Are the brand new ‘wholesome cereals’ actually any higher for you than your previous favourites?

Lots of the UK’s best-selling breakfast cereals have been mired in controversy lately for his or her excessive sugar, low nutrient content material — prompting producers to launch ‘wholesome’ variations of our favourites. 

However are they any higher than the originals? Mandy Francis requested dietitian Ruth Kander, of Fleet Avenue Clinic in London, to evaluate a variety. We then rated and tasted them.

Nutrient dense

Strp’d Tigernut Flakes, 400g, £6.99, strpd.com

Per 100g: Energy, 461; saturated fats, 5.1 g; protein, 4.2 g; fibre, 12 g; sugar, 18 g; salt, 0.05 g

Declare: ‘Nutrient dense, excessive in fibre and a fantastic prebiotic.’

Knowledgeable verdict: A wholesome different to cornflakes, these are made with simply tiger nuts, which aren’t really nuts however tropical, edible tubers.

Naturally candy, tiger nuts are a supply of polyphenols — plant compounds with antioxidant advantages — and minerals akin to phosphorous and calcium for sturdy bones.

These don’t have the added B nutritional vitamins and iron you get in common cornflakes, however they’re wealthy in heart-friendly monounsaturated fat and have 75 per cent extra fibre than comparable cereal.

Well being score: 9/10

Style: Chewy with a delicate coconut sweetness; greatest sprinkled on porridge. 5/10

Excessive fibre

Bear Cocoa Alphabites, 350 g, £2.80, sainsburys.co.uk

Per 100 g: Energy, 387; saturated fats, 0.8 g; protein, 10 g; fibre, 6.7 g; sugar, 12 g; salt, 0.13 g

Declare: ‘Excessive-fibre cereal with coconut blossom nectar — a supply of potassium.’

Knowledgeable verdict: ‘It’s good to see so few processed substances and this has 40 per cent much less sugar (barely a teaspoonful) in a 30 g serving than a big-brand cocoa-flavoured cereal.

There’s additionally twice as a lot fibre (round 10 per cent of a 5 to 11-year-old’s every day requirement in a serving and 6 per cent of an grownup’s). However like different merchandise right here, this isn’t fortified with the nutritional vitamins and minerals we discover in mainstream manufacturers. Additionally, coconut blossom nectar — a key ingredient — is principally a kind of added sugar, so must be eaten sparingly.

Well being score: 6/10

Style: A bit dry and bland. Low on chocolate flavour. 6/10

Reduces chloesterol 

OatWell Crispy Hearts With Oat Beta-Glucan, seven 30g sachets, £5.35, hollandandbarrett.com

Per 100 g: Energy, 338; saturated fats, 0.5 g; protein, 12 g; fibre, 22.9 g; sugar, 9.8 g; salt, 0.7 g

Declare: ‘3 g oat beta glucan per serving. Reduces ldl cholesterol. Excessive fibre. Supply of protein.’

Knowledgeable verdict: ‘Some credible research recommend consuming 3 g of the soluble fibre beta glucan a day can scale back levels of cholesterol. So this could possibly be a heart-friendly addition to a balanced food regimen.

The pre-packed sachets are a helpful option to management portion measurement, in case you are watching your weight.

One serving can even present 23 per cent of your every day fibre wants (virtually 3 times as a lot as in a comparable grocery store cereal) — making it filling and good for intestine well being, too. However once more, there aren’t any added nutritional vitamins and minerals.

Well being score: 7/10

Style: Surprisingly exhausting crunch and powdery aftertaste. 6/10

Decrease sugar

Complete Earth Maple Frosted Natural Flakes, 375 g, £3.85, planetorganic.com

Per 100 g: Energy, 376; saturated fats, 0.2 g; protein, 6.9 g; fibre, 4.3 g; sugar, 14 g; salt, 1 g

Declare: ‘Gluten free. Low in sugar. Supply of fibre.’

Knowledgeable verdict: ‘This has lower than half the sugar present in normal frosted flakes, however nonetheless doesn’t meet official ‘low in sugar’ standards. That calls for not more than 5 g of sugar per 100 g of product; there’s 14 g per 100 g right here.

It additionally comprises maple syrup and natural uncooked cane sugar, each of which rely as added sugars, however not sufficient to be a problem in case you have a single 30 g serving.

And whereas these have twice the fibre of normal frosted flakes, a serving nonetheless solely gives 4 per cent of the every day suggestion. Once more, added B nutritional vitamins and minerals akin to iron are lacking.

Well being score: 4/10

Style: Turned soggy in a short time. Can’t style the maple syrup. 5/10

Good for intestine well being

Kellogg’s All Bran Prebiotic Oaty Clusters Almond and Pumpkin seed, 380 g, £2, sainsburys.co.uk

Per 100 g: Energy, 414; saturated fats, 1.8 g; protein, 15 g; fibre, 21 g; sugar, 4.7 g; salt, 0.28 g

Declare: ‘Prebiotic goodness to nourish your intestine microbiota.’

Knowledgeable verdict: It is a mixture of authentic All Bran, oaty clusters and puffed barley, with chicory root fibre, almonds, pumpkin seeds and brown rice syrup.

You get virtually a 3rd of your every day fibre wants in a forty five g portion — a few of that comes from chicory root, a prebiotic that feeds the great micro organism in our intestine (however might also trigger bloating).

The almonds and pumpkin seeds will present small quantities of ‘good’ fat and minerals akin to copper, wanted for vitality manufacturing. Once more, no added nutritional vitamins and minerals.

Well being score: 8/10

Style: Good, sturdy texture with a touch of vanilla. Low on nuts and seeds. 7/10

Excessive protein

Surreal Cinnamon Cereal, 4 240g packing containers, £24, eatsurreal.co.uk

Per 100g: Energy, 468; saturated fats, 3.2g; protein, 44g; fibre, 7g; sugar, 1.5g; salt, 1.3g

Declare: ‘Excessive protein, low carb, zero sugar.’

Knowledgeable verdict: The really useful 32 g portion of this gluten-free cereal will offer you 14 g of protein. That’s round a 3rd of a lady’s every day wants and 1 / 4 of a person’s — and roughly seven instances the quantity you’ll get from the identical portion of a ‘grocery store’ cinnamon-flavoured cereal. There’s additionally some fibre (just below 7 per cent of your every day wants in a serving) largely coming from added inulin, a plant fibre which may help to nurture the great micro organism in your intestine, and medium chain triglyceride oil — often extracted from coconut oil.

Research recommend this may help us burn fats extra effectively, however extra analysis is required.

There’s no added sugar right here — it’s sweetened with sweeteners known as erythritol and stevia (common cinnamon cereals have virtually two teaspoons of sugar in a bowl).

However it prices virtually 5 instances as a lot as comparable cereal. It additionally has a number of processed substances and, in contrast to many common cereals, isn’t fortified nutritional vitamins or iron.

Well being score: 6/10

Style: Candy and crisp, however there’s a barely odd, oily aftertaste. 6/10

Gluten free

Deliciously Ella Fibre Flakes, 300g, £3, ocado.com

Per 100 g: Energy, 456; saturated fats, 2.5 g; protein, 8.8 g; fibre, 4.3 g; sugar, 19.5 g; salt, 0.26 g

Declare: ‘Supply of fibre, gluten-free.’

Knowledgeable verdict: Made with maize and brown rice, amaranth (a gluten-free seed) and millet flours, these flakes supply solely 4.3 g fibre per 100 g — round half the quantity you’ll get from a bowl of Kellogg’s Fruit ’n Fibre.

The grains and almonds will provide helpful quantities of calcium (wanted for sturdy bones) however the coconut sugar and raisins imply a reasonably excessive sugar degree, with a forty five g portion packing about two teaspoons (although that’s nonetheless round 19 per cent lower than discovered the identical portion of Fruit ‘n’ Fibre). Like others right here, it’s not fortified with nutritional vitamins and minerals.

Well being score: 6/10

Style: Crunchy to start out however texture softens rapidly. Beneficiant nuts and raisins. 8/10

Excessive in B nutritional vitamins 

Nutri-Brex Gluten-Free, 375g, £3.70, tesco.com

Per 100g: Energy, 370; saturated fats, 0.6g; protein, 11g; fibre, 8.1g; sugar, 2.5g; salt, 0.57g

Declare: ‘Fortified wholegrain cereal made with sorghum. Excessive in B nutritional vitamins and fibre. Low in sugar.’

Knowledgeable verdict: Eaten with milk, these breakfast ‘biscuits’ are 96 per cent sorghum, a gluten-free, historical grain.

Two biscuits present 2.4g fibre — 8 per cent of your every day gut-friendly fibre wants. Helpful, however nonetheless 37 per cent lower than you’ll get in an analogous portion of Weetabix — these biscuits additionally include much less protein.

On the plus aspect, they’ve half the sugar; one serving has lower than a fifth of a teaspoon.

Plus, these biscuits are fortified with the identical added B nutritional vitamins as Weetabix — a portion gives virtually 50 per cent of your every day thiamin (wanted for wholesome cell perform) and 40 per cent of your folic acid (necessary for crimson blood cell formation) wants.

Well being score: 8/10

Style: Nice, toasty flavour turns soggy rapidly when milk is added. 

6/10

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