June 4, 2023, 5:59 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Many children love crunchy cereals for breakfast. However, many of these cereals are unfortunately sugar cereals. This was the result of a check by Stiftung Warentest, where 86 out of 110 failed.
They fill several shelves in supermarkets as chocolate balls, bears, cinnamon pillows, or fruity loops and advertise with slogans like “high in fiber” or “with 50 percent whole grain” for a healthy children’s breakfast. But according to a recent test, most children’s cereals are far from healthy, with some packages containing up to one-third sugar, making them more like candy than breakfast. This is the finding of “Stiftung Warentest.”
Overview
High sugar content problematic in children’s cereals tested
In a check of 110 children’s cereal products for the magazine “test” (issue 6/2023), the testers cannot recommend 86 (!) because they exceed WHO guidelines for sugar. Four products also exceed the maximum guideline for fat. According to these guidelines, children’s breakfast cereals should contain no more than 12.5 grams of sugar and 17 grams of fat per 100 grams.
Also interesting: Children’s toothpaste at “Stiftung Warentest” – these are the test winners
Only 24 out of 110 products recommended
Tested were 110 products from the categories “cereals with cocoa or chocolate,” “cereals with sugar and/or honey,” “cinnamon cereals,” “chocolate pillows with cream filling,” “colorful rings” (like Fruit Loops), “crunchy mueslis,” and “mueslis and toddler products.” The 24 products with acceptable sugar and fat content come from the last two categories. According to the testers, they contain only moderate amounts of sugar and fat, as sweetness is provided by crushed fruits and fruit powder.
Tip from the product testers: What is suitable for toddlers can also be a good choice for older children. The most affordable mueslis recommended by “test” are:
- Children’s Crunchy Muesli without raisins from dmBio for 57 cents per 100 g
- two organic crunchy mueslis from Lidl Crownfield for 66 cents per 100 g
- Toddler mueslis from Rossmann Babydream for 72 cents per 100 g
By the way: Sugar in food hides behind different names. A detailed overview of ingredients you should check on the product packaging can be found in this article on FITBOOK.
With material from dpa