Cereal Facts: Cereal Helps You Lose Weight

A study from Purdue University shows that eating cereal in place of meals helps you lose weight. Participants ate one serving of a low-sugar cereal with 2/3 cup skim milk and fruit for breakfast and again either at lunch or dinner for two weeks. They consumed an average of 640 fewer daily calories, resulting in about a four pound weight loss during the two-week intervention.

According to study author Dr. Richard Mattes, the approach works because it teaches portion control with a convenient, easy-to-use food. The key, Mattes says, is to wean yourself off the second cereal meal after a few weeks to a healthful “regular” meal.