Studies consistently show that if you eat breakfast you’re less likely to become overweight, and a nutritious breakfast can help reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Skipping the first meal of the day has also been linked to reduced intake of calcium and dietary fibre.

Tapping into consumers’ increasing demand for meals on the go, liquid breakfasts are a growing category in the shopping aisles. Sanitarium’s Up&Go has ruled the market since its launch 15 years ago, but other manufacturers have since entered the battle for shelf space.

But are liquid breakfasts as nutritious as they claim? ÌÇÐÄVlog reviewed 23 products across six brands, looking at their ingredients, nutrients and sometimes unfounded assertions.

How do the claims stack up?

Fibre

With claims such as “high in fibre”, “fibre for digestive health”, the “goodness of three grains” – you’d be forgiven for thinking the products are, well, high in fibre. But the industry’s own voluntary Nutrient Claims Code of Practice allows products with as little as 1.5g of fibre per serve to claim they are a “source of fibre”.

In January, a new food standard to regulate nutrition content claims on food labels was introduced, with manufacturers given three years to comply. Under the new standard, a product will be required to contain at least four grams of fibre per serve before it can claim to be a “good source”.

Market leader Sanitarium – whose Up&Go products claim to be high in fibre yet have under four grams per serve – is one of the manufacturers that will need to change (either their composition or their labelling) before the 2016 deadline. And while others may just meet the 4g fibre per serve requirement for the claim, the value of the fibre typically used in breakfast drinks has been called into question.

Given that breakfast is traditionally the meal with the highest fibre content, it’s disappointing that these drinks don’t contribute more to our daily intake.

Protein

After 2016, a product must offer at least 10g per serve before it can claim to be a good source of protein. Kellogg’s Nutrigrain and Coco Pops breakfast drinks both make this claim, but their current protein levels come in at 9.5g and 9.8g per serve respectively. Vitasoy’s VitaGo banana and honey, chocolate, and vanilla drinks also spruik their protein levels, yet fall below what will be required.

Soluble and insoluble fibre

Found in fruits, vegetables, oats, dried beans and lentils, soluble fibre dissolves in water and works to lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Insoluble fibre – the type found in wholegrains, the outer skins of fruit and vegetables, as well as nuts and seeds – promotes digestion and a healthy bowel. To receive the greatest health benefit, the Dietitians Association of Australia recommends we eat at least 30g of a wide variety of fibres each day.

Inulin, a starchy carbohydrate commonly derived from chicory root, is the favoured choice of fibre in liquid breakfasts, known for its ability to add a smooth feel without unwanted taste or texture. Devondale, Kellogg’s, Sanitarium and Vitasoy all use it in their products. While inulin counts as “dietary fibre” under the Food Standards Code, it’s different from the fibre provided by wholegrain cereals and it’s not the same as oats.

Nutritionist Dr Rosemary Stanton isn’t convinced that it’s on a par with other fibre sources.  “I really believe the jury is still out as to whether inulin has the same benefits,” she says. “It is a form of soluble fibre, but whether or not it is equivalent to wholegrain fibre I think is very much in doubt.” 

Accredited practising dietitian Melanie McGrice says the growth of inulin as a dietary fibre in processed food places her profession in a difficult situation. “If you’re going to skip meals, a drink is better than nothing,” she concedes. “However, I certainly don’t want to advocate that it’s fine to drink these products every day.”

A sugary start

While lactose – a type of sugar – occurs naturally in milk, it’s the added sugars at the top of the ingredient lists that are of concern.

Ten of the drinks reviewed have more than 23g of sugars per serve, roughly the same as a regular chocolate bar. Naturally occurring sugars in a cup of full-cream milk are about 12g.

Better choices

Breakfast is traditionally the most fibre-dense meal of the day – a good reason to ensure you set aside time for it.

A serving of oats with a handful of almonds and a sliced apple will give you about 11g of fibre (both soluble and insoluble), which is a third of your daily recommended intake. This is double – and in some cases, more than triple – the amount of fibre available in the liquid breakfasts we analysed.

Or consider one of the products we recommend in our breakfast cerealsÌý²¹°ù³Ù¾±³¦±ô±ð.

More like a snack

Stanton says manufacturers encouraging the “snackification” of breakfast by marketing these products as if they were complete meals is of tremendous concern. “More and more we’re moving people away from the idea of planning meals, which is not a good thing. These drinks aren’t the equivalent [of a bowl of cereal] – they’re cashing in on a healthy image to make people buy, when really what manufacturers are selling are snack drinks.”

The energy content of the drinks we reviewed ranges between 700kJ and 912kJ, despite a regular meal being about 2000kJ. With the energy content being more like a snack than a meal, those who consume liquid breakfasts may be prone to mid-morning snacking.

Stanton also believes there is no excuse for kids who don’t “like” breakfast. “If kids won’t eat their breakfast, they need to learn better eating habits – it’s just something they should be taught to do,” she says.

Processed convenience

McGrice says while the convenience factor appeals to many people – the average Australian dedicates just eight minutes a day to preparing and eating breakfast – grabbing a tub of yoghurt and an apple instead of one of these products is a convenient and less processed alternative.

Still, for those who do decide to drink their breakfast, the news isn’t all bad. Of the products we reviewed, most offer added vitamins and minerals – particularly vitamins B6 and B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, folate and niacin. Calcium levels are also impressive; most will provide you with 30-40% of your calcium RDI.

Product claims

Devondale Fast Start

• Its claim to contain the equivalent protein and fibre of a tub of unsweetened yoghurt and a banana is accurate.
• Sugar is the second ingredient in all three flavours.
• Claims to be “high in fibre” and contain “goodness of three grains”, with 4g fibre per serve.

Kellogg’s breakfast drinks

• Claim to be high in protein but falls short of what the new 2016 standard will require.
• Makes a “high in fibre” claim, with 4.25g per serve.

Vitasoy VitaGo

• Uses oats and barley for “high” fibre, with 4g per serve.
• Claims to be “high in protein” but fails to meet the required 10g per serve for the 2016 standard.

Aldi Goldenvale Quick Start

• Banana-flavoured product has no real banana.
• Sugar is the third ingredient in all three flavours.
• “High in fibre” claim with 5.75g per serve.

Dairy Farmers Oats Express

• Banana-honey flavour uses image of fresh banana, yet contains no real banana – just banana “extract”.
• Has a particularly flimsy fibre content of just 3g per serve.

Sanitarium Up&Go

• Biggest range: choice of regular Up&Go, protein-enhanced Energize and “naturally” sweetened Vive.
• Makes “high in fibre” claim, but all products in the range contain less than 4g per serve.
• Strawberry drink contains no strawberries and is coloured with fermented red rice.

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There are bottles of coconut water on supermarket shelves, it’s being sold in gyms and yoga studios, and online retailers are selling it by the case.

Not to be confused with coconut milk, the creamy substance often found in Thai cooking, coconut water is the clear liquid inside young green coconuts. While fresh coconut water has long been a favourite drink in South-East Asia, as a packaged product it has only recently hit countries such as the US and Australia with the force of a tropical cyclone.

But while the marketing on the packages claims coconut water is a nutritional goldmine, dietary experts ÌÇÐÄVlog spoke with say the only real goldmine is for those selling the product.

All about appearance

Dr Joanna Henryks, from the , has a special interest in healthy food marketing and consumer behaviour. She says coconut water is especially likely to appeal to those who aspire to a healthy lifestyle but not necessarily a “true” healthy lifestyle as defined by nutritionists and dietitians. “It’s the drink people would reach for thinking they are doing the right thing by consuming a ‘natural’ product,” she says.

And while coconut water is popular right now, Henryk predicts that, not unlike the wheatgrass, goji berry and pomegranate fads, coconut water is unlikely to be around in such a big way in a couple of years. “It just doesn’t have enough inherent benefits to be sustainable.”

Miracle or myth?

While coconut water has been marketed as a healthy alternative to sports drinks and other bottled beverages, accredited practising dietitian Tania Ferraretto says there is little evidence to support the claims made about coconut water and that it’s unnecessary for people to drink it for health reasons. “It’s been marketed and promoted as a source of minerals such as calcium, magnesium and phosphorous, but it only contains small amounts of these and other nutrients.”

A quick glance at some of the products on the shelves and on the net unearths more promises that Ferraretto believes are false. The marketing spin claims coconut water can also assist with weight loss, improve your skin tone and help with digestion, but Ferraretto says there’s no evidence to show any of these claims are true either.

So what does she recommend as an alternative to coconut water? Just plain water. Yes, from the tap. “It’s the best drink to hydrate the body and it’s free, unlike coconut water, which can cost up to $4 a bottle.”

Coconut water vs sports drinks

Coconut water is heavily promoted as an alternative to sports drinks, and is available at some gyms and yoga studios as a source of rapid rehydration. However, Ferraretto argues you should think twice before chugging down the stuff after an intense workout. “Although it does provide electrolytes and a little bit of carbohydrate, a sports drink is specifically formulated for athletes and the electrolytes and carbohydrates are at the right level.”

And while the marketing plays up the fact that coconut water is natural, Ferraretto says the body doesn’t distinguish between the electrolytes coming from coconut water or from a sports drink.

Action-packed analysis

A recent US , published in the , compared coconut water and a carbohydrate-electrolyte sport drink on measures of hydration and physical performance in twelve exercise-trained men.

Following a 60-minute bout of exercise on a treadmill, the men received bottled water, pure coconut water, coconut water from concentrate or a carbohydrate-electrolyte sport drink on four occasions in a random order. Hydration status and performance were determined during the recovery period. Subjective measures of thirst, bloatedness, refreshment, stomach upset and tiredness were also determined.

No differences were noted between either of the coconut water types and the sports drinks for any measures of fluid retention. Regarding exercise performance, no significant difference was noted between the bottled water, the two types of coconut water and the sports drinks. In fact, subjects in general reported feeling more bloated and experienced greater stomach upset after drinking the coconut waters.

The test concluded that all those drinks are capable of promoting rehydration and supporting subsequent exercise, and that for young, healthy men there is little difference between the four drinks in relation to hydration or exercise performance.

If you like the taste of coconut water and are happy to pay for it, there’s nothing harmful about drinking it. But if you’re drinking it for the claimed health benefits, you’ll be better off drinking water and eating a good range of fruit and vegetables.

Cheaper alternatives to coconut water

One of the star ingredients heavily promoted in coconut water is potassium. A banana has on average about 378mg of potassium, while the coconut water products we examined range from almost the same as a banana, at 328mg, to almost double (733mg). However, fruit and vegetables are our best sources of potassium, according to accredited practising dietitian Melanie McGrice.

“If Australians ensured they were meeting their each day, they’d easily be meeting their potassium requirements, as well as requirements for a whole range of other nutrients such as fibre and vitamin C,” she says. “A medium potato has about the same amount of potassium as a 500mL bottle of coconut water – and is significantly cheaper.”

Note: all the bottled brands we bought are 100% coconut water so their properties are the same as coconut water from fresh coconuts.

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