Nutrition Facts

Fat

One serving of this cereal provides 2 per cent of your recommended daily fat intake (based on 2,000 calories a day). Health Canada’s rule of thumb: Foods with 5 per cent or less of the daily value have a little of the nutrient, and 15 per cent or more have a lot. Ideally, 20 to 35 per cent of your daily calories would come from fat, with little from saturated fats, and zero trans fats.

Sugar

The sweet stuff is empty calories, with no nutritional value. For cereal, look for less than 6 grams of sugar per serving. Women should limit themselves to 30 grams of sugar a day, says Dellolacono Thies.

Vitamins and minerals

The thick black line divides the key nutrients above it from vitamins and minerals. This section details the amount of vitamins and minerals found in one serving.

Amount

The amount (a.k.a. serving size) is important, says registered dietitian Tara Dellolacono Thies. This nutritional analysis is based on one cup of cereal, not a bowlful. If your bowl holds two cups of cereal, you’ll get twice the calories.

Calories

This line tells you the calorie count in one serving. The average healthy woman needs 2,000 calories a day (2,600 for men). Overeat, and you’ll gain weight — approximately one pound per 3,500 calories. Dellolacono Thies warns against counting on exercise to mediate overconsumption: A man would have to run about 60 kilometres to burn off 3,500 calories.

Carbohydrate

The average person should eat about 300 grams of carbohydrates a day, mostly from whole grains, fruit and vegetables. And most Canadians only get half the recommended amount of fibre, 25 grams a day for women, and 38 for men. Look for foods with 4 g or more per serving.

Protein

This nutrient doesn’t have a daily value, since most Canadians get enough. A 150-pound adult should eat 55 grams a day.

Sodium

Too much salt can cause hypertension (high blood pressure), leading to heart disease. This cereal is on the high side, with 13 per cent of your recommended intake. Dellolacono Thies says many nutritionists believe that the percentages on North American dietary labels can be distracting to those just learning how to eat healthfully. It might be easier just to remember that dietitans recommend the average person around 1,500 mg of sodium a day.

Cholesterol

If you’re worried about cholesterol, this cereal’s a good choice. Keep total cholesterol intake under 300 milligrams a day.