Cream of Wheat Health Benefits
Cream of Wheat is a hot breakfast cereal that is popular for its convenience and speed of preparation. Unlike most types of oatmeal which need to be cooked, Cream of Wheat only needs to be mixed with boiling water and stirred until it has the consistency of porridge. Although not as healthy as oatmeal, Cream of Wheat does have some health benefits. The major drawback to Cream of Wheat, however, is that it lacks any soluble fiber--a major health benefit of oatmeal.
Low in Calories
With only 149 calories per cup, Cream of Wheat is a low-calorie breakfast food that may support weight loss when consumed as part of a low-calorie, low-fat diet. It also has no fat or added sugar--two more benefits for individuals who are watching their weight.
On the other hand, Cream of Wheat is relatively high in carbohydrates and lacks any soluble fiber because the wheat is stripped during processing. This also puts Cream of Wheat high on the glycemic scale, meaning that is could contribute to an increase in blood sugar levels--a condition that some nutritionists attribute to increased fat storage.
Source of Minerals
Cream of Wheat is a fortified cereal that provides a variety of minerals that are essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. One serving of Cream of Wheat provides 15 percent of the recommended daily allowance of calcium and 12 percent of selenium. Cream of Wheat also has a significant amount of iron--providing men with 100 percent of their daily allowance and women with 55 percent of their daily allowance. Manganese, copper and phosphorus are also present in significant quantities.
Source of Vitamins
In addition to the essential minerals in Cream of Wheat, it also provides a number of important vitamins such as folate, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin. One serving of Cream of Wheat will deliver 37 percent of your daily allowance of folate, niacin, thiamin Vitamin B6 and Vitamin A. It also 30 percent of your daily allowance for riboflavin.
Tags: Cream Wheat, daily allowance, your daily allowance, cereal that, Cream Wheat also