June 20/Battle Creek, Mich./PRNewswire -- When it comes to breakfasts that give people a strong start to the day, cereal is near the top of the list, and Kellogg Company wants to give people the facts on this nutritious breakfast food.

Demonstrating its commitment to further growing -- and sharing -- the company's knowledge base around ready-to-eat cereal, Kellogg announced the launch of the 2012 edition of “Cereal: The Complete Story.” The updated research compendium includes a variety of data that illustrate the many health benefits of breakfast cereal.

"There are a number of reasons why cereal has been a part of consumers' breakfasts for more than a century," said Christine Lowry, vice president of Global Nutrition Marketing for Kellogg.  "The research in this updated compendium reinforces the nutrition, value, convenience and great taste of cereal. We rely heavily on this growing body of research to shape our own direction and make it clear that cereal is an ideal breakfast choice."

Highlights from the research in “Cereal: The Complete Story” include:

• Children who eat cereal regularly tend to have lower Body Mass Indices compared to children who skip breakfast.
• Cereal is a gateway to milk consumption for young children. In fact, cereal with milk is a leading source of 10 nutrients in U.S. children's diets.
• Only one in 10 people in the U.S. get their daily recommended daily amount of fiber in their diets – and cereal can be an important source of this critical nutrient.
• Cereal has lower levels of sodium per serving than many other breakfast foods.

In addition to updating the global science around breakfast cereal published since the previous version, the 2012 research compendium includes new references to hypertension, cardiovascular disease as well as a section on sustainable agriculture.

"When you look at the research, it is plain to see that a breakfast that consists of cereal is an important part of a good breakfast -- and a great way to provide a nutritious start to any day," Lowry said.

“Cereal: The Complete Story” can be viewed and downloaded by visiting www.kelloggs.mediaroom.com.

 From the June 21, 2012, Prepared Foods Daily News