The 'healthy' looking cereals that are anything but - so how bad is YOUR ... trends now
They're branded as healthy alternatives, with claims of being high in fibre or packed with vitamins on their packaging.
Yet experts are warning they can be packed with sugar, which increases the risk of tooth decay and weight grain.
MailOnline looked at 12 cereal brands found that some of Britain's bran flakes, muesli and granolas, many of which carry health claims on the packaging, such as being made with wholegrains and containing no artificial ingredients.
But some actually have nearly twice as much sugar as Kellogg's Coco Pops.
The worst offenders, all with 12g of sugar per 40g serving, are Kellogg's Sultana Bran, Naturya Breakfast Boost Superberries and Mornflake Crispy Muesli Fruity.
A MailOnline audit found that some of Britain's healthier-looking cereals, many of which are listed as such in supermarkets, actually have higher sugar levels than the likes of coco pops
The high sugar content can be explained, in part, due to the dried fruit in these breakfast options, such as sultanas, goldenberries and goji berries.
These are high in natural sugar — that found in fruit, vegetables and milk.
While the NHS does not set a limit on the amount of natural sugar an adult should have per day, it can still lead to blood sugar spikes, and, over time, weight gain and tooth decay.
But it says they should consume no more than 30g of free sugars — around seven sugar cubes — which are those added to food and drinks, or found in items such as honey, fruit juice and smoothies.
And the daily recommended free sugar intake for children aged seven to 10 is 24g.
Food manufacturers are not required to break down how much of the sugar content in their product is natural or added.
Other high-sugar breakfast options sold in UK supermarkets include Nature's Path Pumpkin Granola, Mornflake Crunchy Granola Original and Waitrose Free From Granola.
Each contains 10 to 11g of sugar per 40g portion.
For comparison, a 40g serving of Coco Pops has just 6.8g of sugar. But that is all added sugar.
A bowl of Nature Path's Nice and Nobbly Berries Granola has the same amount of sugar as a bowl of Oreo O's cereal — chocolate and vanilla flavoured hoops and discs — which has 10.8g.
Dr Duane Mellor, one of Britain's leading dietitians, said that often the high sugar content in cereal comes from syrups — which he said are added to stop it from becoming soggy in milk.
'Too much of this free or added sugar is not great as it can increase the risk of tooth decay and has been associated with higher energy intakes which can lead to weight gain and increased risk of weight related conditions,' he added.
But Professor Gunter Kunle, an expert in nutrition at the University of Reading, said: 'There is always the
