Have you had your Wheaties today? Since 1933, the famous orange-boxed cereal has been linked with the best in sports and defined as the “breakfast of champions.” In fact, several Olympians have graced the box front. Fun fact: Michael Jordan is the athlete who has appeared the most often on the cereal box (18 times!).

But will Wheaties really properly fuel the Olympic athletes in the next couple of weeks in Vancouver? And is it a good way to kick start your day?

Well, several sources say it’s not a bad choice. The “bran” components add fiber, while the sugar count is relatively low at 4 grams per 110-calorie cup. For additional staying power to a bowl of Wheaties or any cereal, try adding a side of protein (for example, a few scrambled egg whites, a cup of non-fat yogurt or a serving of nuts) and/or fruit (a cup of berries)!

But I have a few other favorites that will also be good ways to power up in the morning or snack on later in the day. Research has shown that teen girls have fewer weight struggles when they eat breakfast cereal. Additionally, adults maintain a closer to “healthy” weight when crunching on cereal.

The current three cereal medal winners in my book hit the podium:

Gold: Fiber One

Silver: Multigrain Cheerios

Bronze: Cascadian Farm Organic Cinnamon Crunch

Fiber One not only has great stats (120 calories, 2 grams of fat, 0 grams of sugar and 28 grams of fiber per cup), but it is also extremely versatile. Mix it in a fruit and yogurt parfait for some crunch, toss it in a bowl with milk or grind it up and use it as a faux fry coating a la Hungry Girl! The HG onion rings are awesome, but that’s for another post :)

Multigrain Cheerios take a close second due to their mildly sweet, delicious taste and whole grain goodness (first two ingredients: whole grain corn and whole grain oats). Decent nutritional information also doesn’t hurt: 110 calories, 1 gram of fat, 6 grams of sugar and 3 grams of fiber per cup. A bowl makes a tasty “part of a balanced breakfast” or a snack-sized Ziploc full of O’s makes for an awesome snack!

For all of you diehard sweet cereal fans, Cascadian Farm has you covered. Their Cinnamon Crunch tastes identical to Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but has more enviable nutrition and ingredient makeup. While Toast Crunch has 130 calories, 3 grams of fat, 10 grams of sugar and 1 gram of fiber in 3/4 cup, Cascadian’s Crunch has 110 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 8 grams of sugar and 3 grams of fiber in one cup. Cinnamon Crunch is a delicious, very sweet cereal treat. Add one of the protein sources above for a wonderful savory and sweet breakfast. For a delectable dessert, crumble a bit on top of your favorite low-fat/non-fat, low sugar frozen yogurt.

I recently picked up the “Food & Fitness” Consumer Reports Special Issue and spied on the ratings for a peak into their bowls. The rankings were based on several factors, including nutrition, cost and taste. Among their top picks? Cheerios, Kix and an assortment of Kashi: GoLean Crunchy Fiber Twigs, Soy Protein Grahams and Honey Puffs. Pick up an issue yourself to see more of their cold and hot cereal winners!

What bowls make your medal list?

(Image from Vancouver Restaurants)

PS: Did you catch that crazy short track speed skating race last night with Apolo Ohno? Whoa! It certainly got me into the Olympic spirit. Any sports you’re really looking forward to watching?