photo credit: travisjohnson

A bowl of Wheaties won’t make you a champion athlete like the ones who grace the covers of wheaties boxes, but it can keep you from becoming sick. Whole-grain cereals strengthen your body’s immune system, according to a new study from the Univer­sity of Reading, in the U.K. The researchers had 31 adults eat a bowl of whole-grain cereal every day for 6 weeks and then analyzed each person’s gut bacteria through stool and urine samples. Here are their findings:
The cereal eaters experienced increased levels of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, healthy bacteria that boost immunity and guard against gastrointes­tinal disorders. Turns out,
these bacteria multiply by using whole grains as an energy source, say the study authors. So pick up a box of Cheerios, Wheaties, or Post Original Shredded Wheat.