I love cereal, but sometimes, it seems nutritionally no better than dessert. Are healthier options available? And if so, how can I find them?

There is a lot to love about cereal. It is often delicious, easy to prepare, available in seemingly endless varieties and flavours, and can contain beneficial nutrients.

But with that abundance comes many ambiguous or misleading health claims, and ingredients you may not associate with good health.

Better-for-you options do exist, experts say, but finding them can be daunting. Here are their tips on how to do it.

Flip the box

It may sound counter-intuitive, but the first step to choosing a healthy cereal is to ignore the front of the box, said Dr Preeti Kishore, an endocrinologist at NYC Health + Hospitals in the Bronx.

Some cereals have front-facing claims that seem to imply healthfulness, such as that they are good for your heart or immune system, can lower cholesterol or are made with real fruit.

But their nutrition labels may tell a different story. Some, for instance, have as much – if not more – added sugars and calories as some desserts. And many are made with refined grains, which are quickly digested and can spike your blood sugar, leaving you hungry afterwards, said dietitian Maddison Saalinger at the University of Miami.

Over time, diets high in refined grains can increase the risk for Type 2 diabetes, obesity and other chronic diseases.

Even some cereals with claims such as “immunity support” do not have any supporting evidence, Dr Kishore said.

Prioritise whole grains

Whole grains are an essential part of a healthy diet. They are loaded with nutrients such as B vitamins, iron, magnesium and antioxidants, as well as heart- and gut-healthy fibre.

Grains are considered “whole” when they contain all three parts of the kernel: the endosperm (rich in carbohydrates), the germ (containing nutrients such as B vitamins, folate and healthy fats) and the bran (full of fibre).

Refined grains, on the other hand, have been stripped down to just one of their parts, Ms Saalinger said, which removes the grain’s full range of health benefits. And refined grains are less filling and sating than whole grains.

Look for phrases such as whole grain wheat, whole grain oats, whole grain corn and whole grain brown rice on the ingredients list. And prioritise cereals that have those ingredients listed first, which signals that they are present in greater amounts, said dietitian Adern Yu at th...