The Best Cereals for Exercise and Recovery

To get more pre- and post-workout benefits from your flakes, oats, or clusters, look for the right ingredients. The rest is up to your taste buds

By: Paige Greenfield

Photo Credit: Mitch Mandel

Is Cereal the Perfect Food?

Cereal is as versatile as it is popular—it's a healthy breakfast, an on-the-go snack, even a satisfying dinner. Choose brands that are packed with complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and it can also be an ideal ride fuel, says Tara Gidus, RD, an Orlando, Florida-based dietitian. And research has shown that it can be effective for muscle recovery, even more so when you eat it with milk.

But with cereal boxes shouting claims like "No cholesterol!" and "Whole grains!" it's hard to separate the nutritious from the suspicious (a recent study found that 52 percent of cereals marketed to children contain more sugar per one-cup serving than three chocolate-chip cookies). So we shopped the cereal aisle and, with Gidus's advice, found five of the best pre- and postride options for cyclists.

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Photo Credit: Mitch Mandel

Post Shredded Wheat

Crave this: A satisfying belly filler

Choose this: Post Shredded Wheat

Consuming complex carbs in the morning—Shredded Wheat has 47 grams of whole grains per serving—helps restore your muscles' glycogen stores, your body's primary source of energy during a bike ride.

Per 2 biscuits: 160 calories, 1g fat, 6g fiber, 0g sugar, 5g protein

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Photo Credit: Mitch Mandel

Nature's Path Flax Plus Flakes

Crave this: Good ol' fashioned raisin bran

Choose this: Nature's Path Flax Plus Flakes

Most raisin brans contain sugarcoated raisins, which push sugar to nearly 20 grams per serving. To get the energy without the crash, add 1/4 cup of unsweetened raisins to plain flakes.

Per 3/4 cup: 110 calories, 1.5g fat, 5g fiber, 4g sugar, 4g protein

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Photo Credit: Mitch Mandel

Arrowhead Mills Puffed Rice

Crave this: Something light and not sweet

Choose this: Arrowhead Mills Puffed Rice

Made from whole-grain brown rice, it's lower in fiber than some others—not necessarily a bad thing. It's a great choice for immediate energy just before a ride because it digests quickly.

Per 1 cup: 60 calories, 0g fat, 1g fiber, 0g sugar, 1g protein

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Photo Credit: Mitch Mandel

KIND Healthy Grains Cinnamon Oat Clusters with Flax Seeds

Crave this: A hearty granola

Choose this: KIND Healthy Grains Cinnamon Oat Clusters With Flax Seeds

Whole grains, including oats, amaranth, quinoa, and flax seeds, make this low-fat granola high in omega-3 fatty acids--about 720mg per serving--which help combat inflammation.

Per cup: 130 calories, 4g fat, 3g fiber, 6g sugar, 3g protein

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Photo Credit: Mitch Mandel

Kashi GOLEAN Crisp! Toasted Berry Crumble

Crave this: A touch of sweetness

Choose this: Kashi GOLEAN Crisp! Toasted Berry Crumble

High in protein and still below the maximum recommended sugar content, these whole-grain oats and dried berries make for an antioxidant-rich combo to fend off free radicals and help speed recovery.

Per 3/4 cup: 180 calories, 3.5g fat, 8g fiber, 10g sugar, 9g protein