Disease is a choice and there is only one disease which is malfunctioning cells. Cells will malfunction for only two reasons- they are not getting everything they need (deficiency) and/or they are getting something they do not need (toxicity). The Breakfast of Chumps manages to be both nutrient deficient and toxic and is a sure-fire pathway to disease.

We all have been brought up with the myth that a healthy way to start the day is with a breakfast cereal. They come in a convenient box, are easy to prepare and are time efficient. Oh, if only they were good for us. Far from a "breakfast of champions," these products are the breakfast of chumps.

Almost all breakfast cereals are second rate sources of nutrition, made from refined grains and loaded with toxic sugars, hydrogenated oils, and artificial vitamins, colors, flavors and preservatives. Providing both deficiency and toxicity, these products cause disease. Amazingly, some cereals are toxic in and of themselves and will actually kill experimental animals- no sugar or additives required to help.


The Problem

To begin understanding the problem with breakfast cereals it must be made clear that most of them are made from nutrient-deficient, refined grains, which have had their inherent nutrients removed. Even so-called "whole grain" cereals, while better, have been processed and the essential nutrients have been damaged.

Manufacturers often attempt to compensate for the loss of nutrients by later adding minerals and synthetic vitamins to their products. Unfortunately, when you feed these "enriched" cereals to experimental animals, the animals do not thrive. This indicates that the added nutrients are not especially biologically effective and may even be toxic.

While nutrient-deficient, refined grains are only one part of the problem, the other part is toxic additives. Artificial colors and flavors are added to enhance appearance, taste and shelf-life. Refined and hydrogenated oils are used to provide moisture resistance, keeping the product crisp. All of the above have a toxic effect on the body.

Sugar is another dangerous additive. Most breakfast cereals have added sugar to make them more appealing to children. Some cereals are more than 50 percent refined sugar. Yet sugar is a metabolic poison and a major contributor to our common diseases, including osteoporosis, depression, allergies, tooth decay and cancer.

Puffed Phooey
Some breakfast cereals are toxic in and of themselves. These are the products made with puffed grains. Typical are puffed wheat, rice and millet. The problem stems from the method of manufacturing these products. These grains are subjected to high pressures and super-heated steam. When the pressure is quickly released, the steam exits the grain and puffs it.

Unfortunately, the high pressures and temperatures alter the molecular structure of protein molecules in the grains and render them toxic. These products are so toxic that feeding them to experimental animals will kill the animals after only a couple of weeks. In fact, animals eating puffed grains die sooner than feeding them no food at all! Beyond breakfast cereals, products such as rice cakes, which are made from puffed rice, are often sold in health food stores as a healthy snack!

What To Do

On the bottom line, all processed and packaged foods are nutrient-deficient and often toxic. Since most of the average person's diet is made up of such foods, there is little to wonder about our high rates of disease. With malnutrition our leading cause of disease, eating a toxic, nutrient-deficient breakfast cereal doesn't make a lot of sense. If you want to eat a grain for breakfast, it must be a whole grain. The whole grain can be cooked like rice or it can be raw. A grain grinder can be used to freshly grind grain, allowing it to fall into a bowl of water where it will absorb the water and make a porridge. Some fresh fruit or raisins can be used for flavor. Another choice would be to eat fresh fruit and nuts for breakfast.

Raymond Francis is an M.I.T.-trained scientist, a registered nutrition consultant, author of Never Be Sick Again, host of the Beyond Health Show and an internationally recognized leader in the emerging field of optimal health maintenance.

Reprinted with permission from: Beyond Health® News  http://www.beyondhealth.com

Copyright 2001, Raymond Francis