Breakfast cereals are often referred to as “healthy foods”. The most famous ones are packed in cardboard boxes with very bright designs, such as children’s drawings or female silhouettes. Is it true that they are good for health?
It is very common to find claims on cereal labels such as “rich in fiber”, “with vitamins”, “provides iron for your vitality”, etc. These are called nutrition or health claims. According to a study by our group, three-quarters of breakfast cereals in Spain have nutritional value.
Obviously, they are used to increase product sales. The problem is that they make us think that the products that contain them are healthier than they actually are. In addition, according to our data, many of them are incorrect and do not comply with the law.
On the packaging we also usually find the score according to the Nutri-Score adopted by the Spanish Ministry of Consumption in 2021 and intended for voluntary use. Frontal labeling is highly questionable because many unhealthy foods receive positive reviews.
That is why it is advisable not to pay undue attention to either claims or Nutri-Score. The really important thing about labeling is the ingredients and the nutritional information sheet. Both are required under the 2011 labeling law.
Analysis of grain ingredients
Ingredients are listed from largest to smallest, except when their share is less than 2%, when the order is no longer counted. You can often find vitamins and minerals there, especially in cereals from better-known brands. While they are often used to grab our attention, they shouldn’t distract us from the really important ingredients.
In general, it is convenient to consume breakfast cereals with fewer ingredients. It is further preferred that all or most of these ingredients be cereals (wheat, corn, oats, rice, or any other) and be at the top of the list.
Another aspect to consider is whether the cereals included are whole grains or whole grains. If only the name of the cereal is given, it is implied that it is a refined and non-whole version. And it turns out that refining greatly reduces the amount of fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Fiber
In addition, whole grains are beneficial for our health, such as reducing the risk of death, cancer or diabetes. For its part, fiber intake is associated with a lower chance of mortality, colorectal cancer, overweight, and obesity. This means that if we eat refined grains, we lose all of these benefits.
Sahara
This is not the end of the matter. Most breakfast cereals have added (“free”) sugars, including those advertised with stylized silhouettes of women. These free sugars are associated with obesity and an increased risk of disease. And where are they? In the list of ingredients, we will find them with the words sugar, honey, dextrose, glucose, fructose, syrup, syrup, panel, fruit concentrate, juice concentrate, sucrose, malt extract, fruit puree, malted barley extract and other names.
Sweeteners as sugar substitutes are also not a good option. Some major international government agencies, such as the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, and even the US Department of Agriculture, do not recommend them at all.
fats
As for fat, it is usually small in this type of product. Except for muesli, where it is high due to the oils used in its production. The addition of chocolate also increases it, so it is advisable to avoid it.
We also have a component that is usually given little attention: salt. Most breakfast cereals contain it, including sweets. And that’s important because we’re eating twice the recommended salt, which has been linked to hypertension, coronary disease, and heart attack.
For its part, the addition of natural or roasted nuts, dried fruits or seeds is usually welcome.
Nutrition labeling of cereals
If we now turn our attention to food labeling, it must be said that energy is not the aspect that should concern us the most. It is important to determine what ingredients provide this energy, and not the number of kilocalories. In fact, it is the same in all breakfast cereals, except when they have added fats, oils or chocolate, which increase it.
The really important nutrients we need to keep an eye on can be seen in the table along with the maximum or minimum amount we recommend.
| nutrient | Quantity (each 100 g of flakes) |
|---|---|
| Sugar | max 5g |
| fats | 3g maximum (except when they have nuts) |
| Salt | Maximum 0.3 g |
| Fiber | Minimum 6 g |
The breakfast cereals that best fit these values are those that do not contain any additional ingredients, only whole grains. They are useful, whatever the main cereals. Rolled oats are the most consumed, although there are already other, more varied options on the market.
The addition of other ingredients containing free sugar, salt, or fat degrades the quality of the product, which is no longer healthy. Nor refined grains. As for muesli, although they have a good reputation, it depends on their ingredients and their nutritional composition.
To find healthy breakfast cereals, we should not be limited to the main supermarket shelf. We can also find them in other sections and specialized stores. In any case, when choosing what we buy, it is recommended that you always read the ingredients and nutritional information. Only then can we find breakfast cereals that are truly healthy.
This article was first published on Talk
Source: Hiper Textual
