The nutritional and health benefits of ready-to-eat-cereal consumption: an updated technical review of global evidence.

Abstract

Ready-to-eat cereal (RTEC) is increasingly adopted for breakfast around the globe. Evidence from prior reviews links RTEC intake to higher micronutrient and fiber consumption and improved diet quality, although concerns persist about sodium and added sugar content. This technical review updates the research landscape from 2015 to the present, with an emphasis on new research from around the globe. PubMed and Google Scholar were searched to identify human observational studies, intervention studies, and dietary and economic modeling studies published from 2015 to September 2025. Eligible studies examined RTEC intake in relation to diet quality, nutrient intake, affordability, or health outcomes in children and adults. Data was extracted and summarized in a narrative format. More than 70 publications were identified across North America, Europe, Oceania, Asia, and Latin America, with few studies in Africa. Most studies were observational. Across countries, RTEC consumption was associated with higher intakes of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and whole grains, and higher overall diet quality. Added sugar intake was similar between RTEC consumers and non-consumers, but total sugar was higher, in part due to co-consumption of milk and/or fruit. RTEC contributed minimally to sodium and saturated fat intake. Prospective cohort studies generally reported inverse relationships between RTEC, particularly those high in fiber and/or whole grain, and risk of chronic diseases and all-cause mortality. Emerging research areas include affordability and overall wellbeing. This updated review of the literature supports that RTEC consumption is associated with higher nutrient intakes and better diet quality around the globe. However, the literature remains dominated by data from high-income countries. As RTEC intake expands around the globe, more clinical trials and expanded dietary surveillance across countries are needed to help establish causal inference and clarify the role of RTEC in healthy diets around the world.