A bowlful of sugar or super healthy cereal?

Health conscious consumers should take a closer look at the nutrition panel of their favourite cereal to avoid often alarmingly high sugar levels that could be jeopardising weight management efforts according to Justin Smidmore of The Metabolic Food Company, producer of SuperStart breakfast blend.

“Many consumers are completely unaware that the majority of popular cereals, even the so-called healthy brands, are loaded with 20 per cent or more sugar,” he says.

“It’s no wonder people are reaching for high calorie snacks mid-morning when you consider the inevitable sugar rush and slump these sugary cereals deliver.”

Even ”real fruit” claims, via the addition of dried fruit, are geared at adding sugary sweetness according to Smidmore.

“Simply adding fresh fruit is a far superior nutritional choice, providing more vitamins and fibre, not to mention the fresh taste,” he says.

With the rising concerns of our country’s obesity epidemic, Smidmore believes it’s crucial consumers wise up to the underhanded marketing and half-truths trumpeted by many cereal producers.

“Consumers need to actively seek out the complete nutritional picture of their favourite cereals to empower themselves to make genuine health-promoting choices,” he advises.

Smidmore’s company is committed to helping Australians lead healthier lives and manage their weight through nutrition. Its SuperStart breakfast blend has no added sugar and just 2.1% of naturally occurring sugar.

SuperStart's nutritional panel

Developed after two years of research, its slow release of energy throughout the morning eliminates the sugar rollercoaster experienced from consuming high-sugar cereals, helping sustain fullness and minimising the need to reach for a high calorie mid-morning snack.

Australian-made SuperStart is distributed throughout Australia in Healthy Life and About Life stores and SureSlim Australia and New Zealand and is available to purchase online at www.metabolicfood.com.au.

Super low sugar SuperStart

PS. Low GI watch-out! Low GI is not a measure of sugar levels. So, while some products may be low GI they may still have high sugar levels. Another reason to check the nutritional panel.

PPS. Special low price on SuperStart – buy a box of 6 and pay just $8.95 per 400g bag.

T’dah!

Yeah, right. Eat less food and I’ll lose weight. Easier said than done. Too good to be true. Too simple to be effective.

Eating Less can be done.

Here’s just a start of the filling, appetite suppressing, hunger pang thwarting ideas from reputable sources. There’ll be lots more to follow.

…. In fact, carbohydrates are natural appetite suppressants, because gram for gram, those carbohydrate foods with a low glycemic index are the most filling and prevent hunger pangs for longer periods of time.
Glucose Revolution by Thomas Wolever MD PhD, page 1

Remember, too, that fiber, for the most part, does not contribute calories. Also, that it helps you feel full and encourages appetite control because it absorbs fluid, expanding and creating the satisfied feeling the dieter craves.
Complete Guide Health Nutrition by Gary Null, page 141

Enjoy eating less,

Justin

Fortunately, low GI diets and foods are becoming more and more popular. People realise just how easy a low GI diet is to follow everyday and every meal. More importantly, they feel the benefits of sustained energy levels and feeling fuller for longer.

On the other hand, excess sugar continues to dog our diet. It’s amazing just how many products we eat have high levels of sugar. No surprise about soft drinks but even those functional waters have loads of sugar included.

Eating museli usually makes people feel they are doing good by themselves and their diet. Don’t shoot the messenger but check the nutritional panel and ingredient list for just how much sugar is included.

Sauces like many chilli and BBQ sauces are full of sugar. Use sparingly. Or go for the real thing – a fresh chilli.

Are you eating a bowl of cereal or a bowl of sugar?

Breakfast cereal or breakfast sugar

Many, in fact, most breakfast cereals on your supermarket shelf are loaded with sugar. Even the so called ‘healthy’ cereals and mueslis have 25% sugar.

By including dried fruit the sugar index shoots up. Dried fruit is OK but you have to know what you’re eating. Much better is to add your own fresh fruit to cereal. It’ll taste better, fill you up for longer and you’ll get more fibre.

Where do I find the sugar index?

It’s on every packet of food you buy. It’s the nutritional panel and the ingredient list.

The nutritional panel will show you how much sugar is by serving or by the 100g. I prefer using the 100g information as it’s easy to work out what percentage of the product is sugar. For example, if the panel says there’s 18g of sugar then 18% of the food is sugar.

The ingredient list must show all the ingredients in order of quantity. If sugar is high on the list is also a good indication of a high sugar food.

Go Low

A low Glycemic Index diet won’t necessarily mean a low sugar diet but is a far healthier option for you. There’s all manner of low GI foods, some high in sugar, like many fruits. But in moderation and as part of a low GI diet you’re on your way to a healthier lifestyle.

Enjoy!

“The glycemic index, glycaemic index, or GI is a measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion, releasing glucose rapidly into the bloodstream, have a high GI; carbohydrates that break down more slowly, releasing glucose more gradually into the bloodstream, have a low GI. For most people, foods with a low GI have significant health benefits.”

One of those significant health benefits of low GI foods, like super low GI SuperStart, is how they help satisfy your hunger for longer. For people looking to lose or manage their weight the benefit of less hunger pangs and sustained energy is obvious. (If not so obvious…it’s less snacking!)

WHERE IS YOUR BREAKFAST CEREAL ON THE GLYCEMIC INDEX?

When independently tested with low fat milk SuperStart indexed at 32. Low GI foods are any that index below 55.

SuperStart achieves its low glycemic index from its unique blend of high quality cereals, grains, nuts and seeds.

We recommend people check the nutritional panel and ingredient list on all their products, especially breakfast cereals.

NOT ALL LOW GLYCEMIC INDEX BREAKFASTS ARE EQUAL.

Some low glycemic index cereals achieve their rating through highly condensed sugars found in most dried fruits, which result in a slower blood sugar reaction but are hard to digest.

One low GI muesli on the market, made from rolled oats, oat flour, diced apple and fruit concentrate has a low 7.8g (per 100g) of protein, carbohydrate total of 72.4g (per 100g) and sugar of 25.2g (per 100g). One-quarter of every serve is sugar!

SuperStart, on the other hand, has all natural ingredients like puffed Kamut, amaranth, roasted buckwheat, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and whole hazelnuts. All the 13 ingredients give you:

- 16.6g (per 100g) protein.

- 44.5g (per 100g) of carbohydrates.

- 2.1% sugar…that’s all, and the sugar is found naturally in the ingredients, there’s none added.

- 13.3g (per 100g) of dietary fibre.