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The CEO of the American giant Kellogg’s, Gary Pilnick, encouraged consumers to eat cereal in the evening to tackle inflation. Beyond the opportunism of the recommendations, there is reason to question from a nutritional point of view. Details from a dietitian-nutritionist.
Cereal in a bowl of milk, topped with some fruit. This menu could be ideal for dinner, according to Gary Pilnick, CEO of the American giant Kellogg’s. Ideal for coping with inflation. This is what the man implied during an interview with the American television channel CNBC on February 21. “We serve cereal at dinner,” he said, noting that “the price of a cup of cereal with milk and fruit is less than $1.” Unsurprisingly, the comments outraged netizens on social media who cried scandal and opportunism. And beyond the communication strategy, there is reason to question the merits of the suggestion from a nutritional point of view.
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Because here, we are far from muesli or oatmeal. Gary Pilnick being CEO of Kellogg’s, the cereal in question, cornflakes, are mainly ultra-processed, resulting from an industrial process that destroys what we call the “matrix” of food. In any case, it is essential because it is what allows us to assimilate vitamins, minerals and all nutrients from food. These cereals, often puffed, are also very sweet. “The so-called “empty calories” cause a spike in blood sugar (a sudden increase in blood sugar levels, editor’s note) that will go down as quickly and cause fatigue and cravings, comments Alexandra Retion, dietitian nutritionist. Shortly after eating, the body will ask for something and you may feel hungry.”
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Where are the fibers?
In addition, industrial cereals do not contain fiber. However, they are essential for our intestinal transit, they regulate it and take care of our microbiota. It is also thanks to them that we feel full; without them, we eat more. Not forgetting that such a meal does not provide enough “good” proteins to the body, despite the presence of milk. “They are essential for the proper functioning of our metabolism,” explains the dietitian nutritionist. Our cells and tissues are made up of protein and if we do not maintain this structure, we observe a loss of muscle mass; a phenomenon that is already natural with age.”
Their so-called “empty” calories cause a spike in blood sugar levels. Shortly after eating, the body will demand something and you may feel hungry.
Alexandra Retion, dietician nutritionist
In summary? In addition to being uninteresting from a nutritional point of view (they are only carbohydrates), industrial cereals harm us in the long run because of their composition. “Of course, if dinner on cereals is a pleasure, you can do it exceptionally,” adds Alexandra Retion, remembering the importance of keeping in mind that the menu is unbalanced. As a reminder, a so-called healthy and balanced dinner menu consists of starchy foods, proteins, vegetables and “good” fats; it includes unsaturated fatty acids, such as omega-3, which are found in tuna, salmon and mackerel, and omega-9, which can be found for example in olive oil.
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The dietitian finally reminds us that an inexpensive dinner can easily be composed of foods with interesting nutritional benefits. We can therefore mix starchy foods and vegetables to benefit from good proteins, mixing rice (or pasta, semolina) with chickpeas or red beans, for example.