If you’re looking for wholegrain flakes for a weekday breakfast, don’t choose based on the name ‘cornflakes’ alone. Check the ingredients and compare fibre, sugars and salt per 100 g. Bran flakes made with wholewheat may contain more fibre than plain cornflakes, but they can also have added sugar. A low sugar content on its own doesn’t confirm that a product is wholegrain.
You want flakes for a quick breakfast and are mainly interested in wholegrain ingredients and fibre per 100 g. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises that the ingredients list and nutrition information are separate things to consider when making your choice.
You want to keep an eye on the sugars in your breakfast cereal. You also check whether a product contains sweeteners and whether the grains are actually wholegrain.
You’re looking for flakes that are easy to fit into your shopping routine. Pack size and up-to-date product information matter, alongside ingredients and nutritional value.
If wholegrain is your main priority, start by checking the grains in the ingredients list. Then compare the nutrition information per 100 g, so differences in stated serving sizes don’t skew your comparison.
| What to look for | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Wholegrains and fibre | Look for wholegrain cereals in the ingredients list and compare fibre per 100 g. | I want to know whether the grains are genuinely wholegrain and how much fibre the flakes contain. This combination is the top priority for around 42% of consumers. |
| Sugars and sweeteners | Compare sugars per 100 g and check the ingredients list for sugar and sweeteners. | I mainly want to keep an eye on sugars in my breakfast, without overlooking sweeteners. Around 33% of consumers give this the highest priority. |
| Pack size and shopping routine | Check the pack weight and the latest product information when you buy. | A pack should suit how often I eat flakes on weekdays and fit easily into my shopping routine. This everyday convenience comes first for around 25% of consumers. |
These names don’t mean the same thing. Kellogg's lists maize as the first ingredient in its regular Corn Flakes, with 3.0 g of fibre per 100 g. Albert Heijn lists AH Bran flakes as containing 74% wholewheat and 15 g of fibre per 100 g.
Check the ingredients for wholegrains, then look at the fibre content per 100 g.
Jumbo lists 1.3 g of sugars per 100 g for Special Flakes, but the product also contains maltitols as a sweetener. According to Albert Heijn, AH Bran flakes contains 13 g of sugars per 100 g, including 12 g of added sugars. Sugars and wholegrain ingredients are therefore separate considerations.
Check the ingredients list alongside the sugars and fibre per 100 g, and include salt in your comparison too.
Wholegrain flakes made with wheat or barley may contain cereals containing gluten. Albert Heijn lists wheat and barley in AH Bran flakes.
Check the allergen information on the pack of the product you choose every time you buy.
AH Bran flakes is a specific product worth comparing if wholewheat and fibre are your main priorities.
Jumbo Special Flakes is worth considering if you want to compare wholegrain ingredients with the stated sugar content.
Within this brand, regular Corn Flakes and Special K Original list different grains, so assess them as separate products.
Smaakt Bio Cornflakes Ongezoet is a separate cornflake option for anyone mainly interested in the ingredients and sugar content.
ALDI presents Golden Bridge Cornflakes and Golden Bridge 7-granen volkoren ontbijt as separate products.
Check whether wholegrains are listed in the ingredients and look for the stated proportion, if available. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says ingredients are listed in descending order by quantity. Also compare the fibre per 100 g.
No. Product information at Jumbo lists 1.0 g of sugars per 100 g for Smaakt Bio Cornflakes Ongezoet. According to Jumbo, Jumbo Special Flakes contains maltitols as a sweetener, so check both the sugar content and the ingredients list.
Check the allergen information on the specific pack before choosing it. Albert Heijn lists cereals containing gluten, including wheat and barley, in AH Bran flakes. Don’t assume other flakes have the same ingredients based on their product name.
No. The term ‘wholegrain’ alone doesn’t determine whether a specific product is included. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre includes wholegrain cereal products in the Wheel of Five. When choosing flakes, also consider the other ingredients and nutrition information, including sugars and salt.
