Nutri-Grain, All-Bran, Weet-Bix, Coco Pops: Dietitians rank cereals

Cereal is a quick and easy breakfast before school … but your favourite pick may be packed with much more sugar than you realise.

Although dietitians* and nutritionists* these days often recommend eating eggs, avocado on toast or oats with Greek yoghurt for breakfast, cereal is still a fast and affordable staple for many busy families.

So how did the experts rank the health value of 12 ready-made supermarket cereals, assessing fibre*, sugar, salt and ingredients?

While plain old rolled oats took first place, cereals like Coco Pops and Froot Loops unsurprisingly came in last, due to huge amounts of sugar and low fibre.

But it was the ones in the middle that might surprise you, including pantry favourites like Cornflakes, Just Right and Nutri-Grain.

#1 Oats:

Dietitians ranked rolled oats number one because they are high in fibre and not ultra-processed.

Australian Catholic University food and nutrition scientist Dr Emma Beckett – who previously worked with Kellogg’s as an independent expert in 2019 – said oats offered a range of health benefits.

“They’ve got a particular type of soluble* fibre called beta-glucans, which really help lower cholesterol*,” she said.

Higher levels of cholesterol can raise the risk of heart disease.

Naturally low sugar content in oats also helps support steady energy levels throughout the morning, which helps kids focus in the classroom.

Versatility was another key advantage, Dr Beckett said.

“You can eat them warm, add fruits or nuts, do overnight oats and add yoghurt; there’s all kinds of ways you can eat them,” she said.

Dietitian at Live Better Nutrition, Tania Mathewson said traditional rolled outs was her top pick because there was just one ingredient: rolled oats.

Pros: Low calorie, high in fibre, affordable and very versatile.

Cons: Certain sachets may contain added sugars.

#2 All-Bran

Bran is the outermost layer of the wheat kernel. Considered a waste in flour production, it can be used in cereal.

High in fibre and rich in essential vitamins and minerals, All-Bran came second in the rankings.

Dr Beckett said the fibre content made it particularly effective at supporting digestive health, helping to get the colon* moving in the morning.

“Bran flakes are really good in terms of dietary fibre, while also being lower in sugar and fat,” Dr Beckett said.

High fibre intake can also help people feel fuller for longer, improve gut health and slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, Dr Beckett said.

Ms Mathewson said All-Bran stood out for its fibre content – 28g per 100g – and for being fortified* with iron.

While Sultana Bran was another option, the dried fruits added three extra teaspoons of sugar for every 100g.

Pros: Great for gut health and your colon.

Cons: Higher in sodium (salt) than rolled oats.

#3 Weet-Bix:

Weet-Bix was rated a great option for sporty individuals who burn a lot of energy, largely due to its high portion of whole grain ingredients.

Whole grains are a great source of fibre, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

Dr Beckett said being fortified with vitamins and iron was a bonus.

“People often look at added nutrients and micronutrients and they get sceptical*,” she said.

“It’s not a trick, it’s not something that can be added to packaging, there’s rules surrounding what must be added and by how much.”

While fibre levels were lower than All-Bran, it was still at a level that could help meet daily needs.

“In Australia, the recommendations are about 25g of fibre a day for women and 30g for men,” Dr Beckett said.

Ms Mathewson said Weet-Bix was a healthy pick because 97 per cent of ingredients were whole grain wheat and delivered 12.9g of protein per 100g.

The gluten-free option was similar in nutritional value but contained 5.2g less fibre.

Pros: Fortified with vitamins and minerals.

Cons: Lower in fibre than bran.

#4 Special K:

Marketed back in the 1980s and ‘90s as the cereal that “keeps you looking good”, today’s dietitians instead classified Special K as ultra-processed and said there were better options out there.

Nonetheless, Diet Yumm director Purva Gulyani said this cereal was still an okay bowl filler for those who struggled to reach the recommended protein intake (19.3g per 100g serve).

“It’s a decent choice but it is dependent on how much protein someone actually needs,” she said.

Even though there was more than a teaspoon of sugar per 40g serving, it still ranked higher than several other sugar-heavy cereals further down the list.

Pros: High in protein.

Cons: Ultra-processed.

#5 Cheerios:

Cheerios are high in sugar, salt, contain a small amount of protein and are made up of 10 ingredients that include vegetable oil, colouring and acidity* regulators.

This combination meant it was not a favourite among experts but Ms Mathewson said the portion of whole grain cereals (62 per cent) was a benefit.

A spokeswoman for Nestlé said Cheerios were made with whole grain wheat, corn and oats.

“Over time, we’ve reduced the sugar in Cheerios, and it now contains approximately one teaspoon per serve,” she said.

Pro: Good fibre (8.1g per 100g).

Cons: High sugar (14.4g per 100g).

#6 Just Right:

Less healthy than Special K because of the lack of protein, Just Right was another cereal considered ultra-processed by dietitians.

“Concerningly, it is a very ultra-processed food,” Ms Mathewson said.

With 11 ingredients and more than five teaspoons of sugar in every 100g serve, you could be eating around two teaspoons for every 40g bowl.

However, a fibre content of 10g per 100g saved Just Right from being dropped further down the rankings.

Pros: Good fibre levels.

Cons: Large sugar quantity.

#7 Nutri-Grain:

For a cereal heavily promoted as being for athletes, Nutri-Grain was judged to be exceptionally high in sugar.

Although it had the highest portion of protein among all the ranked cereals (21.8g per 100g), it had 24g of sugar every 100g – that’s six teaspoons or the equivalent of six chocolate squares.

While infused* with iron* and calcium*, it lacked fibre and thus was best left for those with very high energy demands.

“It’s okay for a child at school, completing lots of sport and training, not for those sitting behind a desk all day … they are just increasing insulin spike and unbalanced blood sugar levels,” Mrs Gulyani said.

Pros: High in protein.

Cons: High in sugar.

#8 Milo Cereal:

With 8g of protein and 9g of fibre every 100g serve, experts ranked this one eighth on the list.

Dr Beckett said that although it was fortified with micronutrients and marketed as high in protein, it was one to be cautious about.

“Even though they have claims about protein and health, they are quite high in sugar,” she said.

Like Nutri-Grain, it was better suited to those who needed a very large energy hit.

A spokeswoman for Nestlé said that a serve provided one-third of the daily recommended whole grain intake.

“Nestlé offers a large range of breakfast options to suit a variety of health needs and flavour preferences and we’re proud that all our cereal products contain whole grain as the number one ingredient,” she said.

Pros: Tasty and fortified with vitamins and minerals.

Cons: Best left for those with high energy needs.

#9 Rice Bubbles:

High sugar, low in fibre and the second highest amount of salt, Rice Bubbles scored a lower ranking among dietitians.

Aside from the high sodium levels, the nutritional benefits of Rice Bubbles were fairly neutral.

While high in sugar, Rice Bubbles also lost many points because of the small portion of fibre.

With just 2.3g every 100g serving, it had the second lowest level, meaning it wouldn’t keep you full, would spike blood sugar and have no gut health benefits.

Plus it also had the second highest salt content out of all the cereals listed.

A spokeswoman for Kellogg’s said they were continuing to innovate with new products.

“Today, two thirds of our cereals are over 3.5 Health Stars,” she said.

Pros: Fortified with vitamins and minerals.

Cons: Low in fibre, high in sodium and sugar.

#10 Cornflakes:

With a base of corn, sugar, salt and barley extract, Cornflakes are high on the glycaemic index*, causing a greater spike in blood sugar levels.

The golden flakes also had the largest sodium quantity of all analysed cereals.

“People might be surprised, because Cornflakes, they sound really plain and simple, but they are actually quite high glycaemic index and they’re not high fibre,” Dr Beckett said.

Similar in appearance to Cornflakes, the honey and sugar sweetened Crunchy Nut offshoot ranked even lower on this list.

Ms Mathewson said Crunchy Nut had the potential to cause glucose spikes and negatively impact metabolism*, with more than seven teaspoons of sugar per 100g serve and just 3.7g of fibre.

“This is not a good start to the day,” she said.

Pros: Tasty.

Cons: Highest in sodium.

#11 Coco Pops:

“Just like a chocolate milkshake only crunchy” was the Coco Pops catchphrase for generations of kids growing up.

And as that slogan suggested, unfortunately Coco Pops remains one of the worst cereals among experts.

Ms Mathewson said its only benefit was that it was fortified* with vitamins and minerals.

On top of being extremely high in sugar, Coco Pops also had the lowest fibre level of all cereals analysed.

“We would say these should definitely be eaten only on occasion, it’s not an every day food,” Mrs Gulyani said.

Pros: A sweet treat.

Cons: Extremely high in sugar, low in fibre.

#12 Froot Loops:

You might want them, but Froot Loops was one variety to avoid and came last on the list.

With the highest sugar content, Froot Loops were considered high GI and caused a higher, faster spike in blood sugar levels.

With a whopping 10 teaspoons of sugar per 100g, Froot Loops also had one of the lowest fibre levels.

“When kids start their day with such high sugar levels, you set them up for a bad day metabolically,” Mrs Gulyani said.

“We would prefer to start them with something much lower in sugar.”

A spokeswoman for Kellogg’s said they had reduced 700 tonnes of sugar and 300 tonnes of sodium from cereals in the last decade.

Pros: Best eaten as a confectionary.

Cons: Highest in sugar.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• dietitian: a person who scientifically studies and gives advice about food and eating
• nutritionist: nutrition specialist job is to give advice on what to eat to remain healthy
• fibre: type of carbohydrate found in cereals, fruit and vegetables that the body cannot completely digest or break down
• soluble: substance that’s able to be dissolved when mixed with a liquid
• cholesterol: substance containing a lot of fat that is found in the body tissue and blood of all animals, thought to be part of the cause of heart disease if there is too much
• colon: lower and bigger half of the bowels in which water is removed from solid waste
• fortified: when something or someone is strengthened or reinforced by the presence of something or someone else
• sceptical: doubting that something is true or useful
• acidity: the amount of acid in a substance or in your stomach
• infused: filled with something
• iron: an essential mineral that the body needs for growth and development
• calcium: a chemical element that is present in teeth, bones, and chalk
• glycaemic index: GI, a system for listing foods according to how quickly they increase the level of sugar in your blood
• metabolism: all the chemical processes in your body, especially those that cause food to be used for energy

EXTRA READING

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How play helps keep you healthy

What scrolling does to your brain

QUICK QUIZ

1. Which cheap, versatile cereal took the top spot?
2. Which whole grains can be found in Cheerios?
3. What was the marketing slogan for Special K back in the 1980s and ‘90s?
4. How many teaspoons of sugar are in 100g of Froot Loops?
5. Which surprising cereal had the highest sodium content?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. The most important meal of the day
Breakfast is often touted as the most important meal of the day to help equip you with enough energy and goodness to get you through the day.

After reading the information from the experts in the article, in the first column, write down what you typically eat for breakfast each day. In the column beside it, make some changes to what you could eat instead, to be healthier and give your body more energy.

My breakfast now                                                                                          What I could eat for breakfast

Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
Do you think some of the lower rated cereals should come with a health warning about how much sugar or salt they contain, so kids can understand the ratings more easily?

Design your own “high sugar” warning for these cereals.

Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

VCOP ACTIVITY
Exercise the body and the mind
Exercise is not only important for the body, but it’s a lot of fun as well. Let’s bring more exercise into classroom learning by creating a VCOP PE game.

You can add a VCOP challenge to pretty much any game, and it’s a great way to encourage the teacher to let the class play more games.

Here is an example to get you started, then you create one of your own.

VCOP dodgeball
The normal rules of dodgeball apply. Two teams throw soft balls at each other and if you get hit, you have to sit out. The team who knocks out all the players on the other team, wins.

VCOP challenge: when you get eliminated, collect a mini-whiteboard and a basic clause from the sidelines. Up-level the sentence (make it better) by adding VCOP. When you show the teacher your completed sentence, you can return to the game.

Play for a set amount of time and the team with the most players left on the court wins.

Support: use the “Up-Level It” card set – players have to complete one card from the set instead of completing all VCOP challenges.

What can you come up with?