# Are corn flakes good for me? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 31, 2007, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256 "2007-05-31T22:29:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/1 "2007-05-31T22:29:42Z")
I’ve been loving me some corn flakes lately. I’ll have a couple of bowls at night for dinner every other day or so, and I’ve been feeling pretty good in the knowledge (or assumption, rather) that I’m doing my body some good. But am I? I imagine they’re not _bad_ for me like a chocolate doughnut deep-fried in dollar store vegetable oil might be, or a heroin brownie might be, but are they in any way good for me? I found this source that says they’re not recommended: [http://www.drmirkin.com/nutrition/N180.htm](http://www.drmirkin.com/nutrition/N180.htm) But this guy _does_ recommend Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Golden Grahams of all things, so I just don’t know what to believe. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/2 "2007-05-31T22:56:19Z")
It looks like Dr. Mirkin’s objection to corn flakes is that they are too refined. I prefer my breakfast a little slutty, also, so I can’t argue that point. However, “good for me” covers an awful lot of ground. Can you be more specific? ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/3 "2007-05-31T23:05:03Z")
Mythbusters did a segment comparing Corn Flake’s nutritional quality to the box in which they came. It came ahead, but not by a whole lot, IIRC. Corn Flakes are good for you if they substitute a three egg omelette with bacon and chocolate milk, of course. If you upgrade to Special K, Total or one of those super enriched cereals with 100% of your daily requirement of all vitamins, it is even better. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/4 "2007-05-31T23:11:33Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] Corn Flakes are good for you if they substitute a three egg omelette with bacon and chocolate milk, of course. If you upgrade to Special K, Total or one of those super enriched cereals with 100% of your daily requirement of all vitamins, it is even better. [/QUOTE] Dr. Mirkin, from the link, says to avoid Special K as it contains trans fats. However, I had always thought like you that Special K was good for you (I also assumed corn flakes were good for you too, so what do I know.) > [@](#): > > However, “good for me” covers an awful lot of ground. Can you be more specific? Do they provide any benefit to me and my body? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/5 "2007-05-31T23:16:51Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Lendervedder] Do they provide any benefit to me and my body? [/QUOTE] Unequivocally. I can predict with 100% certainty that you will survive longer on a diet of corn flakes alone than on nothing at all. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/6 "2007-05-31T23:24:32Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] Mythbusters did a segment comparing Corn Flake’s nutritional quality to the box in which they came. It came ahead, but not by a whole lot, IIRC. Corn Flakes are good for you if they substitute a three egg omelette with bacon and chocolate milk, of course. If you upgrade to Special K, Total or one of those super enriched cereals with 100% of your daily requirement of all vitamins, it is even better. [/QUOTE] In Mythbusters they only looked at the caloric value of corn flakes and the box (and I’m not sure it was corn flakes they used). I’d think the actual cereal would have vitamins and minerals added or occuring naturally. Certainly Total Corn Flakes does According to: [Registered & Protected by Markmonitor](http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/item/8246.html) Total Corn Flakes are: Very low in saturated fat No cholesterol Very high in calcium Very high in iron Very high in niacin Very high in pantothenic acid Very high in riboflavin Very high in thiamin Very high in vitamin B6 Very high in vitamin B12 Very high in vitamin C Very high in vitamin E Very high in zinc ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/7 "2007-05-31T23:27:35Z")
It depends on what your metabolism is like and what you’re weight goals are. Corn flakes are highly refined carbohydrates which are not particular good for keeping your weight down. You might as well eat an equivalent caloric amount of sugar. [This](http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c20Od.html) is a great site for evaluating the nutritional value of food, and it even contains links to substitutes which you can select by what your goals are (eg, weight loss or gain). ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2007, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/8 "2007-05-31T23:41:23Z")
You might be better off taking a multivitamin than relying on your bowl of cereal to meet those needs. I pay more attention to whether a cereal is made with whole grains, how much sugar is added, that kind of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Einmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Einmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Einmon)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/9 "2007-06-01T00:21:15Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] [This](http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-C00001-01c20Od.html) is a great site for evaluating the nutritional value of food, and it even contains links to substitutes which you can select by what your goals are (eg, weight loss or gain). [/QUOTE] Thank you, that’s a very interesting site! (Even if a bit depressing - the only food I’ve been able to find so far that’s apparently conducive to weight loss is raw celery…) ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/10 "2007-06-01T00:38:04Z")
For breakfast, I’m a cottage cheese and cantaloupe girl. Melon is a 4-star weightloss food on that site, its yummy and nutritious (it has little sugar compared to how sweet it tastes: 12g pr cup), and relatively easy to deal with in the morning. Cottage cheese for lean protein and calcium… it works for me. As compared to corn flakes, Special K has more protein, which helps you feel full longer. I’m not a huge fan of cereal for beakfast though. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/11 "2007-06-01T01:02:02Z")
[QUOTE=Einmon] Thank you, that’s a very interesting site! [/QUOTE] I agree; I’ve been surfing there for going on a half hour now. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/12 "2007-06-01T02:25:34Z")
Meh. Not enough fiber for a breakfast cereal, but more or less harmless. Much better than muffins, do-nuts, bacon & eggs, and the like. What you want in a cereal is: Low fat, OK taste and decent fiber. Corn flakes has two of three (at least to you), better than some (like granola with high fat). Don’t worry about vitamins or carbos. You can get your vitamins from better sources and cereal \*is \*carbs. If you like 'em; go for it. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/13 "2007-06-01T02:35:03Z")
Well, you have to take the Corn Flakes the way the Kellogg brothers originally intended. Of course, that means no alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, spicy foods or sex. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/14 "2007-06-01T02:53:02Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] Well, you have to take the Corn Flakes the way the Kellogg brothers originally intended. Of course, that means no alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, spicy foods or sex. [/QUOTE] Hmmm. Corn flakes and sex. The strawberries, bananas and blueberries I can understand. So where does one pour the milk? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/15 "2007-06-01T03:46:26Z")
[QUOTE=DrDeth] Meh. Not enough fiber for a breakfast cereal, but more or less harmless. Much better than muffins, do-nuts, bacon & eggs, and the like. [/quote] More or less, yeah. It’s not bad for you, except if you’re trying to lose weight. > [@](#): > > What you want in a cereal is: Low fat, OK taste and decent fiber. Corn flakes has two of three (at least to you), better than some (like granola with high fat). Don’t worry about vitamins or carbos. Not quite. There’s fat and then there’s fat. Most of the fats you find in granola\* is from nuts (like almonds) and that’s good for you, as long as you don’t overdue it. The bad part about most commercial granolas is the high sugar content. What you want in a breakfast is low refined carbs and a decent amount of protein and (good) fats. I usually do yogurt and berries with a half bagel and a few slices of lean ham. Americans get way too much carbs, especially the highly refined type. I’m not saying go Atkins (where you don’t worry about fat), but most Americans need to cut waaaaay down on the refined carbs. I’d recommend everyone out there to go thru their pantry and throw away everything that has “high fructose corn syrup” listed as one of the first 3 ingredients. \*I’m think of good quality granola here, not some cheap-o stuff fried in trans fats. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/16 "2007-06-01T04:53:36Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Americans get way too much carbs, especially the highly refined type. [/QUOTE] Which is pretty much what Corn Flakes consist of, right? Kind of like eating white bread? ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/17 "2007-06-01T05:08:01Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] Well, you have to take the Corn Flakes the way the Kellogg brothers originally intended. Of course, that means no alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, spicy foods or sex. [/QUOTE] Not to mention the daily enemas. It is strongly suspected that they served John Kellogg as a substitute for the last item on the list (your word for the day is Klismaphile). ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/18 "2007-06-01T05:23:00Z")
[QUOTE=Thudlow Boink] Which is pretty much what Corn Flakes consist of, right? Kind of like eating white bread? [/QUOTE] Yes. Lots of empty calories. Not bad for you, per se, but not particular nutritious. Just as importantly, not filling-- so you’re going to be hungry again shortly. As I said before, you might as well just eat an equivalent caloric amount of sugar (and add a tiny bit of protein). But it’s hard to talk about the goodness or badness of any particular food outside the context of what else you’re eating. In a typical American’s diet, corn flakes are worthless. Better to eat something with more nutrients and more of an ability to satisfy your hunger for a longer period of time. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/19 "2007-06-01T09:50:14Z")
Just want to pipe in that dietary fat is not a major factor in body fat. Refined carbohydrates — starches and sugars — play a much larger factor. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256/20 "2007-06-01T12:28:14Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] Mythbusters did a segment comparing Corn Flake’s nutritional quality to the box in which they came. It came ahead, but not by a whole lot, IIRC. Corn Flakes are good for you if they substitute a three egg omelette with bacon and chocolate milk, of course. [/QUOTE] Sez who? /s [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-corn-flakes-good-for-me/406256.md?page=2)