Sugar in Childrens' Cereals - Which? report SHOCK!

[Seraphina]

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/he...1466-23500011/

LITTLE effort appears to have been made to reduce sugar in children’s cereals nearly three years after a damning report, a consumer watchdog said today.

A study by Which? said there had been some “positive progress” since it reported on the healthiness of breakfast cereals in 2006.

But it said sugar levels were “shockingly high” and it was “particularly worrying” that so many high-sugar cereals were still being marketed to children.

A survey by the organisation of 100 cereals bought in January from the main supermarkets – excluding hot cereals and muesli – found a lower proportion of high-sugar cereals overall compared to 2006.

Seraphina? Report -- Shock! People need Which? to read the nutritional labels on the side of cereal packets -- and when someone reads them to them, they are "shocked"?

Now that is REALLY shocking!

[SiM]

Lol, I would rather have mcdonalds than this sugary crap.

[Fraz]

Lol, I would rather have mcdonalds than this sugary crap.

Is this woman your mum?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle2399352.ece

[SiM]

No, not my mum, thats me!
Last time I ate mcd's was 5 years ago! But 1 kcal of fat is better than 1kcal of sugar imo

[Georgy291]

who cares with all this sugar?

im sure if you take any food in the world they will find something wrong with it

[SammEl]

What's so shocking about this? Look at the content of the cereal.

Want to be healthier? Buy porridge or wheetabix. And look at the content of milk, not great either if you drink a lot of it.

Personally, those chunky Nutritional bars are ****ing shocking, in one bar is something like 35g of sugar, absolutely crazy.

[Fraz]

Food gives you cancer.

[Lucio]

Almost all processed food is "unbalanced" or "high in X" and these kind of reports are frankly laughable. So what if kids have a sugary breakfast cereal? Doesn't mean they'll automatically have an unbalanced diet, especially if having it stops them craving sweets as a snack later in the day.

[Seraphina]

Almost all processed food is "unbalanced" or "high in X" and these kind of reports are frankly laughable. So what if kids have a sugary breakfast cereal? Doesn't mean they'll automatically have an unbalanced diet, especially if having it stops them craving sweets as a snack later in the day.

I agree -- as long as the kids are not seriously overweight in which case porridge, molasses and low fat cream would be a very agreeable alternative if the parent(s) would be bothered.

[Fraz]

I agree -- as long as the kids are not seriously overweight in which case porridge, molasses and low fat cream would be a very agreeable alternative if the parent(s) would be bothered.

Parents cause cancer. Didn't you know?

[Piman]

It's been a long time since I did that nutrition stuff at school so I'm probably not remembering this right but I thought all sugar really did was rot your teeth. Does it get turned into fat in the body? I didn't think it did.

At least now you can get cereals with fibre as well as a ton of sugar, nowadays.

[Seraphina]

Does it get turned into fat in the body? I didn't think it did.

Yes, all mammals convert excess calories into fat. Living with a continuous, unlimited, supply of food is an abnormal state for Man; only the very richest were able to live like that. The ancients used to admire fat people - look at the ancient Greek statues, for example, and grotesquely fat women were in much demand. Fat meant rich and influential. For the rest of the population, food came in periods of surfeits and shortages; in times of surfeit the body lays down fat to draw on during the time of shortage. It is natural and normal for us to want to eat more than we need, and to lay down fat. To refuse food when it is plentiful requires that we fight our natural inclinations - have will-power.

[Fraz]

Yes, all mammals convert excess calories into fat. Living with a continuous, unlimited, supply of food is an abnormal state for Man; only the very richest were able to live like that. The ancients used to admire fat people - look at the ancient Greek statues, for example, and grotesquely fat women were in much demand. Fat meant rich and influential. For the rest of the population, food came in periods of surfeits and shortages; in times of surfeit the body lays down fat to draw on during the time of shortage. It is natural and normal for us to want to eat more than we need, and to lay down fat. To refuse food when it is plentiful requires that we fight our natural inclinations - have will-power.

Good post.

And are you really on a Yacht in the Mediterranean?

[Seraphina]

Good post.

And are you really on a Yacht in the Mediterranean?

Thank you Yes. Presently on the Fiumicino canal, part of the River Tiber, Rome. Leaving -- weather permitting -- this Wednesday or the following one...then I shall probably 'go dark' as I won't have WiFi, with most Internet connection via a very low bandwidth marine HF set or the amateur radio network.

[SiM]

So what if kids have a sugary breakfast cereal? Doesn't mean they'll automatically have an unbalanced diet, especially if having it stops them craving sweets as a snack later in the day.

Wrong.
Sugary breakfast -> blood sugar levels rocket -> Insulin spike -> blood sugar levels crash -> more sugar cravings. It is how most fat people get fat (and become diabetic!)

[Seraphina]

Wrong.
Sugary breakfast -> blood sugar levels rocket -> Insulin spike -> blood sugar levels crash -> more sugar cravings. It is how most fat people get fat (and become diabetic!)

I don't agree. While insulin and blood glucose is part of a closed-loop system, what makes people put on weight is a craving for fatty food. Fatty food is not only high in fats (and calories) but most comfort food is fatty....

Think chocolate bars... the damaging thing is the fat content rather than the sugar content
Biscuits... fat, not sugar
Burgers, cheeseburgers, shakes
Cakes
Fried food, roast pots, etc.
Ice cream (a no or low fat version with sugar is vastly better)

If, as a Type 2 diabetic, (or just someone wanting to lose weight) you control fat and let the sugar look after itself then you will be amazed at the results. Type 1 diabetic, likewise, but you need to juggle the insulin with care.

Cut down the fat and, for most people, the sugar will look after itself so no need for a calorie controlled diet, go on a fat-controlled diet. Very heart-healthy, too.