I am not a big fan of the boxed breakfast cereal. The ‘healthy’ tag many have acquired seems to be a triumph of marketing over reality. However, given that most of us face breakfast rushed and bleary-eyed, the ease of opening a packet is justifiable. Bearing this in mind we have had a look at a few to see what are the best choices to be made.

The nutritional information given below is per bowl, as specified on the box. For the most part this is a 30g serving with semi skimmed milk. However, in a few cases a larger serving has been given, creating the impression of a higher salt/sugar content; in others, milk is not included, so comparing nutritional information given on the box is not easy. 

 RICE KRISPIES

Nutrition Info per 30g bowl: (with s/skimmed milk) 9g sugar, 0.65g salt

The Low Down: The second highest salt content of those we tested and not something you might anticipate in a breakfast cereal. The guideline daily amount is 4g per child, so just one bowl of Rice Krispies will get you over a fifth of the way there.

However, the rice base is a nice alternative to our heavily dependent wheat diets. You don’t need a nutritionist to tell you its chocolate side kick (Cocoa Pops) was horrifically high in sugar (but not as high as Frosties and Crunchy Nut Cornflakes – is that surprising?). A high sugar breakfast creates a short-lived rush of sugar into the bloodstream leaving your child hungry and unable to concentrate by mid-morning.

KELLOGGS CORNFLAKES

Nutrition Info per 30g bowl: (with s/skimmed milk) 8g sugar, 0.7g salt

The Low Down: Relatively low in sugar, but the highest in salt we tested. The Cornflakes siblings, Frosties and Crunchy Nut were the highest in sugar with a whopping 17g per bowl. That’s the equivalent of 4 teaspoons (1 teaspoon is equal to 4g), the same as a jam doughnut and I don’t suppose you (unlike your children) would like to serve one of those at breakfast! And before you ask, brown sugar has a marginally higher mineral content than white, but it is marginal.

CHEERIOS

Nutrition Info per 30g bowl: (with s/skimmed milk) 12.3g sugar, 0.5g salt

The Low Down: by comparison, neither good nor bad but too high a sugar content for my liking, although there are worse offenders. The mix of whole grains is beneficial. As the name suggests, whole grains contain all parts of the grain, and so fibre and nutrients are increased.

 WEETABIX

Nutrition Info per 37.5g bowl: (without milk) 1.7g sugar, 24g salt

The Low Down: a rarity, in as much as what you expect is what you get. Wholewheat with a low sugar and salt content. Adding a couple of teaspoons of sugar will still only get you on a par with a bowl of (no added sugar) cornflakes. My only reservation is that wheat can be difficult to digest and the density of the wheat biscuit is harsh on the hardly awake digestive system. The oat variant, Oatabix, gets a bigger thumbs up.

ALPEN

Nutrition Info per 45g bowl: (without milk) 13.5g sugar, 0.03g salt

The Low Down: seemingly high in sugar, but this will mainly be contained in the dried fruit which comes with the benefit of other vitamins and minerals. Choose a muesli with no added sugar, wholegrain oats (not wheat) and plenty of added extras (seeds, nuts, fruit) and you can’t go wrong. Beware of those that are toasted. For toasted means fried. And fried means a high fat content.

KELLOGGS BRANFLAKES

Nutrition Info per 30g bowl: (with s/skimmed milk) 13g sugar, 0.55g salt

The Low Down: I bet you didn’t expect a higher sugar content than Cheerios? I wonder if Chris Hoy (who endorses Bran Flakes) knows? A high fibre content however which plays an important role in regulating our bowels.

NESTLE SUGAR PUFFS

Nutrition Info per 30g bowl: (without milk) 10.6g sugar, trace salt

The Low Down: don’t be fooled, the serving given is without milk. Predictably high in sugar. The only non-sugar ingredient is wheat. What more can I say?

SAMANTHA'S IDEAL BREAKFAST

You guessed it! Porridge!

Nutrition Info: (per 100g) 1.0 g sugar, trace salt
Preferably not Ready Brek, which is highly refined oats, and more like baby food.
Porridge is much more gentle on the digestive system than wheat. It’s an important
source of soluble fibre which is vital for managing blood sugar swings and so creating a
sense of fullness and controlling appetite. Oats also bind to cholesterol and fat and
excrete them from the body. Add berries, a drizzle of honey, a sprinkling of cinnamon,
and seeds for extra oomph.

You could also try sugar-free or home made muesli. Eggs on wholemeal toast are a
great start to the day. Packed with nutrients, eggs are the forgotten heroes of the
breakfast table and really are a doddle to cook. Or if you need something on the go, how
about a home made smoothie – include berries, banana, oats, milk (try oat, rice or soya),
natural yoghurt, honey and a few seeds.

Samantha Murgatroyd, Naturopathic Nutritionist, can be contacted on 07941 828085