Give Your Cereal a 
Nutrition Boost
Start at the bottom of the bowl and when buying cereal, use the 5:5:10 rule.

January 15, 2015

The 5:5:10 rule is at least five grams of fibre, five grams of protein, and no more than 10 grams of sugar per serving, says Kim Larson, a sports dietitian. Add milk, and match the toppings to your mission.

Better Brainpower
Add:
¼ cup dark 
chocolate pieces 
(65mg flavonoids)
1 cup blackberries 
(213mg flavonoids)

Drop in dark chocolate for a hit of flavonoids. These antioxidants can give you a quick cognitive charge, reports a study from Australia. For long-term benefits, add berries. They contain flavonoids that can aid memory over time.

Healthier Heart
Add:
⅓ cup sliced 
almonds (10g 
monounsaturated fat)
1 large apple, any type, sliced (1.4g pectin)

Knock yourself out with nuts. They contain magnesium and selenium, minerals that may ward off heart disease. Then add a sliced apple for the pectin, a form of fibre that can reduce cholesterol, according to Danish research.

Bigger Muscles
Add:
115g plain yoghurt, instead of milk 
(12g protein)
¼ cup unsalted pumpkin seeds (4g protein)

If you have an hour or more before lifting, add 15g of muscle-building protein to your bowl, 
Larson advises. Pumpkin seeds and plain yoghurt are packed. Working out soon? Add fast-digesting carbs, like dried cherries, instead.

Flatter Belly
Add:
1 tbsp ground chia 
seeds (5g fibre)
1 greener (i.e., less 
ripe) banana, sliced 
(3g fibre)

Focus on fibre. “It fills you up faster and longer, so you’re less likely to be hungry mid-morning,” Larson says. Chia seeds contain filling soluble fibre and green bananas contain resistant starch, a fibre that can help you burn fat.