Morning has broken (your healthy diet)

It’s pitched as the most important meal of the day, but with only 8 per cent of cereals getting a green light for healthy sugar levels, many Britons are waking up to poor nutrition, a new report has uncovered.

Adults and children have a hard job finding a healthy start to the day, as cereal companies continue to add large amounts of sugar to their top brands, reveals the latest report for consumer champion, Which?

31 cereals out of the 100 looked at contained more than four teaspoons of sugar per recommended serving and only one of the 28 cereals specifically marketed to children was found not to be high in sugar (but was still high in salt).

Morrisons Choco Crackles topped the sweet mountain with more sugar per serving than a Cadbury’s Chocolate Flake, followed closely by Kellogg’s Coco Pops Moons and Stars, Frosties and Ricicles which were over a third (37 per cent) pure sugar.

Many brands thought of as healthy, such as Kellogg’s All Bran, Bran Flakes and Special K did little to bowl over Which? researchers. Starting the day with Special K, for example, would be almost the sugar equivalent to waking up to a bowl of Tesco’s Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Ice Cream.

The report Going Against the Grain, published today, analysed 100 leading UK cereals. Although sugar levels remained high, positive changes could be seen with reductions in salt content. Despite this, 100g of Tesco Special Flakes was still found to contain the same amount of salt as 100g of Walkers Ready Salted crisps.

Other issues included confusing labelling, and questionable health and nutrition claims allowing some companies to promote a wholesome image for their brand, while failing to emphasise the high sugar or salt content.

Sue Davies, Chief Policy Adviser, Which? said:

“Breakfast is important, and some cereals deserve their healthy image, but most simply don’t. It’s especially shocking that almost all those targeted at children are less healthy. With such little choice, it’s a daily struggle for consumers.

“Cereal manufacturers need to wake up to the fact that people want to eat healthily and provide them with the means to do so by reducing sugar and salt levels and making labelling clearer. With over a billion pounds spent on cereals every year, it’s time they rose to the occasion. ”

For more information or a copy of Going Against the Grain, visit which.co.uk/cereals.