Examples of sugar intake at breakfast time
What is sugar's role?
Sugar preserves, gives a texture, a nice golden colour and, of course, a sweeter flavor. Cereal is made mostly from grain, which can make it a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals. So sugar is merely its partner (or maybe we should say sweetheart?).
Sweet fact
The World Health Organisation recommends a maximum of 10 teaspoons of added sugars a day for children and 12 for adults. The good news is that many cereals contain two teaspoons or fewer of added sugars per serving.

Did you
know?

Delicious!
The ancient Egyptians buried mummies wearing necklaces made of barley, and in 1324 King Edward II of Britain set the standard for measurement, making an inch equal in length to three grains of dry, round barley, stacked lengthwise at one end.

Rice in a costume party
Wild rice is not rice at all - it is the grain of a type of aquatic weed that was cultivated by Native Americans. It has a strong flavor and is expensive, so it is often mixed with other types of rice.
Just how sweet?
Sugars from breakfast cereals make up around 5% of the average daily intake of added sugars for adults (8% for children)[1]. And studies show that children who eat pre-sweetened breakfast cereal show no difference in their overall daily intake of sugars compared to those who don’t[2].
So there you have it – the sweet truth about breakfast cereal and sugar. Now all you have to do is enjoy it !
Find out more about sugar reduction in our cereals
Footnotes
- Bates B et al (2014) UK National Diet & Nutrition Survey. Results from Years 1, 2, 3 and 4 (combined) of the Rolling Programme (2008/2009 – 2011/2012). London: Public Health England
- Albertson AM, Thompson DR, Franko DL et al (2011) Weight indicators and nutrient intake in children and adolescents do not vary by sugar content in ready-to-eat cereal: results from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2006. Nutr Res. Mar;31(3):229-36. • Bachman JL, Reedy J, Subar AF et al (2008) Sources of food group intakes among the U.S. population, 2001-2002. J Am Diet Assoc.;108(5):804-14. • INCA2 (2008) French National Dietary Survey.
Footnotes
- ^ Bates B et al (2014) UK National Diet & Nutrition Survey. Results from Years 1, 2, 3 and 4 (combined) of the Rolling Programme (2008/2009 – 2011/2012). London: Public Health England
- ^ • Albertson AM, Thompson DR, Franko DL et al (2011) Weight indicators and nutrient intake in children and adolescents do not vary by sugar content in ready-to-eat cereal: results from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2006. Nutr Res. Mar;31(3):229-36. • Bachman JL, Reedy J, Subar AF et al (2008) Sources of food group intakes among the U.S. population, 2001-2002. J Am Diet Assoc.;108(5):804-14. • INCA2 (2008) French National Dietary Survey.
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Two things to remember: • Look for food labels where the word 'whole' appears in front of the name of the grain, like “whole wheat” or “wholemeal bread”. • For foods with more than one ingredient, make sure whole grain is listed towards the top of the ingredients list. The further up the list it is, the more whole grain has been used in the recipe. And look out for the percentage of whole grain. You should find this in the ingredients list too.
All Nestlé breakfast cereals carrying the green banner are made with whole grain; this is our Whole Grain Guarantee. They are made with at least 8g or more of whole grain per 30g serving. There are ingredient lists on all packs, showing the exact amount. By end of 2015, we’re committed to making whole grain the main ingredient in all Nestlé cereals popular with children.
A complete breakfast should include a balance of nutrients from each of the major food groups.