all the sugar that an adult can eat in a day. But children eat corn flakes, and parents think that they are feeding them a healthy product, not suspecting that some manufacturers even use trans fats - enough is already known about their harm.

Italian nutritionists have also turned their attention to breakfast cereals, and today they say that corn flakes, especially when consumed frequently, can contribute to weight gain.

Scientists at the University of Florence observed a group of children from 5 to 10 years old, and found that those children who eat corn flakes almost daily are obese. Moreover, obesity in children begins after a year of such nutrition, although corn itself has never contributed to the accumulation of fat in the body. Flakes provoke the deposition of fats, the accumulation of sugar, worsen the functioning of the stomach and intestines, cause nausea, abdominal pain, constipation and other problems.

Our nutritionists also studied the health effects of cornflakes, and came to the conclusion that it is often impossible to feed them to children - it is very harmful. Dry breakfasts are usually included in the diet of younger schoolchildren, and many women also consider them useful, and they eat almost every day, wanting to put their figure in order - after all, this is what the advertisement says. But it is enough to carefully consider the composition to understand that corn flakes are very high in calories and unhealthy - this is flour, refined sugar, butter and food additives.

What about vitamins

But what about the vitamins and minerals that we are promised if we regularly eat corn flakes for breakfast? After all, the daily norm of B vitamins, vitamin D, calcium, iron and other necessary substances is promised. Of course, there are vitamins there - synthetic ones, like in a pharmacy: they are added along with additives E, sugar and fats.

Much more vitamins are found in ordinary porridge, oatmeal or buckwheat, and also in milk, which is recommended to pour cereal. So maybe it's better to drink a glass of milk without any additives?

Studies have also shown that even the safest and healthiest breakfast cereals - unfried muesli with low fat and supplements from dried fruits, vitamins and minerals - are less than Hercules oatmeal, which costs 5-6 times less than popular products in beautiful packages.

By the way, in many developed countries, sweet corn, and not only, flakes, rings, pads have been on the list of harmful for several years - for example, in England they are considered as “useful” as soda, confectionery, packaged nuts, chips and other snacks.

Minimum of useful substances

Most nutritionists and doctors consider the benefits of corn flakes to be exaggerated, and they explain this in quite understandable language. Whole grains, from which flakes are made, are devoid of a shell, a germ, ground into flour, have undergone repeated heat treatment at high temperatures, so there are almost no natural vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and useful fiber in the finished product.

Carbohydrates from grains crushed into flour are absorbed quickly and in large quantities - hence the accumulation of fat reserves in the body.

Cornmeal easily turns into fat when it enters our body, and eating cereal is hardly possible: the feeling of satiety quickly disappears due to an increase in insulin levels in the blood - after all, there is a lot of sugar in cereal, and we are hungry again. There are cereals, which contain almost 50% sugar, and besides, fats, salt and all sorts of additives and dyes, which often cause allergies. The health risks of corn flakes are obvious!

Can you eat corn flakes

And in conclusion, I would like to ask the most common question: is it possible to eat corn flakes and give them to children? Of course, you can, very rarely, and not for breakfast, but as an addition between meals, and best of all with low-fat milk, yogurt, kefir and other fermented milk products.

So you can make them "harmless", and even benefit - get enough and get at least some kind of energy supply. Choose unsweetened cereals, without icing and chocolate, and add to them, in addition to milk or kefir, fresh berries or pieces of fresh fruit.

Corn flakes have long been a popular product among many lovers of healthy and diet food. They are often used in their diet by people involved in sports, as well as those who want to lose weight quickly.

Corn flakes successfully replace breakfast, snack and even dinner. But how useful are they for the body? Here the opinions of nutritionists differ a little. Some believe that corn chips or balls do not belong to a healthy breakfast, while others argue that when used correctly, they are very useful.

What is corn flakes made from?

Real healthy corn flakes should consist of cornmeal, a small amount of salt, sugar and oil. In some types of product, sugar or its substitute may be completely absent.

In order to correctly judge the benefits of flakes, you need to understand what they consist of and how they are prepared.

The technology for preparing cereals consists in the process of peeling corn kernels from the shell, removing the germ and subsequently obtaining pure cereals, which are boiled in sugar and salt syrup, and then flattened into thin small cakes. Subsequently, they are fried in an oven at 140 ° C until a pleasant crunch.

Some manufacturers cover them with glaze, sometimes it can be filled with candied fruits, nuts, chocolate, powdered sugar, crumbs and many other food additives.

Composition of corn flakes

Corn flakes contain vitamins B, A, E, PP, H, as well as macro- and microelements such as magnesium, copper, zinc, chromium, cobalt, sodium, iron and potassium. They contain folic, glutamic and other acids, starch and fiber, which is very useful for the digestive system.

10 Health Benefits of Corn Flakes

Improve digestion

One of the most important advantages of corn flakes is their positive effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. With their help, or rather with the content contained in them fiber, digestion improves and, accordingly, there is an impeccable movement of food through the gastrointestinal tract.
Accelerate metabolism

Corn flakes are good for human health, they speed up metabolism and improve blood circulation. Thanks to glutamic acid and lutein in flakes, metabolic processes are accelerated, including in the brain, memory and even vision improve.
improve mood
Strengthens muscle tissue and nerve cells

The high content of useful substances, vitamins and minerals makes the product useful for many people. pectin and folic acid necessary for the body to create new cells. They prevent the occurrence of birth defects and the development of oncological diseases, including bowel cancer. Starch helps strengthen muscle tissue, and magnesium helps nerve cells.
Reduce cholesterol levels

Everyone knows that high cholesterol has a bad effect on the functioning of the human body: blood pressure increases and the possibility of accumulating extra pounds. Flakes are among the foods that can lower cholesterol within five minutes, which means that they significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks and many other dangerous diseases.
Increase hemoglobin

Iron is the main component of hemoglobin, and it is essential for maintaining the body in a healthy form. The vitamins and minerals found in corn flakes help maintain hemoglobin at the right level, especially if the cereal is consumed with fruits such as apples, kiwis, bananas or with milk. Cereals and vegetables are also a good and very healthy combination.
Normalize the work of the heart

Flakes are made from cornmeal with a low sugar and sodium content. They maintain normal blood pressure, improve heart function, and have a positive effect on the body, on a par with eaten melon or watermelon.
Improve metabolism

Cereal thiamine improves metabolic processes in the body, cognitive functions and serves as an energy producer. It is clear that metabolic disorders lead to a deterioration in well-being and in most cases to an increase in body weight. Increased energy with the help of flakes, burns excess fat, improves brain function and increases the labor activity of a person.
Useful for weight loss

Often, corn flakes are recommended by many nutritionists for inclusion in the diet of those who want to lose weight. They are recommended to be consumed in the form of a dry breakfast, dinner or a simple snack. corn product quickly saturates the body which prevents overeating and therefore weight gain. The product energizes, and this is important for morning and evening jogging and sports.

Corn flakes with milk are often used by people who are engaged in fitness. The body is saturated with protein, which restores or builds muscle tissue, strengthens the immune system, regulates enzymes and hormones, and improves the structure of blood cells. The low level of saturated fat makes the product light, not interfering with long sessions.
Supports Lung Health

Corn contains carotenoids, and corn flakes contain beta-cryptoxanthin. This element strengthens the health of the lungs and even prevents possible lung cancer. So corn has huge health benefits.

Health benefits and harms of corn flakes for breakfast

Not all nutritionists are convinced that corn flakes can be the best breakfast, because there is nothing more useful than porridge eaten in the morning. Many argue that cereals should be eaten only occasionally, as they contain a minimum amount of vitamins and minerals, and most of them are carbohydrates, and fast-digesting ones that increase blood sugar. This opinion is not entirely correct.

Properly selected and properly prepared flakes do not pose any danger to the body, but on the contrary, they are a useful product for both children and adults. Infrequent and limited use of unsweetened cereals with the addition of natural berries and honey is considered an absolutely healthy decision on the morning table.

Healthy Corn Flakes Breakfast Recipes

Sugar-free corn flakes, just drenched in milk - it's healthy, but ordinary and boring. Using corn flakes, you can prepare not only a healthy, but also a delicious, aesthetically designed breakfast.

Flakes with berries and cottage cheese

For this dish you will need:

a glass of corn flakes;
100 g of granular cottage cheese;
1 st. a spoonful of raspberries;
1 st. a spoonful of blueberries;
1 st. a spoonful of honey

Berries must be washed and dried. You can use frozen ones, but they need to be thawed first.

Cottage cheese is laid out on a plate (preferably whipped with sour cream), sprinkled with cereal and berries, poured with honey on top.

Cereals with yogurt and fruits

Required Ingredients:

1 cup corn flakes;
1 small banana;
1 kiwi;
cherries and cranberries 1 tbsp. spoon
100 ml of yogurt.

Banana and kiwi need to be peeled and cut into small slices. Pour cereal into a plate, put chopped fruits and sprinkle them with berries. Pour everything with yogurt.

Yogurt with cereal and berries

This recipe is universal.

The amount of yogurt you need is whipped up with your favorite seasonal fruits or berries. The mixture is laid out in a bowl, sprinkled with corn flakes and decorated with berries or fruit slices.

Corn flakes porridge

The required volume of corn flakes is crushed in a blender and poured with hot milk. The density is adjusted with milk, taking into account the fact that the flakes will swell a little. Porridge is served with berries, fruits, jam or raisins.

In fact, there are many useful recipes. Flakes are combined with dried apricots, prunes, citrus fruits, fresh berries and fruits, dried and dried. They are soaked in milk, yogurt, curdled milk, fermented baked milk, whey, compote, juice and even broth. All recipes are customized to fit your body, your taste and your habits. If you are on a diet, you need to correctly count calories and do not add high-calorie foods, honey and sugar to the dish.

How to choose the right corn flakes and which ones are healthier

When buying cereal, be sure to pay attention to the packaging: if it indicates that the product is enriched with vitamins and minerals, then you can take it.

In order for breakfast to be as useful as possible, cereals can be consumed with milk, kefir, yogurt or freshly squeezed juice. Weakened people can eat them with honey.

A healthy person's breakfast should contain 20% of calories from the daily norm. The body should receive 5 g of fiber, 5 g of fat and 15-20 g of protein. Therefore, you need to choose cereals taking into account the content of nutrients and use them according to the correct calculation of calories.

Cereals with sugar are not the best choice, they are high in calories, and they can also cause tooth decay. It is better to choose cereals or chips with a minimum sugar content.

We must not forget about the expiration date of the product, it must also be indicated on the packaging and comply with the standards of sale and use.

The packaging must be complete, otherwise the flakes will lose their specific crunch and, accordingly, taste.

Can You Lose Weight Eating Corn Flakes?

Many girls ask the question, is it possible to lose weight if you eat cereal alone. Unfortunately no! Eating cereal alone is not only not healthy, but even harmful.

Firstly, the body will not receive the right amount of nutrients.
Secondly, sweet flakes are high-calorie and their constant use will only aggravate the process of losing weight.

You need to eat different, but healthy foods. And on the issue of losing weight, it is better to contact a nutritionist, he will accurately determine the diet and daily calorie intake specifically for your body, taking into account its individual characteristics.

Corn flakes during pregnancy

Proper nutrition during pregnancy is the key to success in carrying and giving birth to a healthy baby.

Of course, corn, especially in its natural form (boiled young cobs), is one of those products that can be consumed by a future mother during pregnancy. Even if there is severe toxicosis, lack of weight, anemia and metabolic disorders.

But when using modern modifications of corn and cornmeal products (flakes, sticks, balls, etc.), pregnant women need to exercise caution and a sense of proportion. This food may contain dyes, preservatives, stabilizers and other harmful additives. It is better to refuse such food altogether. A woman should eat only natural products, then the baby does not risk becoming allergic to fast food.

As for children, Italian scientists oppose the constant consumption of corn flakes for children under 10 years old. 10-12 months after eating breakfast cereals, children begin to develop weight pathology, i.e. obesity. Not corn itself, but sugar disrupts metabolic processes in the body and contributes to the deposition of fats.

Contraindications for use

Overeating corn flakes is contraindicated for all age categories of people using this product.

Flakes are also contraindicated:

Choosing the right product (without chemical additives and excess sugar content) and not abusing it, but enriching it with fermented milk products, berries and fruits, you will turn corn flakes into a useful healthy treat that will give you mood and vigor.

Since the end of the 19th century, when corn flakes were first prepared and patented, their popularity has not diminished every year. Such a dry tasty and nutritious breakfast is liked by both children and adults. Commercials on TV screens remind you how useful corn flakes are. But is it really so?

Technology for the production of corn flakes

The original recipe for corn flakes was made from corn, water, syrup, and salt. Later, flavorings, food colorings, sweeteners and flavors were added to them. Now corn flakes are not the same as they used to be. They are covered with sweet syrup, experimenting with taste, color and shape.

Despite all the transformations, the production of corn flakes still has its own technology. First, the grain is thoroughly cleaned of the shell and germ. Then it is ground, water, salt, sugar and malt syrups are added, and the whole mass is thoroughly mixed with a mixer. To give a golden shape, corn raw materials are treated with steam in special devices. Then it is distilled several times to remove lumps and excess moisture.

At subsequent stages, the corn mass is turned into flakes and dried in special ovens at a temperature of 140 degrees for about an hour and a half. And only after that, corn flakes are packaged and delivered to store shelves.

Nutritional value and calories

100 grams of corn flakes contains 6.9 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of fat and 83.6 grams of carbohydrates. The product is high in calories. There are 363 kcal per 100 grams of dry cereal.

Since there are practically no useful substances left in the composition of the product after heat treatment, manufacturers began to enrich corn flakes with vitamins. The harm and benefits of such a dry breakfast are still being studied by nutritionists. Many of them believe that regular consumption of corn flakes for breakfast by children leads to obesity. Others, on the contrary, recommend the daily use of such a product.

Corn flakes are enriched with vitamins A, group B and mineral salts of calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, sodium. Fully vitamin composition of the product can be read on the packaging. In addition, they are recommended to be eaten like muesli with the addition of nuts and dried fruits. This will increase the nutritional value of the product and make it more useful.

Corn flakes: benefits and harms

At first glance, there is nothing dangerous in the composition of this corn product. However, nutritionists are sounding the alarm from their excessive use. Corn flakes, the benefits and harms of which remain the subject of systematic research, affect the body both positively and negatively.

The benefits of corn flakes are as follows:

They contain vitamins and minerals necessary for the body.
The amino acid tryptophan in their composition provides a good mood, and glutamic acid enhances brain activity and improves memory.
Corn flakes are rich in fiber, thanks to which the intestines work smoothly.
The high content of carbohydrates provides the body with energy.

The dangers of corn flakes are as follows:

they contain a large amount of sugar, which causes an increase in the level of insulin in the blood;
all vitamins in their composition are artificial, and therefore, are not fully absorbed by the body;
the various flavors that are added to the cereal cause allergic reactions in some children.

Whether or not to give corn flakes, the harm and benefits of which are noted above, is a personal matter for each parent who is fully responsible for the health of their child.

Can You Lose Weight With Corn Flakes?

Sweet corn flakes are a high calorie product. Therefore, their daily consumption for breakfast will not only not lead to weight loss, but, on the contrary, will contribute to obesity. This is an important negative side of the corn flakes product. The benefits and harms of losing weight are ambiguous.

For people who engage in physical activity that consumes a large amount of calories, it is recommended to eat corn flakes one hour before training or 20 minutes after it for recovery.

It should be borne in mind that for the well-coordinated work of the intestines, it is good to include cereals with natural yogurt in your diet, adding bran and dried fruits to the mass.

The use of this product for breakfast is excluded. But for people who are struggling with excess weight, a good snack is sugar-free corn flakes, the benefits and harms of which are balanced in a positive direction. The maximum daily allowance for a dry breakfast is 50 grams.

Corn flakes: what are the benefits for children?

Sugar-coated sweet corn flakes are the favorite breakfast of millions of children around the world. They are ready to eat them dry in unlimited quantities and even with the addition of milk. In fact, this product is not so harmless. Corn flakes with milk, the benefits and harms of which are equally high, are high-calorie breakfast cereals, and they should be eaten with caution.

Despite the fact that cereals contain vitamins and minerals that contribute to the active work of the brain, provide a good mood and energy for the whole day, they are also a cause of childhood obesity. To prevent this problem, you should not abuse such breakfast cereals, limiting their use to two times a week.

Application in cooking

Corn flakes are not only a complete dry breakfast. They are often used as one of the ingredients in the preparation of various desserts and pastries. Corn flakes go well with all fruits and berries. That is why they can be added to all fruit salads seasoned with natural yogurt or sour cream. Its nutritional value will only increase from this. Corn flakes are used to make healthy cookies, replacing flour with them. This pastry is a delicious and nutritious snack for adults and children.

Corn flakes, the harm and benefits of which are still the subject of controversy among pediatricians and nutritionists, can be used as a breading for meat and fish dishes. Thanks to them, a crispy appetizing crust appears on cutlets and chops.

Making corn flakes at home

Since the composition of store-bought corn flakes is not always completely natural, you can try making this dish yourself at home.

First you need to prepare a syrup from sugar and water in a 1: 1 ratio. It should boil for a few minutes, and after it starts to thicken, you need to add corn grits. The proportions are as follows: for 300 ml of syrup, you need to take 100 grams of cereal. It should be cooked for a long time, about an hour, after which the mass should be cooled and rolled out with a rolling pin into a thin layer. Next, it should be cut or broken into small pieces. Then they need to be dried in the oven at a temperature of 250 degrees until golden brown.

Corn flakes, the harm and benefits of which do not allow them to be consumed daily, are still a very convenient breakfast option. In order for the body to receive only benefit from such food, it is enough to eat them no more than twice a week.

Corn flakes are a convenient and inexpensive breakfast option for kids and adults. Some consider flakes to be a healthy dish, others are sure that this is not a valuable, but, on the contrary, a product that is harmful to the body.

Composition, calorie content and glycemic index of corn flakes

To understand whether cereal is useful or harmful, consider the composition, evaluate the calorie content of the product in its pure form (without sugar) and with sugar.

The composition of corn flakes includes macro- and microelements: cobalt, sodium, potassium, zinc, magnesium, copper. It also includes fiber, vitamins of groups A, B1, B2, E, H, PP, starch and. Some manufacturers fortify ready-made corn flakes with synthetic vitamins that have minor beneficial properties.

Table of the chemical composition of corn flakes and their nutritional value per 100 g of product:

Composition characteristics	Quantitative indicators	Percentage of the norm in 100 g
calories	325.3 kcal	19.3%
Squirrels	8.3 g	10.9%
Fats	1.2 g	2%
Carbohydrates	75 g	35.5%
Alimentary fiber	0.8 g	4%
Water	14 g	0.6%
Ash	0.7 g
vitamins
Vitamin A, RE	200 mcg	22.2%
	0.2 mg
	0.1 mg	6.7%
	0.07 mg	3.9%
Vitamin B5, pantothenic	0.3 mg	6%
	0.3 mg	15%
	19 mcg	4.8%
Vitamin E, alpha tocopherol, TE	2.7 mg	18%
Vitamin H	6.6 mcg	13.2%
Vitamin PP, NE	2.4778 mg	12.4%
	1.1 mg
Macronutrients in milligrams (mg)
Potassium, K	147	5.9%
Calcium Ca	20	2%
Magnesium	36	9%
Sodium, Na	55	4.2%
Sulfur, S	63	6.3%
Phosphorus, Ph	109	13.6%
Micronutrients in micrograms (mcg)
Aluminium, Al	29
Bor, B	215
Iron, Fe	2.7	15%
cobalt, co	4.5	45%
Manganese, Mn	0.4	20%
Copper, Cu	210	21%
Molybdenum, Mo	11.6	16.6%
Nickel, Ni	23.4
Tin, Sn	19.6
Titanium, Ti	27
Chrome, Cr	22.7	45.4%
Zinc, Zn	0.5	4.2%
Digestible carbohydrates in grams
Starch and dextrins	70.4
Mono- and disaccharides (sugars)	2

You can download the table of composition of corn flakes.

The product (or the rate of absorption of carbohydrates that increase blood sugar) is 81. In sweet cereals, the GI indicators reach 85, so people suffering from diabetes are not recommended to use them.

The calorie content of corn flakes increases due to the addition of sugar and synthetic components to their composition, which increase the shelf life and taste. 100 g of cereal contains 8.5 teaspoons of sugar.

To lower the glycemic index of breakfast corn, eat cereal with plain yogurt or kefir.

Product benefits

The composition of corn flakes contains substances that are beneficial to health, giving it energy. This product is most useful for brain activity and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

The benefits of corn flakes for the digestive tract:

and fibers stimulate the digestive processes and bowel movements. The use of cereals is an excellent prevention of enterocolitis, constipation.
Pectins have an antitumor effect on the gastrointestinal tract.
Flakes are a good snack for those who suffer from an appetite disorder. They excite the appetite, give instant satiety, which is quickly replaced by a feeling of hunger.
Corn flakes are not a dietary product, but are suitable for those who are on a strict diet.

Benefits for brain activity:

Tryptophan is a substance that stimulates the synthesis of a hormone responsible for good mood and positive emotions.
improves memory, mental activity, speeds up metabolic processes.
Starch strengthens nerve cells, increases intelligence, strengthens the nervous system, improves short-term memory.

Harm of corn flakes (sweet and not sweet)

Despite the many micro and macro elements and vitamins important for health, the constant use of corn flakes is not so useful. The harm of corn flakes and the cons of this product:

An increase in blood sugar due to the high glycemic index of the product. There are many carbohydrates in unsweetened cereals and in a product with sugar.
The content of artificial fillers, trans fats, which negatively affect the figure when the breakfast cereal is abused.
Synthetic substances included in the composition of the product are poorly absorbed and can cause digestive problems.
Flakes without sugar, due to their high fiber content, cause a violation of the secretion of the stomach in people suffering from gastritis.
Heat treatment of corn flour, from which flakes are made, leads to the formation of acrylamide in them, which can provoke cancer.
Fragrances and additives can cause allergies.

Who better not eat corn flakes?

caries;
allergies;
diabetes 1.2 degree;
oncological diseases;
gastritis.

The nuances of eating cereal

The main rule of eating cereal is to use it as a component of the diet, and not its basis. In other words, you can and even need to use them, but in small quantities and not every day.

Another rule - do not eat the contents of the pack in a dry form, so as not to provoke bloating or epigastric pain.

The best way to consume a dry product is to combine it with fermented milk products, such as yogurt. If you bought a pack of unsweetened corn flakes, add honey instead of sugar to your breakfast. Natural flakes with honey and milk are much healthier than glazed ones.

During pregnancy

A pregnant woman should eat right, get the maximum of useful substances and vitamins, folic acid, calcium, iodine from food. These substances are necessary for the development and growth of the child. They are found in small quantities in corn flakes, but they should not be abused during pregnancy because of the high calorie content and synthetic additives that are included in their composition during production. From the 36th week, it is advisable to exclude this dry breakfast from the diet so as not to gain excess weight.

When breastfeeding

Pediatricians recommend abandoning the constant use of corn flakes during breastfeeding due to the high sugar content in the product and the presence of preservatives in it that can cause digestive problems and diathesis in the baby. A small amount of unsweetened natural flakes is allowed.

When losing weight

The main component that plays a leading role in losing weight on a corn diet is corn starch. It is useful for the structure of muscle nerve fibers, removes toxins and harmful substances from the body. However, the use of corn flakes when losing weight threatens to overeat due to the quickly arising feeling of hunger after a breakfast based on them.

However, the risk of negative effects due to calorie content and overeating can be minimized by eating cereal with unsweetened dairy products and fresh fruit. A strict seven-day diet on corn flakes (using no more than 3-6 tablespoons of a natural dry product per day) helps to lose up to 8 kg of excess weight.

If you have diabetes, or have problems with the work of the gastrointestinal tract, such a diet is contraindicated for you.

Athletes before strength training can have a snack with a dry breakfast one hour before the start of the session. If you prefer high-intensity interval training, you can safely enjoy half a serving of cereal with yogurt half an hour after the end of the training.

How to choose cereal?

So, not all cereals are created equal. Moreover, even the composition of this product is different for different manufacturers.

To choose the best corn flakes, follow a few simple rules:

When choosing a breakfast, carefully read its composition on the pack. Ideally, there should be only 3 components: cornmeal, salt and vegetable or corn oil.
If the package contains a large list of trace elements and vitamins, most likely, we are talking about synthetic additives that are poorly absorbed by the body. Such a product is far from natural and proper nutrition.
If you intend to get the most out of the product, skip sugary flakes in the icing.
Inspect the packaging carefully. It must be smooth, without damage, dry, without traces of contact with water.
Pay attention to the expiration date and production date.

Conclusion

Natural corn flakes are a high-calorie, nutrient-rich product. Look for the answer to the question of whether it is harmful or useful in the composition indicated on its packaging. Natural flakes are healthy, but in moderation, and a product in a sweet glaze with synthetic additives is a treat that only harms health.

Crispy strips and corn balls are not a healthy breakfast at all. But they can be beneficial if used correctly.

Appeared by chance. There was a sanitarium in Michigan owned by the Kellogg brothers. Once they decided to pamper the guests with a dish, but the cook was distracted while cooking. The dough broke up into unappetizing lumps and became unsuitable for cooking. I had to get out somehow. As a result, the dough was fried and served on the table with marshmallows and milk. The residents of the sanatorium liked the new dish and became part of their regular diet. The brothers experimented a little with the method of preparation, and in 1894 they patented a recipe for corn flakes.

Ideally, cereal should consist of salt, cornmeal, sugar, and a small amount of oil. There are unsweetened variations in which sugar and its analogues are not added.

Before talking about the harmfulness or usefulness of this product, you need to figure out what is included in its composition. And a lot is included.

Macro- and microelements: potassium, iron, sodium, cobalt, chromium, magnesium, zinc, copper.
Vitamins: A, B1, E, PP, B2, H.

Also, corn breakfasts contain a lot of fiber, there are glutamine and other amino acids, starch.

In other words, there are a lot of useful substances in this food. But without "but" is not complete. Vitamins in this product appear by enrichment, that is, they are synthetic, like pills from a pharmacy. There is little or no benefit from them. Most crunchy products are richly flavored with sugar syrup and flavorings, and if they make the flakes tastier, they certainly are not healthier.

Beneficial features

For mood and brain activity

This product contains tryptophan. In the body, this substance is converted into serotonin, a neurotransmitter. Thus, a portion of crispy cereal gives a person an optimistic attitude, a good mood.

Glutamic acid speeds up metabolic processes in the brain.

Starch helps strengthen nerve cells. Therefore, the use of "cooked breakfasts" from corn helps to quickly increase intelligence, and in the long run - to maintain a strong nervous system and excellent memory.

Benefits for the gastrointestinal tract

This product contains a lot of fiber, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the intestines. In general, the use of cereals stimulates the digestive tract and helps to unload the body. They are desirable to use for people suffering from constipation and colitis. To improve the functioning of the digestive tract, cereals should be eaten with live yogurts - then the effect will be stronger.

It is also a great snack for people suffering from an appetite disorder. Such food gives rapid satiety, which in a short time is replaced by hunger. As a result, flakes help to awaken the appetite and solve some of the problems that arise in people who “forget” to eat from time to time.

This type of breakfast cereal can be eaten in small quantities by people who are on a strict diet. A small snack can help prevent gastrointestinal upset associated with dietary restrictions and improve your mood. But do not forget that the product is not dietary.

What harm

And although corn breakfasts made by conscientious producers are not dangerous to health, some can still be harmful.

Synthetic vitamins, which are generously flavored with cereal, are not absorbed in the same way as natural ones. But the latter disappear from the grain during processing. According to some reports, artificial vitamins are harmful. The German Cancer Center has stopped giving vitamins "in pills" to children because they were found to cause tumor growth. Therefore, cereals enriched with vitamins should not be carried away, especially for people with a genetic predisposition to cancer. Yes, and children are better off eating fruits, not synthetics.
Studies have shown that different products made from cornmeal have different effects. For example, women who used hominy lost weight. Those who were on a “diet” of corn flakes, on the contrary, gained weight. Therefore, the passion for cereal can ruin the figure.
The product raises blood sugar levels. This property can be beneficial when a person has a sharp drop in blood sugar, but more often it is harmful to health.

Good breakfast

Advertising taught people to think that cereal is almost the perfect breakfast. The plot of the advertisement, where a milk jet hits a plate of sun flakes, and ruddy children happily scoop up this wonderful food under the gaze of a happy mother, is not very true. In terms of breakfast, the advantages of cereal are obvious: they do not require cooking, they can be a quick snack when you are late.

But the benefit is only in the absence of hassle and saving time. As already mentioned, ready-made corn breakfasts are quickly digested, and then awaken the appetite, so they do not give a boost of energy for the whole day. Having a snack in this way, you will only have enough strength to get to work without falling asleep.

Scientists insist that breakfast should not be sweet: it forms the wrong taste habits, and it can also provoke the development of diabetes. And finding unsweetened corn flakes on sale is not an easy task.

How to use

Flakes should be a guest in the diet, not a guest. They can be eaten once or twice a week. If the situation is critical and there is no time, please. But then you need to add a couple of sandwiches to the menu, and use yogurt or another fermented milk product as a dressing. Of course, this combination of products is not very useful for the figure, but it will help overcome hunger before dinner.

In other cases, "breakfasts" should be eaten in the middle of the day as a treat or snack, but not as part of the main meals. In rare cases, a handful of cereal can be eaten before bed to get rid of a bout of hunger that provokes insomnia.

Choose a product whose composition does not contain suspicious letters and numbers, but only cornmeal, salt, oil. For sweetness, honey can be added to them, but not sugar.

You should not eat dry flakes - this can cause bloating, abdominal pain, and nausea. To get more benefit from cereals, combine them with "live" fermented milk products.

Who are contraindicated

suffering from caries;
diagnosed with diabetes mellitus;
with cancer;
small children;
allergy sufferers.

Individual components of the flakes can cause individual intolerance. Read package information carefully, including trace amounts of nuts, dried fruits, and other potential allergens.