A popular breakfast item, Raisin Bran cereal can also serve as a diet food. The Raisin Bran Diet allows you to obtain necessary vitamins and minerals while consuming cereal for two daily meals. Make the Raisin Bran Diet work for you by understanding aspects of the diet that make it effective.

Significance

The Post company manufactures Raisin Bran, sold in a purple box, according to PostCereals.com. Made from whole-grain wheat, wheat bran and raisins, the cereal is high in fiber — containing an estimated 22g of fiber per serving. Raisin Bran also contains 13 vitamins and minerals. The Raisin Bran Diet involves consuming two servings of cereal per day — one serving for breakfast and one for lunch or dinner. The third meal consists of healthy selections, such as grilled chicken and vegetables, according to the “Journal of the American College of Nutrition.”

Considerations

When following the Raisin Bran Diet, remember to consider serving sizes. The serving size for Raisin Bran is 1 cup, according to PostCereals.com. Measure out this portion of cereal as your meal replacement serving in order to accurately control the amount of calories and nutrients you are taking in.

Benefits

Consuming whole grains, such as those found in Raisin Bran, is associated with a number of benefits, according to MyPyramid.gov. Whole grains and fiber can reduce constipation and the risk of coronary heart disease and contribute to weight loss. When prepared with skim milk, the cereal meal has significant amounts of calcium, proteins, iron, folic acid and more, according to PostCereals.com. Because Raisin Bran is a low-calorie food — an estimated 230 calories per serving when prepared with skim milk — eating it in place of your typical breakfast and lunch can reduce caloric intake, which can help you to lose weight.

Research

The impact of eating a ready-made cereal diet was tested in a 2002 “Journal of the American College of Nutrition” study conducted by R.D. Mattes, a researcher at Purdue University. The test group ate two cereal-based meals per day, followed by a dinner of the participants’ choosing for a period of two weeks. Weight and fat mass measurements were taken at the beginning of the study and after the two weeks had passed. Those who followed the cereal-based diet plan experienced an average 2 lb. weight loss over the course of the study, compared to those who ate a calorie-restricted diet, who lost 0.08 lbs. on average.

Drawbacks

While the Raisin Bran Diet can help you to lose weight, you may find its lack of variety difficult to sustain over time, according to the “Journal of the American College of Nutrition.” This means the Raisin Bran Diet may be suitable as a method to jump-start weight loss; follow up by substituting your lunchtime cereal with a healthy lunch. Raisin Bran contains more than 3 tsp. of sugar in each serving, according to The Diet Channel. This added sugar can affect you if you have a condition that causes sugar sensitivity, such as diabetes.