Mass-market cereals enjoyed a long reign as breakfast staples, but consumers are learning to look beyond the bright and tasty surface to see them for what they are: artificially-colored, highly-processed grains with loads of added sugars.

It doesn’t help that many cereals make bold health claims on the front of the box that the nutrition facts do not always support. Add in cartoon mascots designed to appeal to kids, and it is easy to be swayed. That’s why it’s important to skip what the cover says and go straight to the nutrition facts label.

For cereal, you’ll want something high in fiber (3 grams or more) and low in added sugar (5 grams or less). As a rule of thumb, if sugar (anything ending in “-ose”) is in the first couple ingredients on the ingredients list, try something else.

Also, be wary of the food coloring used in the cereal. Petroleum-derived dyes used in food have been linked to an array of health risks, with some controversial ones still in use today.

An unprocessed breakfast, like SaladPower, will probably serve you better, but if you do go for a cereal, a healthy tip is to pair it with a protein, such as yogurt, nuts, or seeds. This will help with portion control while adding a wider range of nutrients to your breakfast.

In review, the front of a cereal box is marketing, not nutrition advice. Go straight for the nutrition facts to find something low in added sugars, high in fiber, and with no artificial food dyes. Serve with some filling proteins, and enjoy.