Facts About Cheerios

For many toddlers, Cheerios is their first finger food. It's been around for generations and parents feel comfortable giving their children something healthful, tasty and satisfying. Cheerios has managed to outlast many other competitive cereals by introducing new varieties, staying fresh and touting their heart-healthy benefits. Cheerios aren't just for kids, and they aren't just for breakfast any longer. When you know all that this oat cereal has to offer, you'll want to go and grab a handful for yourself.

History

Cheerios was the first mass-produced ready-to-eat breakfast cereal, arriving on the market in the 1940s and sold under the name Cherrioats. In 1945 its official name became Cheerios, which it has stuck with for more than 65 years. In 1954, it became General Mills' most popular-selling cold cereal. The Honey Nut version of Cheerios was introduced in 1979. The beginning of Cheerios' campaign to tout its cholesterol-lowering benefits began in 1989 when studies showed that oat bran lowers bad cholesterol. In 1999 it earned the distinction of being the only cold cereal to effectively lower cholesterol.

Types

There are more than 10 varieties of Cheerios from the basic yellow box everyone is familiar with to the Honey Nut and Banana Nut Cheerios. There are the bursting types with Yogurt Burst and Berry Burst Cheerios. And there are the flavored Fruity and Apple Cinnamon Cheerios. All of the different kinds of cheerios are made with whole grains and offer between eight and 16 grams of whole grains per serving.

Benefits

These circular oats promote themselves as a tool to help you lower cholesterol. Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios and Berry Burst Cheerios can tout these claims because these varieties contain adequate amounts of fiber. Fiber binds to the bad cholesterol in your body and extracts it from your system. These three also receive the American Heart Association's check mark for a food that qualifies as low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Since higher levels of cholesterol increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, eating these cereals can be a healthful part of a balanced diet.

Nutrition

In addition to Cheerios' claim that it can help lower cholesterol, these cereals are nutritious in a variety of other ways. Compared with most sweetened kid-friendly cereals cluttering the grocery-store aisles, Cheerios have only one gram of sugar per serving. They aren't made with any artificial flavors or color dyes. Cheerios are low in fat, and they contain at least 10 percent of your calcium needs. They also boast many heart-healthy vitamins and minerals that are essential to your growth. All of the varieties are excellent sources of iron because one bowl contains at least 20 percent of your daily needs.

Beyond Breakfast

If you are not a person who usually eats breakfast that doesn't mean you can't find other ways to work Cheerios into your diet. You can combine crushed-up Cheerios with flour as a base for a homemade muffin mix. For a snack to eat on the go, combine Cheerios with raisins, chocolate chips and tiny fish crackers for an inexpensive and healthful trail mix. For dinner, use Cheerios for a coating on chicken instead of bread crumbs. Dip small chicken pieces in a milk-and-egg mixture. Roll them in a combination of crushed Cheerios, salt and pepper---and then fry them on the stove.