Cereals have managed to place themselves as one of the preferred options for breakfast, especially among the little ones. Bathed in a milk bowl, they barely require preparation, they are not too expensive and rich. But are they healthy? The OCU, organization of consumers and users, has indicated in a study that a good part of them are not. Among the negative notes include cereals stuffed with chocolate lion Wild, from Nestlé, as the worst qualified.
It has done it through an analysis of 94 cereals for sale in the main supermarkets and hypermarkets, carried out by the organization. It is here that the OCU points out that many of them are not only healthy but that, directly, they should not be included in any breakfast.
You may be interested
The OCU remembers that offering only the restaurant letter through the QR is illegal
The OCU notice on how to save money in families with low salaries: “They can get between 2,500 and 3,000 euros a year”
What does the OCU say about sugar in cereals
Almost half of the products analyzed (41 of the 94) suspend on their healthy scale, which analyzes the nutritional composition paying special attention to the level of saturated fats, sugars and salt, as well as the degree of processing and the additives present.
The results, recently published, have shown that many of these products, especially those aimed at children, contain high levels of added sugars, saturated fats and salt, which makes them not recommended options for a balanced breakfast. In fact, of those 94 analyzed, only five obtained a positive rating for the OCU.
These five cereals were those of consumer cornflakes, the Nestlé Cheerios Avena, Carrefour Bio Blé Soufflé Caramélisé, chosen (Ifa) Chocolate and Kellogg’s Rice Krispies petals. According to the OCU, these products stand out for offering a more balanced nutritional profile, although they already warn that they must be consumed in moderation, since they remain processed products with added sugars.
Consumption cornflakes, the best cereals
Of all the analyzed highlight the corn flakes of the supermarkets consume, which are the ones that have obtained the highest note. And not for another reason than for its good nutritional profile. Unlike others, these flakes have low content in both sugars and saturated fats. This makes them ideal for those who seek to maintain a balanced diet without giving up flavor.
In addition, these corn flakes are also suitable for recipes such as homemade energy bars, mixtures with yogurt or even as an ingredient in healthy desserts. As for the price, the box, which includes 500 grams of cereals, is sold for 1.50 euros.
Chocolate stuffed cereals suspend the study of the OCU
In the opposite case, the option that takes the worst note (25 out of 100), is that of cereals stuffed with chocolate lion Wild, from Nestlé. This has been qualified in the study of the OCU as ‘bad option’. Even its price is one of the most expensive on the list: it is sold for 4.35 euros and its box contains 450 grams.
The most worrying part of the analysis focuses on cereals aimed at children. According to analysis data, 44% of those who suspend them mainly due to their high content of saturated sugars and fats. Chocolate stuffed cereals present, on average, 28% sugar and 3.7% of saturated fats, while those containing honey can reach up to 30% of added sugar.
These levels widely exceed the recommendations of the World Health Organization, which advises to limit the consumption of added sugars to less than 10% of total daily caloric intake. This not only affects dental health, but can also contribute to childhood obesity and long -term metabolic problems.
The OCU also emphasizes that many of these cereals, although they are promoted as a fast and practical option for breakfast, do not provide the necessary nutrients to start the day in a healthy way. Instead, the organization recommends opting for more natural and less processed alternatives, such as comprehensive oats, wheat or bulk corn, combined with nuts and pieces of fruit.