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Say cheerio to empty calories and hello to Davina McCall's fave cereal

To the question 'is cereal healthy' we'd probably all like to respond with a resounding yes. The humble bowl of breakfast cereal is something that generates a lot of strong feelings in the UK.

From ingredients to celeb favourites (scroll down for Davina McCall's fave breakfast bowl) what to grab from the crowed cereal aisle is a hotly debated topic.

Remember the outcry when Kellogg’s tried to rebrand Coco Pops as Choco Crisp? (Truly, a simpler time.) Or the cereal diet phenomenon that had everyone and your mum eating two bowls of super-sweetened, crunchy, simple carbohydrates daily, circa the early noughties. A far cry from healthy.

Or then there was the East London hipsters flogging bowls of cereal for the same price as a salmon bento box, and attracting plenty of scorn from the UK press in the process.

You’ll likely have a packet that, should you buy it now, would serve as a time machine back to childhood mornings. But after asking yourself 'is cereal healthy?' you've likely left the cereal part of your morning routine in the nineties, along with your Kickers and penchant for CBBC at breakfast time.

But, the thing is, there’s nothing inherently wrong with breakfast cereals, it’s just a matter of taste, portion size and, um, sugar.

So, if you’ve ever wondered ‘what’s the best cereal for weight loss?’, ‘Is granola healthy?’, ‘how can I make low sugar cereals taste delicious?’ or even: ‘is Weetabix healthy?’ we’ve got you covered. Time to tuck into some tasty morsels of nutritional know how.

Well, when determining what makes something a healthy breakfast cereal or not, there are a few fundamentals to consider.

In order to navigate the many UK cereal options you should first think about what you really want inside that brightly coloured box of cereal (see: fibre; whole grains; fortified vitamins and minerals).

Then you need to think about what you, er, really don’t (see: lots of sugar, via honey and dried fruit, not just added sugar; saturated fats; long and complicated ingredients lists; too much salt).

Then to answer the question is cereal healthy you need to think about how much you’re going to have - and, crucially, how that regular bowl of breakfast cereal is going to fit into the rest of your balanced, varied diet.

Let’s start - as always - with the good; the things you want to make sure are present, correct and abundant in your bowl of breakfast cereal.

It’s got an awful lot to do with fibre. The best cereal for you will likely be a whole grain cereal since those varieties tend to be higher in fibre. And fibre is a boon for pretty much every health goal.

Studies have highlighted the role of fibre in bone health; protecting bowel health; reducing osteoarthritis; lowering cholesterol; helping prevent breast cancer and strengthening immunity.

If you’ve ever wondered which is the best cereal for weight loss then a breakfast cereal with ample fibre is what you should be looking for, because fibre plays a key role in weight loss.

Multiple studies have pointed to the principle that fibre absorbs more water and breaks down at a slower rate than other nutrients, keeping blood sugar levels steady and you feeling fuller for longer .

Bad news? We’re not getting enough fibre. ‘It’s recommended that we have 30g fibre a day but most of us are not reaching that recommendation, with the average fibre intake of UK adults 18g,’ says Tai Ibitoye, registered dietician.

That’s why choosing a healthy cereal to start the day is key to ensuring you hit your daily goals- whether it's weight maintenance, better digestion or even steady energy levels.

When choosing breakfast cereals, read the nutritional label to see if it is a ‘source of fibre’ which is more than 3g of fibre per 100g or ‘high in fibre’ which is 6g of fibre per 100g

In order to answer in the affirmative to the question ‘is cereal healthy’ you’ll want your biscuits, flakes, pillows or pops of choice to be fortified – essentially, enriched with essential vitamins and minerals.

‘Look out for essential nutrients that you might be lacking in such as vitamin D, vitamin B12 iron and folate,’ adds Ibitoye.

Sure, you can get these from other foods in your diet, but if you can top up your stores via fortified breakfast cereals during what’s often the most hastily-grabbed meal of the day, why wouldn’t you?

While we’re on the topic of what you should be looking out for on the ingredients list of your breakfast cereal, let’s geek out on the ingredients.

Unlike most plants, quinoa is a complete protein, containing muscle-fuelling amino acids lysine and isoleucine. With its subtle, nutty taste, quinoa works equally well in sweeter dishes – but you’ll need time to prepare it.

Its mild flavour makes millet a versatile vehicle, while a hefty carb count (36g per portion) makes it ideal for cardio commuters. It’s also rich in copper, for energy production, and packs more B vits than oats.

Packed with protein, this peppery Central American plant has twice as much immune-boosting iron as wheat. Plus studies have linked its peptides to a reduced risk of hypertension and cancer.

The most popular grain in the breakfast club, oats area source of healthy sugars called beta-glucans – which regulate blood glucose – plus manganese for efficient carb metabolism. Cheap and fuss-free to prepare, too.

You can’t answer the question is cereal healthy without addressing that many varieties stuffed with sugar, salt and, sometimes, saturated fats. (And it’s not always the stuff that’s marketed towards sweet-toothed kids that’s the most nutritionally suspect.)

Now, no one is vilifying ingredients here – high sugar, salt and fat containing foods have a role to play in a balanced and varied diet. But it’s a small one, and these guys really shouldn’t be invited to your breakfast bowl.

First of all, says Rhiannon Lambert, registered nutritionist and author (whose new book The Science of Nutrition publishes late December) it’s vital to get clear on what constitutes a high concentration of fat, sugar or salt.

‘While looking at traffic light labels – where more green generally indicates a healthier product – can be useful, it’s worth checking out the 100g nutrition label on the back of the packet as well,’ she suggests.

What to look out for:

Any Muesli or granola lovers in the house? While these can be delicious – especially the luxury varieties where the oats and wheat flakes are blended with an abundance of dried tropical fruits, or muddles together with lashings of honey – Ibitoye warns that they can be seriously high in sugar.

‘Once fruits are dried it becomes a concentrated source of sugar and calories,’ she explains. ‘So, it’s worth considering having plain breakfast cereals topped with fresh fruits as an option rather than having breakfast cereals with dried fruits in the pack.’

So, with muesli, it’s actually the simpler recipes – that focus on grains, nuts, and small amounts of fruit – that are a better shout from a nutritional point of view.

So, you’ve now got to grips with what nutrients belong in the best cereal you can have in your bowl, and why low sugar cereals are important, let’s turn to the topic of serving sizes.

Lambert’s top breakfast picks are wholewheat cereal biscuits, shredded wholegrain pillows (supermarket own-brand varieties are just as good as the leading brand) and, of course, porridge oats.

‘But be mindful of the portion sizes as it’s so easy to overdo the cereal,’ she says (especially when added sugar, salt and fat make those morning morsels so addictive you can’t not return for a second bowl).

While cereal portions for an adult sit between 30-50g, Lambert emphasises that it's important not to get too hung up on the minutiae of the numbers. (But, if you're looking to lose weight, err on the lower side.)

'Everyone is different – those are only a guideline,’ she adds. ‘Also, every cereal has a different shape, volume and therefore density, so the portions may vary from one product to another.’

Wise words. Now? Let's go Shopping.

If you're a granola fan, who wants a legitimately healthy version of your favourite golden, crunchy breakfast cereal, you need Bio&Me on your radar.

This stuff - created by King's College gut health researcher and registered dietician Dr Megan Rossi - is packed with seeds, nuts and grains, totalling 15 plant-based prebiotics. (Which feed the good bacteria in your gut.)

Oh, and we have it on good authority that this is Davina McCall's best cereal. Sold.

Another one from Dr Megan Rossi: this gluten-free granola has been formulated to be suitable for those on a low FODMAP diet (often prescribed by dieticians to people struggling with IBS).

It's made with 16 plant-based foods and fibres to help your mighty microbes thrive: from quinoa, buckwheat, linseeds and millet to carrots, dates, oats and banana.

Is Weetabix healthy you ask? Yes! While you might be lured in by their high protein variety, it contains almost triple the amount of sugar compared to this classic whole grain cereal that's low in sugar.

'Weetabix is high in fibre - 2 biscuits contains 3.8g of fibre - and it's also fortified with iron, which is great for women like me who have low iron levels,' explains Ibitoye.

She loves starting her day with a bowl of Weetabix topped with chopped fruit like bananas or strawberries.

'Or, if I'm in a rush, I'll make a quick breakfast smoothie using Weetabix biscuits, oat milk, banana, strawberries and Greek yoghurt,' she adds.

The humble oat, no surprises, makes the list.

'Oats are a good source of whole grains, which are usually low in fat and rich in fibre,' explains Ibitoye. Their gradual release of energy helps keep your blood sugar levels stable and keeps you fuller for longer, too.

'It contains a soluble fibre called beta glucan, which can help lower cholesterol level if you consume 3g or more of it daily, as part of a healthy diet,' she adds. 'And a 40g serving of porridge oats contains 1.6g of beta glucan.'

WH love Flahavan's organic porridge oats, which are chunky enough to make a bowl of warming porridge - or overnight oats - that are simultaneously chewy and creamy.

Is cereal healthy? Well, this box certainly is. Shredded Wheat takes the crown for the shortest ingredients list, being solely composed - 100% - of shredded wholegrain wheat. That means this one is a low sugar cereal and a low calorie cereal.

It's not a fortified breakfast cereal - one that's enriched with added vitamins and minerals - but so long as you're eating a balanced and varied diet overall, that doesn't detract from its healthy creds.

Why not serve with Greek yoghurt for a protein boost and mixed berries for a hit of vitamin C.

If you're after an extra high fibre cereal then this amped-up porridge from healthy food heavyweights Rude Health deserves a place on your cupboard shelves.

Inside the box is a medley of porridge oats, oatmeal, barley flakes, rye flakes, buckwheat flakes, quinoa flakes, golden linseeds - which give a gently nutty flavour - pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and poppy seeds.

As well as packing in tonnes of essential fatty acids and plant-based protein, this makes more a chunky porridge with a satisfying bit of bite.

Here's another granola with a nutritional panel that gets the green light from our nutrition experts.

It's a mix of oat flakes and nuts (almond, cashew, walnut and hazelnut pieces) along with pumpkin and sunflower seeds and dessicated coconut.

So is this a low sugar cereal? Yes - it comes in under the 4g of sugar per 100g that qualifies something as a low sugar cereal.

But, if you fancy something a little sweeter, then this oaty, nutty cereal - sweetened with the rich flavour of black treacle, the last ingredient on the list - is the perfect compromise.