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Sultana Bran | Chewsday Review

This week’s Chewsday Review features Sultana Bran. There’s no doubt that kids love sultanas, so let’s see how this classic cereal fares when it comes to the crunch.

Ingredients

Whole wheat, sultanas (26%), wheat bran (26%), sugar, barley malt extract, salt, minerals (iron, zinc oxide), vitamins (niacin, vitamin B6, riboflavin, folate).
More than three quarters of Sultana Bran is made from wheat, wheat bran and sultanas, so it’s definitely true to its name!
Added vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, iron and zinc.
Barley malt extract is a type of added sugar.
Allergens: gluten, wheat. May contain: peanuts, tree nuts.

Positives

At 6.8g per serve, Sultana Bran packs a fibre punch and more than doubles our minimum fibre target.
One serve of Sultana Bran provides 3mg of iron, which is the same as two Weet-Bix and more than a quarter of daily iron requirements for young children. In combination with added zinc, this makes it a good choice for kids who are still learning to like meat.
At 260mg/100g, sodium (salt) content is well within guidelines and lower than lots of other breakfast cereals.

Negatives

Technically the sugar content exceeds healthy guidelines at 28.4g per 100g, but thanks to the sultanas, only about a third of this is added sugar (approx. 9.5g). Sultana Bran might seem high in sugar overall, but actually contains a lot less added sugar than some cereals like Nutri-Grain (24g of sugar per 100g) and Milo cereal (26.9g of sugar per 100g).
At $8.40/kg, Sultana Bran is double the price of Weet-Bix or oats, but cheaper than most other cereals, particularly if you buy the large value pack.

Marketing

‘More than 20% of your daily fibre needs’. This checks out, based on fibre requirements of an adult male being 30g per day. For a young child, one serve (3/4 cup) provides over 35% of their daily fibre requirements.
‘Start your day with Sultana Bran for a tasty way to get the fibre boost you need. Supports digestive wellness, helps you feel fuller, promotes regularity and good gut bacteria’. Mostly true – the health benefits of fibre are well-documented, but they aren’t unique to Sultana Bran. You can get a similar ‘boost’ of fibre from two slices of a high fibre bread (wholemeal, multigrain or high fibre white), a serve of baked beans or porridge topped with berries.

Alternatives

Sultana Bran is actually a great cereal option – high fibre, fortified with iron, low in salt and not loaded with heaps of added sugar. We serve it dry, in a trail mix style snack too.
I’m happy to include this in my list of go-to cereals (alongside Weet-Bix, low sugar Cheerios or oats). They can be used as breakfast ‘sprinkles’ too.
If you’re looking for a wheat and gluten free alternative, Coles I’m Free From Branflakes With Raisins contains less fibre, but also has a lower sugar content.