A dietitian ranks 10 popular supermarket mueslis from the healthiest to the hell-no

Like many sections of the supermarket, the granola and muesli section has exploded, and with so many different options it can be challenging to note the differences between the varieties.

So what should you look for in a muesli? There are a number of nutritional markers to watch for in a good-quality breakfast cereal. Minimally processed options that have a high percentage of whole grains are generally much higher in dietary fibre and key nutrients including zinc, magnesium and iron, while options that have as little added sugars as possible, whether that’s sugar, honey or rice malt syrup, produce cereal options that contain 5g of sugars or less per serve.

As a nutritional bonus, options that contain a high percentage of added nuts and seeds add essential fats and key nutrients including zinc and vitamin E. While they may slightly increase the fat content, they will remain nutritionally balanced as long as the product contains less than 3g of saturated fat per 100g.

A quick scan of the ingredient list can reveal plenty of useful information. Shorter ingredient lists that contain basic ingredients we recognise are a strong marker of less processing. It is also easy to spot the presence of unwanted additives such as vegetable oil and extra sugars, additions that few of us need in our diet in general.

So, if muesli is your thing, here are some top-sellings supermarket brands that rate well nutritionally, and why.

Supermarket top sellers, ranked nutritionally from best to worst

List based on supermarket sales data

1. Carman’s Original Muesli 875g

With a base of oats and 18 per cent nuts and seeds, you would be hard-pressed to find a better muesli mix from a nutrition perspective. While it is toasted and as such not low in fat, it has only a handful of ingredients including a mix of good fats. This means this product is exceptionally low in saturated fat and adds a hearty serving of good fats thanks to its blend of seeds and nuts, which are especially high in the plant form of omega-3 fats. Plus, it tastes amazing.

2. Carman’s Natural Muesli 875g

Slightly lower in fat and calories thanks to the untoasted oat base, this product has a strong ingredient list and still comes in below 5g of sugars per serve. A good option if you prefer your muesli with fruit and less crunch.

3. Carman’s Classic Muesli 875g

The wholegrain base, the addition of 16 per cent nuts and seeds, and a simple ingredient list makes this product nutritionally superior to other muesli mixes on the market. The only downside is the addition of dried fruit, which bumps up the sugar content. However, with almost 5g of dietary fibre per serve, this is a strong muesli option.

4. Carman’s Superberry 875g

If you love fruit in your muesli, this is one of the best choices nutritionally. It has a base of wholegrain oats and 18 per cent nuts and seeds, offering almost 6g of dietary fibre per serve and a healthy ingredient list. It does contain a little more sugar than some varieties, with 6.1g per serve, but that’s relatively low for a muesli blend that contains dried fruit.

5. Carman’s Granola Low Sugar Raspberry & Coconut 450g

The addition of chicory root fibre bumps up the dietary fibre content of this product to more than 7g per serve, although some may find this concentrated source of dietary fibre a little too much for their digestive system. With just 2g of sugars per serve, this is a good option if you prefer a sweeter muesli.

6. Morning Sun Muesli Apricot Almond 650g

A good option with a 71 per cent oat base, which translates into almost 5g of dietary fibre per serve. The only downside is that the high percentage of dried fruit bumps up the overall sugar content slightly, and adds the sulphite range of preservatives to the product.

7. Jordans Granola Oat Berries Crunchy 500g

The 72 per cent wholegrain base is strong, but with added sugar and vegetable oil and just 3 per cent seeds, this granola offers just 3g of dietary fibre per serve and almost 2 tsp of sugars.

8. Jordans Oat Clusters Chunky Nut 500g

The addition of 12 per cent nuts improves the nutritional profile of this product but with less than 50 per cent whole grains as a base and sugar as the second ingredient, as well as added vegetable oil used in processing, there are better mueslis available with fewer processed ingredients. Nutritionally the dietary fibre is also low for a cereal, and the overall sugar content is high at almost 8g per serve.

9. Jordans Oat Clusters Wild About Berries 500g

With a 54 per cent wholegrain base, and refined starch, sugar and vegetable oil listed as the first ingredients, there are better muesli mixes available. The dietary fibre content is reasonable at 3.6g per serve, but the sugar high at 11g per serve.

10. Jordans Oat Clusters Strawberry 500g

This variety offers less than 3g of dietary fibre per serve, and just over 50 per cent whole grains, plus almost 10g of sugars per serve alongside added vegetable oil and sugar. There are much healthier granola and muesli options available.

Clarification: This story has been updated to say the list of 10 popular supermarket mueslis is based on supermarket sales data.