Cereal is a household necessity and can be enjoyed by many. It’s hard to say no to a bowl of Froot Loops or Frosted Flakes. But are people aware of the amount of sugar in cereal?
Kyle McGregor is a Londoner and an avid enjoyer of cereal. “When I buy milk, I usually buy cereal with it and I go through that box of cereal in about a week,” says McGregor.
He says that his favourite cereals were between Trix and Raisin Bran. Trix contains 26g of sugar per 100g, while Raisin Bran contains 30g of sugar per 100g.
McGregor says that he was surprised about their sugar content especially with Raisin Bran given that they advertise as a healthier alternative to other cereals.
“[Buying sugary cereals] are basically the same as buying a chocolate bar in terms of sugar content. I’m sure they provide a lot more fibre and nutrients compared to a chocolate bar, but to label them as the healthier alternative is a bit of a stretch in my opinion,” says McGregor.
Although sugar is very important and is needed for the body to function, processed sugars like the ones found in sugary cereals are not as healthy compared to natural sugars like the ones found in fruit. Kaitlyn Munro is a studying nutritionist at Brescia, and she tells us why we shouldn’t eat as much added sugar.
“The biggest difference between added sugar is that they’re usually less nutrient dense. Health Canada recommends limiting these types of foods because they’re simply higher in calories and they don’t provide as many essential nutrients,” says Munro.
Eating healthy is a balancing act and we need all types of nutrients and macros to function. Munro says that cereal only provides a finite amount of those nutrients and isn’t a complete meal.
“All foods can be be incorporated into a diet, and this includes cereals. But consumers need to be aware that [cereals] are often not a complete meal and are lacking nutrients. So, you are going to want to add some other foods like fruits or vegetables to make the meal more whole,” says Munro.
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