Give kids a high-fibre head start

Any busy mum will appreciate just how hectic the morning routine can be. Between getting the kids ready and ensuring everyone is fed and watered, the question of what's the best breakfast option for your children can get lost in the chaos. Alyson Greenhalgh-Ball, a registered dietitian and Head of Nutrition at Kellogg's, explains the facts about their new high fibre cereal, Coco Pops™ Choc 'N' Roll™.

We're all aware of how important a healthy breakfast is but whether it's because there's no time or the children simply aren't hungry, sometimes it can be difficult to get them to eat properly before school.

Indeed, the fact is one in six children in the UK miss breakfast every day. As a result, children are spending £646m on a sweet shop breakfast of meat snacks, crisps and fizzy drinks on the way to school in the morning.

When children skip breakfast, they miss out on important nutrients such as B vitamins and iron, and studies have shown that they don't 'make up' for these nutrients during the rest of the day. And we don't want the distraction of hunger getting in the way of concentration!

High in fibre

You may have heard that eight out of ten of us aren't eating enough fibre1, but did you know that eight out of ten school children don't get enough either2? So everyone in the family should be making an effort to try and increase their fibre intake. Starting the day with a tasty bowl of high fibre Choc 'N' Roll™ cereal may help you on your way.

Fibre is usually found in plants, fruit, vegetables and grains, and in the case of high fibre Choc 'N' Roll™ cereal it comes from wheat and oats.

Different fibres can work in different ways: it can help to keep us feeling full and satisfied, it can help improve digestion by helping food move through the gut and it provide a food source for the friendly bacteria that live in the lower gut.

Sugar in perspective

Did you know that breakfast cereal contributes only 5 per cent of the sugar in the diet of the UK3, and only 3.6 per cent of the sugar purchased in the nation's shopping basket4?

A 30g bowl of Choc 'N' Roll™ cereal has 9 per cent of the Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA) for sugar - and at the same time, the benefits of milk, six essential B vitamins, vitamin D, and iron and calcium. A great solution for busy parents - knowing there will be no rumbling tummies leaving the house in the morning.

You can clearly see how much sugar is in a 30g portion of high fibre Choc 'N' Roll™ cereal by checking the GDA on the front of the pack.

The figure on the front of the pack is based on a GDA of sugar being 90g (this is a maximum, not a target) - suitable for the general population. The GDA for children (5-10 years old) is not actually much less - this is because although children are smaller, they are active and growing, therefore their GDA for sugar is 85g.

Because this is so similar to the one for 'all of the population' as used on the front of the pack, this also works out to be 9 per cent GDA for children (5-10 years old). So in this case, the figure on the front of the pack, although for the 'general population', works out to be the same for a 5-10 year old.

Sugar's role in the diet

Sugar is a form of carbohydrate, which is the body's main source of energy. There are many different types of sugar in our diet, including table sugar, honey, fruit and even milk sugar.

Each has slight chemical differences, but essentially they're the same. All sugars, like all carbohydrates, provide approximately four calories per gram.

And despite popular belief, one type of sugar is not better than another. For example, the body can't distinguish between the sucrose in the sugar bowl and sucrose that exists naturally in fruit and vegetables.

No matter what food sugar starts in - a glass of milk, a teaspoon of honey, a bowl of pasta, or a bowl of cereal; all carbohydrates (starches as well as sugar) are broken down by the body and converted into glucose - the form of sugar which can be used by the brain, muscles and organs.

Calcium for kids

Forty one per cent of milk in the UK is consumed with breakfast cereal5, so turning the milk chocolatey with high fibre Choc 'N' Roll™ cereal is a great way to ensure children are getting calcium.

When your children wake up, they've probably gone 10-12 hours without food, their energy reserves are low and their bodies, and brains, need fuel.

The food developers and nutritionists at Kellogg's have spent more than two years concentrating on every aspect of Choc 'N' Roll™ cereal to ensure that it keeps children happy, as well as parents. The chocolatey Coco taste means there will be no milk left at the bottom of the bowl, and in the colder months, adding hot milk makes a tasty winter warmer while the wheel shape gives our high-fibre breakfast cereal a fun twist.

Tips for increasing fibre intake:

- Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
- Wash fruit and vegetables well and leave skins on for added fibre (e.g. don't peel potatoes before boiling).
- Eat more wholegrain or granary bread, whole grain pasta and brown rice.
- Try to get your family to eat more beans, pulses and lentils - they're great in soups, salads and casseroles.

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1 Henderson L & Gregory J (2003). The National Diet and Nutrition Survey: adults aged 19-64 years
2 Gregory et al (2000) National Diet and Nutrition Survey: Young people aged 4 to 18 years. The Stationery Office. London.
3 Bates B et al (2010) National Diet and Nutrition Survey: Headline results from Year 1 of the rolling programme (2008/9) see www.food.gov.uk
4 Taylor Nelson and Sofres (TNS) World Panel Nutrition Service 2009
5 Taylor Nelson and Sofres (TNS) Family Food Panel 2003 var d=new Date(); var timestamp=d.getTime(); document.write(''); document.write('');