Cereals and cereal foods (bread, pasta and noodles)
Cereals are eaten in large amounts and should provide the bulk of your energy (kilojoules) each day, so try to eat them at each meal. Choose wholegrain varieties when you can.
Cereal grains include: wheat, maize, rice, barley, oats, rye and millet. These cereal grains are used to make foods like breakfast cereals, bread, pasta and noodles.
If you are trying to maintain a healthy weight, you might think that cutting out 'carbs' or starchy cereal foods like bread and pasta is the best way. However, foods in this group are all low in fat and, providing you don’t add lots of oil or butter when you’re preparing them, you can eat and enjoy them as part of your healthy eating plan.
Why choose wholegrains?
Wholegrain cereals include all the parts of the natural grain. They contain more fibre and other nutrients than white or refined starchy foods. That means they retain all of their nutrients including dietary fibre, B vitamins, vitamin E and the healthier fats.
Choosing wholegrain options will also help to keep your digestive system healthy.
Here are some of the wholegrains you might like to try:
- Whole wheat
- Porridge oats
- Popcorn
- Brown rice
- Barley
- Wild rice
- Buckwheat
- Bulgur/ cracked wheat
- Millet
How can I add more wholegrains into my meals and snacks?
- Try a wholegrain or high fibre breakfast cereal like rolled oats or porridge for your breakfast.
- Swap white bread for wholemeal. Look for the words ‘wholegrain’ or ‘wholemeal’ on the label.
- Try brown rice instead of white – look for quick-cook brown rice.
- Choose wholemeal crackers instead of flavoured crackers.
- Try wholemeal pasta.
Bread
Bread may be a food you and your family eat most regularly. Not all breads are made the same so it’s important to choose the healthier varieties.
What should you look out for?
The Heart Foundation recommends choosing breads that are lower in salt (sodium) and higher in fibre eg. made from wholegrains, wholemeal flour and breads that contain seeds. So when comparing nutritional information panels, choose breads with sodium 400mg or less per 100g and fibre 4g or more per 100g.
Healthy heart tip
Variety is the key to a balanced diet. When planning your meals for the week, make sure you include a variety of foods. If you have pasta one night, go for brown rice, couscous or potatoes another night. Remember to stay clear of creamy sauces!
More information
Q&As on carbohydrate, dietary fibre and glycaemic index for the general population(2006)
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