by
Chitra Prathapan
| Sep 01, 2021
(Nutritional info based on 30g serving not including milk 100ml of milk contains 4g of sugar)
We’ve all heard the saying that ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but how do you know that you’re starting your day the right way?
We’re aware that we should minimize the amount of sugar we eat, but it’s also important to consider the timing of when we do decide to consume it. Plaque bacteria use sugar to produce acid which erodes enamel for up to 20 minutes. This is why it’s better to consume sugar as part of a meal, rather than through continuous snacking, to reduce the risk of continuous tooth decay.
The NHS recommends that children between the ages of four and six should have no more than 19 grams of sugar and for those aged seven to ten their daily sugar intake shouldn’t surpass 24 grams.
Take a look at our list to see which breakfast options you should wake up to and which ones you should be considering leaving on the shelf. Nutritional information provided by Aldi, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsburys & Tesco:
Green Zone
Original porridge 0.5g of sugar
When made with water, porridge is just right as a breakfast option. Asda, Aldi, Sainsburys, and Morrisons brands of instant original porridge all have 0.5 grams or below of sugar per serving. Tesco is slightly higher but is still a minimal amount at 1.2 grams
Rice Krispies 2.4g of sugar
Feel free to start your day with a snap, crackle, and pop as each serving of Rice Krispies only contains 2.4 grams of sugar.
Corn Flakes 2.4g of sugar
Corn Flakes are a breakfast staple for good reason as there are just 2.4 grams of sugar per serving.
Yellow Zone
Coco Pops 5.1g sugar
At 5.1 grams of sugar per serving, they’re certainly not the worst way to start your day, but it’s worth being mindful of what children are consuming throughout the rest of their day if this is their preferred choice.
Weetabix Mini Choc Chip 5.1g of sugar
Another favourite for chocolate lovers is Weetabix Minis which also has 5.1 grams of sugar.
Honey Cheerios 6.7g of sugar
Bee careful eating Honey Cheerios as they have 6.7 grams of sugar which is on the higher end of our list.
Red Zone
Krave 8.7g of sugar
Krave contains 8.7 grams of sugar per serving which is a hefty amount to begin your day with.
Frosties 11g of sugar
With 11 grams of sugar per serving, a bowl makes up more than half the daily recommended limit for children aged six and below which is not so grrr-eat.
Crunchy Nut 11g of sugar
Crunchy Nut finds itself at the bottom of our list as each serving also contains 11 grams of sugar.
Marshmallow Mateys 12g of sugar
Marshmallow Mateys are the most indulgent with a whopping 12 grams of sugar per serving which is half the daily recommended limit for children up to 10 years old.