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Crunchy? Soggy? Scrunchy? Canadian Cereal Lovers Weigh in!
Cereal & Milk – Best Friends in a Bowl – Pack a Nutrition Punch and Give a Great Start

What do Bert & Ernie, Batman & Robin, Thelma & Louise, and Lucy & Ricki have in common? They go together like a bowl of cereal and milk of course! For the 78 per cent of Canadians who eat cereal for breakfast, cereal and milk are practically inseparable. In fact, according to the Kellogg’s Cereal & Milk Survey,[1] 85 per cent of cereal lovers say they can’t have one without the other.

Forty per cent (40%) of survey respondents say that one third of the bowl should be filled with milk. Thirty per cent (30%), however, maintain that you should add milk only until your cereal begins to float. And nearly a quarter (24%) of Canadian cereal eaters thinks that there should be equal amounts of cereal and milk in a perfectly balanced bowl. A steadfast, small but mighty six per cent (6%) of cereal aficionados say that there should be more milk than cereal in the bowl… and there’s no convincing them otherwise.

Canadian cereal lovers were more definitive about whether they like their cereal crunchy or soggy. With 83 per cent of respondents saying so, crunchy cereal is what Canadians crave. Still, that means nearly one-out-of-five (17%) favour soggy cereal. Yes, you read that correctly: soggy cereal.

No matter how you enjoy your simple bowl of Kellogg’s Cereal & Milk for breakfast though, one thing is certain — it’s a great way to start your day.                                                       

“Eating cereal with milk has been a breakfast staple for decades,” explains Susan Gatchell, Associate Director, Nutrition, Kellogg Canada Inc. “There are a lot of misconceptions about cereal, but when you look at the facts – the plain and simple facts – the truth is that a bowl of cereal and milk is a nutritious option that will get you going. In fact, a bowl of cereal and milk delivers valuable essential nutrients including B vitamins and iron, protein, calcium and vitamin D, and many cereal lovers say that it leaves them feeling energized for the day ahead.”

JUST THE FACTS: CEREAL & MILK, NUTRITIOUS AT ITS MOST DELICIOUS

Fact: Cereal and milk is a great breakfast choice. Studies have shown that people who eat breakfast tend to make healthier choices throughout their day and are more physically active than breakfast skippers[2],[3].

Fact: Canadians love cereal and milk. 78 per cent of Canadians eat cereal for breakfast and an overwhelming 85 per cent of proud cereal eaters add milk to their bowl.

Fact: Cereal is packed with nutrients and is relatively low in calories. An average serving of cereal with a cup of 1% milk provides about 260 calories, delivers valuable essential nutrients including B vitamins and iron, protein, calcium and vitamin D, and many cereals provide fibre.

Fact: A bowl of cereal and milk is an excellent source of protein. For example, a serving of Kellogg’s Special K Protein cereal plus one cup of milk can have as much as 19g of protein. By comparison, protein levels in other breakfast items include: regular vanilla yogurt and strawberries (5g), egg on rye toast (9g), peanut butter on whole wheat bread (9g).

Fact: Studies have shown that children who eat cereal at breakfast have healthier body weights. This fact holds true regardless of the type of cereals children eat[4],[5].

Fact: At about 53 cents per serving and taking only seconds to prepare, a breakfast of cereal and milk is a great choice for families on the go.[6]

Fact: Some people give cereal a bad rap, but the truth is that it accounts for less than 5 per cent of the total sugar intake of Canadians[7]. For example, a 30g (1¼ cup) serving of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes cereal contains 3g of sugar, whereas a 175 ml serving of yogurt (fruit or vanilla flavoured) contains 25g of sugar.

Fact: Give your heart a little love with a cereal and milk breakfast. Eating cereal regularly is associated with a lower risk of developing high blood pressure. Research has shown that people who eat breakfast cereal seven or more times per month were 19 per cent less likely to be affected by hypertension compared to those who never ate breakfast cereal[8].

Fact: Cereal can help your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. A long-term study of male participants found that those who regularly ate breakfast cereals had a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes after adjusting for age, smoking habits, BMI, physical activity, vegetable consumption and alcohol intake[9].

Fact: More than one out of four (27%) of Canadian cereal eaters say that eating cereal and milk in the morning leaves them feeling energized for the day.

To learn more about the simple complexity of a bowl of Kellogg’s Cereal and Milk, visit http://www.kelloggs.ca/en_CA/cereal-and-milk.html. And show us your bowl at #CerealAndMilk.

ABOUT KELLOGG CANADA INC.

Driven to enrich and delight the world through foods and brands that matter, Kellogg Canada is the leading producer of ready-to-eat cereal in Canada. Every day, our well-loved brands nourish families so they can flourish and thrive. These include All-Bran*, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes*, Corn Pops*, Eggo*, Froot Loops*, Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes*, Kashi*, Kellogg's* Two Scoops* Raisin Bran, Mini-Wheats*, Nutri-Grain*, Pop-Tarts*, Pringles*, Rice Krispies*, Special K* and Vector*. Through our Breakfasts for Better Days™ global philanthropic initiative,  we’re providing 1 billion servings of cereal and snacks – more than half of which are breakfasts – to children and families in need around the world by the end of 2016. To learn more about our responsible business leadership, foods that delight and how we strive to make a difference in our communities around the world, visit www.kelloggcompany.com. To learn more about Kellogg Canada’s efforts in these areas, please visit www.kelloggs.ca.

* © 2014, Trademark of Kellogg Company used under license by Kellogg Canada Inc.

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ABOUT THE KELLOGG’S CEREAL & MILK SURVEY

An online survey was conducted on June 6, 2014 among 1007 randomly selected Canadian adults. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 5.6%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure samples are representative of the Canadian adult population.

 

[1] Kellogg’s* Cereal & Milk Survey, 2014. Hosted on the Angus Reid Forum

[2] Rampersaud GC, Pereira MA, Girard BL, Adams J, Metzl JD. Breakfast habits, nutritional status, body weight, and academic performance in children and adolescents. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105:743-760.

[3] Keski-Rahkonen A, Kaprio J, Rissanen A, Virkkunen M, Rose RJ. Breakfast skipping and health-compromising behaviors in adolescents and adults. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003;57:842-53

[4] Albertson AM, Anderson GH, Crockett SJ, Goebel MT. (2003) Ready-to-eat cereal consumption: its relationship with BMI and nutrient intake of children aged 4 to 12 years.J Am Diet Assoc. 103:1613–1619.

[5] O’Neil, CE, M. Zanovec, TA Nicklas and SS Cho (2012) Presweetened and Nonpresweetened Ready-to-Eat Cereals at Breakfast Are Associated With ImprovedNutrient Intake but Not With Increased Body Weight of Children and Adolescents: NHANES 1999–2002. Am J Lifestyle Med. 6(1):63–74.

[6] Calculation based in part on data reported by Nielsen through its MarketTrack Service for the milk and cereal categories for the 52-week period ending April 5, 2014, for the National market and Grocery Banner + Drug + Mass Merchandizer channel. Copyright © 2014, The Nielsen Company

[7] Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.2, Nutrition. (2004).  http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-003-x/2011003/article/11540-eng.pdf

[8] Kochar, J. (2011) Breakfast cereals and risk of hypertension in the Physicians’ Health Study I. Clin Nutr. 31(1):89–92.

  Kochar J, Djousse L and Gaziano JM. (2007) Breakfast cereals and risk of Type 2 diabetes in the Physicians Health Study I. Obesity, 15(12):3039–3044.