A significant proportion of granola bars and breakfast cereals that do not required to display Health Canada’s front-of-package nutrition symbol on their packaging are nonetheless of poor nutritional quality
A recent study led by our colleague Marie-Ève Labonté and signed by Annie Vézina reveals that a significant proportion of foods without a Health Canada warning symbol are yet of poor nutritional quality.
Nearly 4 out of 10 granola bars and 1 out of 8 breakfast cereals slip under the radar… without offering a satisfying nutritional profile.
This research is based on rigorously compiled data by the Observatory, which makes it possible to assess the overall nutritional quality of foods, beyond just the thresholds for saturated fat, sugars, and sodium.
The results serve as a reminder that the absence of a warning symbol does not guarantee a good nutritional quality product : it is still important to read the full list of ingredients.
To read the article on ULaval News (French only)
To read the scientific article