Eating corn flakes at breakfast for weight loss has many disadvantages. They have many calories, while they don’t reduce appetite. Also, most commercial corn flakes contain too much added sugar.
Corn flakes can make you gain weight
Corn flakes can make you gain weight because they have many calories. They have about 390 calories per 100g, or 110 calories per serving.
Serving size
But, typical serving sizes can be misleading. Most people eat much higher amounts of corn flakes. Hence, most people consume much more than 110 calories! Many people consume 160 calories or more!
Certainly, eating corn flakes for breakfast isn’t the best option if you want to lose weight. But, if you stick to the recommended serving, they won’t make you gain weight.
Milk
Moreover, many people traditionally eat corn flakes with cow’s milk. Even skim milk is high in calories. A serving of skim milk provides about 80 calories. So, a cup of corn flakes with skim milk provides about 240 calories, or more! In fact, overeating of cow’s milk and dairy can make you gain weight.
Dried fruits
Furthermore, the addition of dried fruits or nuts can significantly increase the total calorie content of a cup of corn flakes. Dried fruits and nuts are calorie-dense foods. You should limit their consumption if you want to lose weight.
Dangers of too much Sugar
Additionally, corn flakes can make you gain weight, due to their high sugar content. A serving contains between 4 and 16 grams of sugar, depending on the brand. Added sugar is a cheap way to add flavor and make corn flakes sweeter. But, excess sugar makes us fat.
Corn flakes with added sugar have an extremely high Glycemic Index of 93. This means that corn flakes substantially affect blood sugar levels. They cause a spike of blood sugar.[1]
Eating foods high in Glycemic Index has been associated with increased risk of obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes! Also, they don’t reduce appetite. We feel hungry all the time. This makes it impossible to stick to a long-term, low-calorie diet for weight loss.[3,4]
Moreover, companies add fructose corn syrup (HFCS) to corn flakes to make them sweeter. Long-term consumption of this type of sweetener is pretty dangerous, both for health and for maintaining a normal body weight. Fructose corn syrup seems to negatively affect dopamine secretion and glucose metabolism. It makes dieting much harder. It makes us crave sugar all the time. Thus, fructose corn syrup significantly contributes to obesity.[4]
Corn flakes aren’t filling
Certainly, corn flakes are a convenient for breakfast. But, they aren’t good for weight loss, as they can’t keep you full for a long time. In a couple of hours, you’ll probably feel hungry again.
Fiber and protein keep you full. Foods high in these two macros have the highest satiating effect. Corn flakes are poor in both fiber and protein.[5]
Prefer eating oatmeal instead. Oatmeal is better for weight loss, as it’s richer in fiber, protein, and necessary minerals for fat burning.
What’s the best time to eat corn flakes for weight loss?
Besides breakfast, the best time to eat corn flakes for weight loss is before or after exercise.
Eat corn flakes a couple of hours before exercise to boost your energy intake. Sugars in corn flakes are easily digested, providing instant energy.
Moreover, after strenuous exercise, glycogen stores in the muscles are depleted. Consuming foods high in sugar after a workout replenishes glycogen, promoting muscle recovery!
