A new study by the UK’s Food Commission shows that some breakfast cereals contain as much sugar and fat as five chocolate chip cookies – and goes on to name and shame the worst offenders.
The Food Commission said that Quaker’s Harvest Crunch with Red Berries contained the highest level of saturated fat. A 50g serving contained 6g of fat, 13g of sugar and just 2g of fibre, which the Commission said was the same as five of Sainsbury’s chocolate chip cookies.
The study calls into question a common perception that breakfast cereals are a healthy way to start the day. While some are, such as branflakes and muesli, many brands are evidently not, and can contribute to obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
The Commission suggested that a number of the cereals it investigated were so heavily laden with sugar and fats that they should really be sold alongside cakes.
It added that toast may be a healthier breakfast option than many cereals.
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By GlobalDataThe campaign follows an initiative last October to draw attention to the low nutritional value of many cereal bars. For more information, just-food.com members should click here.
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