The recommendation for consumption of whole grains varies between countries. In the US, it’s three servings of 60g of whole grains a day.
Cereals are great for breakfast, especially for children, as they contain essential nutrients, discovers KASMIAH MUSTAPHA.
IT has been said often enough — breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is even better if breakfast consists food that provides vitamins and minerals to boost energy. The right food can even help curb obesity.
For children, the best breakfast is cereals. It is easy to prepare, healthier than nasi lemak or roti canai, and can be just as tasty.
Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW) director of nutrition John Athanatos says children need food that gives them vitamins and minerals to boost energy and provide health benefits.
Breakfast cereals can be a part of the strategy to reduce obesity. Studies have found that children who eat cereals daily have better nutrient intake than those who do not and are more likely to have healthier body weight.
“This is why it is important for parents to make sure their children eat a healthy breakfast. Since children are fussy about eating, parents can make cereals more interesting and fun to eat. Add fruit such as strawberry, mango or banana,” suggests Athanatos.
While a healthy breakfast is important to help reduce obesity among children, parents also need to ensure kids exercise.“Doing only one thing will not help them manage their health. Children need variety in their diet and more physical activities,” says Athanatos.Since 2008, CPW has changed its products to whole grains for added nutritional values.
“Studies have shown that people who eat more whole grain products are at lower risks of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. This has motivated us to use whole grains instead of refined grains. That also sets our products apart from the rest.
“All our breakfast cereal boxes are printed with the whole grain tick, highlighting that if you eat a serving of the cereals, you will get 8g of whole grains,” says Athanatos.
CPW, formed in 1990, is a joint venture between Switzerland-based Nestle S.A. and American food company General Mills.
In Malaysia, Nestle breakfast cereals for children are Koko Krunch, Koko Krunch Duo, Honey Stars, Cookie Crisp, Milo Cereal and Snow Flakes. Except for Snow Flakes, the other products are made from whole grains.“There are no specific regulatory requirements of the content of whole grains in the products but we decided to make it 100 per cent whole grains.
“We preserve the nutritional value of the grains through the milling process. Previously, milling removes the bran and germ which contain fibre, vitamins, minerals and nutrients. In the end, only the endosperm remains.
“But now we mill the grains and reconstitute and preserve the content, bake them and add flavour to the cereals. So consumers are getting whole grains in our products,” says Athanatos.
Grain comprises bran, germ and endosperm. The endosperm in refined products such as white bread and rice, contain carbohydrates, which if eaten in huge portions, leads to obesity and diabetes. Bran contains vitamins B and C, minerals, zinc and fibre while the germ has minerals, vitamins B and E and antioxidants.
“In most countries, the whole grain intake is lower than the recommendation level. Even in countries such as Germany, where breakfast cereals are a staple, studies show that the consumption of whole grains is still below the recommended level,” says Athanatos.
“It is not easy for people to eat whole grains regularly because sometimes the products are tasteless, difficult to cook and textures may be tough. So there is a role for industry to use technology to make the products more palatable.”
The recommendation for consumption of whole grains varies between countries. In the United States, it’s three servings of 60g of whole grains a day while in Denmark, it’s at least 75g.
CPW has also reduced the sugar and salt content in its cereals. Since 2001, 5,000 tonnes of sugar and 850 tonnes of salt have been removed from its products.
“In most European countries, which have higher consumption of breakfast cereals, the meal only contributes about five per cent of total sugar intake for the day.
“At the end of the day, breakfast cereals with milk contain 180 calories, so they are not a significant contributor to calorie intake.” Athanatos says he has been eating cereals from young and now if he does not eat it in the morning, he tends to snack on something unhealthy and then overeat at lunch. So he never skips breakfast.“
It helps me get through at least the first part of the day without feeling hungry. Studies have found that people who skip breakfast record lower physical and cognitive performance compared to those who eat. My sons, aged 2½ and 6 months, eat cereals.”
Article extract from: http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Health_Startthedaywithwholegrains/Article/
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