Breakfast crunch

With a huge range of cereals available, it’s hard to choose good from bad

The best cereal for you

The supermarket cereal aisle can be a confusing place. So much choice and so many options proudly proclaiming their health credentials. How do you make the right choice?

To make life easier, we’ve selected some of our favourites. These are all high in fibre to keep you feeling fuller for longer and to avoid spikes in BGLs. There are plenty of other nutritious cereals available, so it’s worth taking the time to read a few food labels next time you’re shopping. As a rule of thumb, seek cereals based on whole grains with: at least 9g fibre per 100g; less than 10g of fat per 100g; and less than 300mg of sodium per 100g.

Unfortunately, the nutrition information panel does not distinguish between added sugars and naturally occurring sugars (i.e. from healthy ingredients such as dried fruit).

It’s a good idea to check out the ingredients list and avoid cereals with sugar as one of the first two ingredients. The list is written in descending weight, so the first two ingredients show what a product is primarily made up of.

Rather than relying on the manufacturer’s recommended serving size, pick a size that will meet your needs to best manage your BGLs. An Accredited Practising Dietitian can help guide you on this.