We all know and love the taste of a bowl of Shreddies in the morning – but are they good for us?
Today, we will be taking a closer look into the world of Shreddies. We want to know what they are made from, if Shreddies are bad for you, and if they are as healthy a breakfast option as advertised.
Join us as we answer the question of whether Shreddies are healthy or not.
What’s in Shreddies? (The Ingredients)
There are different types of Shreddies, each of which has its own set of ingredients. In the UK the most popular type of Shreddies are the Original Shreddies, the Coco Shreddies and the Frosted Shreddies. While one follows their standard recipe, the frosted variety have extra sugar and the coco variety have cocoa powder included.
The main ingredient in all of the flavours is whole grain wheat. Shreddies advertise themselves as ‘malted wheat’, which should give you a clue as to the second main ingredient: the barley malt extract. This is what gives the wheat grain its scrumptious flavour… along with the molasses and sugar added for sweetness.
There are very few other ingredients found in different flavours of Shreddies. These include B vitamins such as niacin and folic acid, iron, salt and natural flavouring.
All three Shreddies types mentioned above also contain inverted sugar syrup for extra sweetness and better flavour. You will find the most sugar in the Frosted version.
| Shreddies Flavour | Ingredients |
| The Original | Whole Grain Wheat (96%), Sugar, Invert Sugar Syrup, Barley Malt Extract, Salt, Molasses, Vitamins and Minerals (Niacin, Iron, Pantothenic Acid, Folic Acid, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin) |
| Coco | Whole Grain Wheat (77%), Sugar, Invert Sugar Syrup, Barley Malt Extract, Fat-Reduced Cocoa Powder (1.5%), Cocoa Powder (1.0%), Salt, Molasses, Natural Flavouring, Vitamins and Minerals (Niacin, Iron, Pantothenic Acid, Folic Acid, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin) |
| Frosted | Whole Grain Wheat (82%), Sugar, Invert Sugar Syrup, Barley Malt Extract, Salt, Molasses, Vitamins and Minerals (Niacin, Iron, Pantothenic Acid, Folic Acid, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin), Natural Flavouring |
Shreddies’ Nutritional Information
In this section, we have broken down the nutrients found in your morning bowl of Shreddies to help ascertain whether Shreddies are healthy or not.
How Many Carbs are in Shreddies?
Shreddies are full of healthy carbohydrate in a form of whole wheat but they also contain added sugar. The original flavour of Shreddies contain:
- 70g of carbohydrates per 100g of cereal
- 28g of carbohydrate for every 40g cereal bowl portion
Keep in mind these figures don’t include milk. When you add a 125 ml portion of milk to this, the carbs increase to 36g overall.
For Frosted Shreddies, the carbohydrates begin at 30g per 40g portion.
For Coco Shreddies, the carbohydrates begin at 30g per 40g portion.
Shreddies’ Fat Content
Those who are following low-fat diet will be wary of a high fat content. Original Shreddies contain less than a full gram of fat per portion and the other flavours follow suit. Each 40g bowl of Shreddies contains only 0.7g of fat, with only 0.1g of this saturated fat.
For Coco Shreddies, the fat content is 0.8g per 40g portion, with 0.2g saturated fat. For Frosted shreddies, the fat content changes to 0.6g fat and 0.1g saturated fat.
While natural fat is a necessary part of a balanced diet, we should try to avoid too much saturated fats. Too much will raise our bad cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart attacks over time.
Do Shreddies Contain Protein?
Protein is a vital dietary requirement since it helps our bodies build new muscle mass, although it has many other functions. The three flavours of Shreddies we are discussing contain the following amounts of protein:
- There are 4g of protein per 40g portion of Original Shreddies.
- Coco Shreddies contain 3.7g of protein per 40g portion
- Frosted Shreddies contain 3.7g of protein per 40g portion
The average fully grown man needs 55g of protein per day, while the average-sized woman needs about 45g (British Heart Foundation). Shreddies contribute towards some of the recommended daily protein intake although they are not very high in protein.
Are Shreddies High in Sugar?
We should all try to eat less sugar since it rots our teeth, increases our waistlines, and carries with it a risk of diseases such as diabetes.
The three different types of Shreddies found in the UK contain the following amounts of sugar.
- There are 5g of sugar in a portion of Original Shreddies.
- Coco Shreddies have 11g of sugar per 40g portion.
- Frosted Shreddies have slightly less, with 10g of sugar per portion
There is a reasonable amount of sugar in flavoured Shreddies with each portion containing around 2.5 teaspoons of sugar. This is on the high side. A bowl of cereal shouldn’t contain more than 10g of sugar per portion, if possible. The Original Shreddies are in this case the best choice.
Are Shreddies High in Fibre?
Fibre is important to help regulate the digestive system. The NHS advise us that it lowers our risk of certain diseases, including heart disease, strokes, and bowel cancer.
Our Shreddies case studies contain:
- Original Shreddies have 2.6g of fibre per 40g.
- Coco Shreddies have 3.7g fibre per 40g portion.
- Frosted Shreddies have 3.6g of fibre per portion.
We ought to try and eat 30g of fibre a day and Shreddies can definitely help with that.
How Many Calories in Shreddies?
The number of calories found in a bowl of Shreddies differs before and after you add milk.
Without milk:
- There are 148 calories in a dry bowl of Original Shreddies
- Coco Shreddies have 148 calories per portion
- Frosted Shreddies have 148 calories per portion
With 125ml semi-skimmed milk:
- 206 calories in Original Shreddies
- There are 210.6 calories in Frosted Shreddies
- And there are 210 calories in Coco Shreddies.
FAQs about the Health Benefits of Shreddies
You will find the answers to some commonly asked questions about how healthy Shreddies are in this category.
Are Shreddies a good breakfast?
Shreddies are not the healthiest breakfast you can have in the morning since they are relatively high in sugar. Although they do contain whole wheat, vitamins and iron, this does not make them healthy. It’s better you have a bowl of porridge in the morning sweetened with chopped fresh fruits and sprinkled with nuts and seed. In this way you won’t have to worry about added sugars in your breakfast.
Are Shreddies good for weight loss?
Although low in calories, the Original, Frosted and Coco Shreddies are all high in sugars. Sugar is bad for your health and could upset your weight loss plans. Eating a low sugar cereal such as Shredded Wheat could be a better option for you.
Can you have Shreddies on Slimming World?
Coco and Frosted Shreddies are not included in the Slimming World diet and must be counted as a syn. However, the original kind is allowed in a 40g portion. They were added to the Healthy Extra B Cereals list in 2021.
Are Shreddies Good for you or Bad for you?
Shreddies contain plenty of helpful nutrients which will do as the ads promise and keep hunger “locked up till lunch”. However, they are a reasonably high sugar option. If you want to eat the healthiest type of Shreddies, opt for the Original one and avoid the Frosted or Coco versions.