Many cereals contain high amounts of sugar that can contribute to tooth decay as well as weight gain. Look for products with less than 15g of sugar per 100g, or if they contain dried fruit up to 25g per 100g. This is because dried fruit contains sugar but also other beneficial nutrients.

 

Nearly all New Zealanders have too much sodium in their diets which can cause high blood pressure. In breakfast cereals, look for moderate sodium content of up to 600mg per 100g.

Breakfast is a good opportunity to increase your fibre intake. We need at least 30g of fibre each day but many of us do not get enough. Aim to chose a breakfast cereal with more than 6g of fibre per 100g. Fibre will also help keep you full.

 

Most breakfast cereals are low in fat, although toasted muesli can be high in fat. Chose a cereal with less than 10g of fat per 100g, and one that is low in saturated fat. 

 

While it is easy for us to get our daily protein needs without thinking about it much, a cereal that has some protein is of benefit in helping keep you full. Before checking the protein in a cereal, it’s best to choose one that meets sodium, fibre, sugar and fat requirements first.

Below we compare the common things to look for - sugar, fat and sodium. We’ve compared per 100g as each cereal differs in its recommended serving size. We’ve bolded what doesn’t fit within our recommended guidelines.

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