I love cereal. I am not lying when I tell you my biological ticker wakes me up every night at 3 a.m. to grab a cereal box from the kitchen. It happens seven nights a week. Often, I wake up with cereal in bed with me.

Cereal is a staple in my daily (and nightly) diet, as it is with most college students. Cheap and always ready-to-eat, we can't go wrong. Or can we?

Recently, major brands have started advertising low-sugar versions of cereals. While many of us simply think low-sugar means a low-calorie or healthier option, think again. Experts claim the new cereals are no healthier than their full-sugar counterparts.

Why do companies do this? Most Americans are not nutrition-savvy. The brands have not made any claims that their low-sugar cereals are actually lower in calories, healthier or a better choice. In fact, several companies were unable to explain why someone should choose a low-sugar version. What they do know is that parents will assume anything lower in sugar will keep their child from bouncing off the walls.

What most people don't know is that because cereal must preserve its crunch and yummy taste, elimination of all sugars is not effective. Other carbohydrates may replace sugar, but they are not superior. Even diabetics cannot benefit, because the body treats all refined carbohydrates in the same manner.

The benefit of new cereals is simply for the industry itself. Companies profited when they reduced sugar and even slashed prices. Sales of reduced-sugar cereals increased by about 50 percent in 2004, according to ACNielsen, a marketing research company.

The bottom line to consumers is that a reduced-sugar cereal has the same amount of calories as its regular version and claims no health benefits.

So how can we make sense of the cereal aisle?

When you pick up a box of cereal, read the ingredients list. Try to select cereals listing whole-grain wheat, whole oats or wheat bran as the first ingredient.

Whole-grain cereals most likely have more fiber. These are the healthiest cereals because they stabilize the body's sugar-control system, reducing the incidence of Type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that women who ate high-fiber cereal at least once a day were 30 percent less likely to develop heart disease, according to the American Medical Association in 1999.

Whole grains are also necessary to reduce pressure inside the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Not to gross you out, but cereals with more fiber aid in bloat and intestinal pressure to allow the stool to become softer and provide bulk. Because constipation is the No. 1 GI problem in the country, it's ideal to eat cereals that have at least 5 grams of fiber per serving.

According to the nutrition labels on my cereals, they all contain at least 5 grams of fiber (which is 20 percent of the Daily Value, or DV), some exceeding 50 percent DV. Strive for 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day.

I also tend to select cereals that are fortified with vitamins and minerals. Most cereals are fortified with B-vitamins, zinc and iron. When choosing a box, look for a good dose of iron, as well as a high amount of vitamin C because it aids in iron's absorption.

Here are some cereals I have in my kitchen:

-- Trader Joe's High Fiber Cereal: In a 2/3 cup serving, it has 90 total calories, 9 grams of total fiber, 25 percent DV for B-vitamins and vitamin C, and 45 percent DV for iron.

-- Kellogg's Complete Wheat Bran Flakes: In a 3/4 cup serving, it has 90 total calories, 5 grams of total fiber, and 100 percent DV for B-vitamins, vitamins C and E, iron and zinc.

-- Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats: In a 1 cup serving, it has 200 total calories, 6 grams of total fiber, and 100 percent DV for B-vitamins and iron.

-- Kashi Heart to Heart Cereal: In a 3/4 cup serving, it has 110 total calories, 5 grams of total fiber, 50 percent DV for vitamin C, and 100 percent DV for vitamins A, B6, B12 and E, folic acid and magnesium.