Are you eating a bowlful of sugar for breakfast?

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 health and weight management efforts.

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.

With the rising concerns of our country’s obesity epidemic, 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 inform themselves to make genuine health-promoting choices.

Also, don’t be misled by what’s shouted on the front of the pack or highlighted on the nutritional panel. It’s usually because the other nutritional facts are lacking. For example, if a food product is low in fat, there’s a good chance it’s high in sugar (see attached nutritional panel from a leading Australian brand).

A leading, so-called, ‘healthy’ cereal brand

Given sugar’s role in weight gain it defeats the purpose. The entire nutritional panel, including ingredients, is the place to get the facts about what you’re eating.

Compare SuperStart's Nutritional panel

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.

There’s other things as well but sugar is a major factor in so many negative health issues, especially weight gain and obesity.

Sugar is so pervasive in our diet we hardly notice it any more.

When’s a diet food not a diet food?

When it’s full of sugar. So many so-called ‘diet’ foods are laden with sugar. That’s how they make it palatable. It’s certainly not how they make it a healthy food.

When you’re next scouring the supermarket aisle for diet food, say “no sugar, thanks”. The answer is on the nutritional panel.

When’s a healthy breakfast cereal not a healthy breakfast cereal?

When it has dried fruit in it. Dried fruit is a sneaky way to add the flavour of sugar without actually adding sugar in the ingredient list. But it’s there. Again, the answer is on the nutritional panel.

By the way, a sugary breakfast cereal can make the ‘most important meal of the day’ far less important. Sure the sugar gives you a burst of insulin and energy but it’s short-lived. Plus there’s the bust of a mid-morning energy slump.

Would you like a meal with your sugar?

Alternatives to sugar

• Try products with no sugar added. Give them three days to change your palate from sweet to neutral.
• Stevia. It’s an all-natural sweetener ‘no sugar sugar’ I’ve been using for years. I actually tried a dried Stevia leaf the other week and you can tell where it gets it’s sweetness from.
• Low Glycemic Index (Low GI) foods. Not a guarantee of no sugar but at least a low GI diet will even out your body’s burning of carbs.
• Honey. Still a sugar but in a far more natural, unprocessed form. Use sparingly.
• Fresh fruit. Again, still lots of sugar in them but you get added nutrients and all important fibre.

“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.