UK Plans to Count Natural Free Sugars in Breakfast-Cereal Health Ratings

The UK government is consulting on reforms to the nutrient profiling model that would count naturally occurring free sugars when classifying foods as healthy or unhealthy. Bran flakes, which contain added glucose from corn or wheat starch, would likely be reclassified as high in fat, salt or sugar under the updated rules.

” He noted that Kellogg’s has reduced sugar by 27 percent and salt by 22 percent in its cereals over the last decade.

Under current regulations, all of Kellogg’s children’s cereals and four of its five bestsellers are deemed healthy. ” The new model shifts the focus from total sugars to free sugars and promotes diets higher in fibre, the spokesperson added. The government is consulting on applying the new model to advertising and promotions restrictions.

The spokesperson said the changes aim to support parents in raising healthier children by restricting the advertising and promotion of junk food. In 2009, a Which? survey of 100 cereals found that typical portions of some contained more sugar than a Cadbury chocolate Flake.

Many brands perceived to be healthy, including Kellogg’s All Bran, Bran Flakes and Special K, also had high levels of sugar at that time.