Weighting On 40

Few meals are easier to prepare than a simple bowl of cereal.  Today's review is of Organic Flax Plus Cereal from Nature's Path.

First, a quick overview of the nutritional information on this cereal:

• Serving size: 3/4 cup
• Calories: 302 (including 1/2 cup of skim milk)
• Carbs: 43g (5g fiber, 16g sugars)
• Protein: 10g
• Fat: 10g
• Sodium: 110 mg

There are a couple of things that might make this cereal look unappealing at first glance.  The first is that it is organic, which some people have a tendency to equate with being bland.  The second point of departure might happen when someone sees that the cereal contains both flax seeds and pumpkin seeds.  Addressing the first point, while organic cereals have a tendency to be a bit boring, this cereal is actually quite pleasant due to the inclusion of organic cinnamon and organic molasses.  It is just sweet enough to pique the tastebuds without overdoing the sugar content.  On the second point, the flax and pumpkin seeds pass rather unnoticed while eating this cereal.  Perhaps the only real taste effect of the flax is a slightly oily consistency.  If you've ever taken flax seed oil as a supplement, you'll find that eating this cereal is a far superior tasting means of taking in the beneficial fats of flax.

Speaking of fats, the 10g of fats are exclusively found in the cereal when skim milk is added.  55% of the daily RDV of omega-3 fats can be consumed in one serving of Flax Plus, which is a real benefit to those trying to reduce bodyfat stores.

300 calories is a fairly decent calorie count for the first meal of the day.  There's enough natural sugar to bring an end to night-fast sugar crashes, which can provide a ready source of energy for the early morning hours.  The cereal is lacking in protein content, so adding a light protein source (lowfat cottage cheese, a slice of lean ham, etc.) to supplement the cereal isn't a bad idea.

From a cost perspective, the cereal does very well.  In North Carolina, the cereal is retailing for less than $3.00 per box.  With 6 servings per box, that equates to just about $.75 per meal when milk is factored in.  It's hard to beat that price, especially when the average "quick" breakfast from a fast-food joint is going to cost at least $4.00.

If pumpkin seeds and flax aren't your thing, there are 4 other varieties of the Nature's Path organic granola cereals: Pomegranate Plus, Vanilla Almond Flax Plus, Agave Plus, and Hemp Plus.  My only other experience with Nature's Path granola cereals is with the Pomegranate Plus cereal, which was very tasty and relatively equal in nutritional content to the Pumpkin Flax Plus.

Let's Review:

Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin Flax Plus Cereal

• Nutritional Content: 8/10 (needs more protein)
• Taste: 9/10
• Cost: 10/10
• Overall rating: 9/10

Happy Healthy Eating!

Be well!!