An earlier study this year by Which? Magazine discovered that 32 of 50 children’s breakfast cereals were high in sugar and salt.  Reuters report that Nestle will reformulate 20 cereal brands aimed at children by 2015, boosting whole grains and calcium content.  They will reportedly aim for average reductions of 24 percent in sugar and 12 percent in sodium.

Sugar levels

Mindful Mum reported in December 2011 that many children’s cereals are loaded with up to three times more sugar than the recommended daily limit.  Malcolm Clark the coordinator of the Children’s Food Campaign of Britain’s Sustain charity said that he is still skeptical of cereal marketed at children, despite these moves to make them healthier:

“Reformulating is great, but the question is how they then talk about their products. They can’t talk about them being healthy. They will be mildly less unhealthy than they were before”

Advice and support

For more information on foods to avoid for children, and how to make healthier choices, see Mindful Mum nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed’s article Top foods to avoid.

Source:  Reuters news, Nestle to cut sugar and salt in breakfast cereals, 15^th October 2012

Photography: StarsApart @Flickr