For many years now, Weetbix has been the go-to staple breakfast for many families. However, one question that persists is, “is Weetbix a healthy option for breakfast?”.
What Is Weetbix?
Processed by Weetbix limited, it is a medium-sized biscuit made of wheat, barley extract, sugar, salt, and added vitamins. The mixture goes through some processing- steaming and milling, which produces Weetbix biscuits.
When eating it, most people mix Weetbix with milk to enjoy the smooth flow, but you can still enjoy it crunchy without adding anything. Ideally, it is taken in the morning, but you can still enjoy it throughout the day-anytime is fine!
Benefits Of Eating Weetbix
Weetbix has many nutrients that keep the body functioning and prevent illnesses. In this article, you will discover the most common ones.
Carbohydrates: The wheat that makes Weetbix is one of the richest sources of starchy carbohydrates among whole grains. Harvard University conducted research showing that most people who take whole grains tend to have improved health(by 8%) compared to those who take refined carbs.
Fibre: Fiber not only keeps you full for extended periods but also improves your digestive system; it helps maintain your bowel health by reducing the chances of constipation, which optimises your health all around-your, your mood included.
How Many Calories in Weetbix?
Each biscuit contains roughly 68 calories, so if you eat them both, you consume about 135 calories.
If you add about 200 ml of milk to it – which contains about 75 calories, you consume about 210 calories per serving.
Weetbix has no added fats besides ones that come naturally in the ingredients. The calories are from processed whole grains and added sugar, which is meant to optimise the taste.
Is Weetbix A Healthy Breakfast?
Simply- yes! Weetbix is a very healthy choice for your breakfast.
The biscuits have vitamins and minerals — Riboflavin (B2), Niacin, Thiamin (B1), Folic Acid, and iron- highly beneficial to people of all ages, especially the elderly and younger children. Also, the fact that you can top Weetbix with fruits adds to its high nutritional value.
Additionally, Weetbix contains fibre vital to the digestive system -it ensures everything flows smoothly and keeps you from stomach discomfort. The additional nutrients like vitamins, minerals and iron – topped up with calcium from milk, also make Weetbix one of the healthiest choices for breakfast.
Aside from the biscuits, Weetbix comes in other forms, like Weetbix cakes and brownies, ensuring you maintain several options to pick from for breakfast.
Out of the variety of options that come with breakfast, Weetbix should be top of your list. Aside from breakfast, you can use the biscuits as low-calorie snacking.
Breakfast is the most beneficial meal of the day as it designs the route your body will take all day. Hence, Most health professionals suggest that everyone should have a minimum of about 400 calories daily. Therefore, when taking Weetbix, you should add a few fruits- bananas or berries, to cover the gap.
You could also top Weetbix with other foods; nuts, seeds, or eggs go very well with Weetbix. A glass of yogurt to the side is also a great option.
Is Weetbix Good For Weight Loss?
Whether Weetbix supports your weight loss journey depends on how much you consume daily. To optimise your weight loss journey, ensure you burn more than you consume. You can talk to your health instructor, who will guide you on how many biscuits to finish in a day.
Weetbix has minimal calories and is rich in fibre. As a result, it keeps you fuller and helps you reduce your portions within your day. It also ensures your digestive system remains healthy, which is beneficial during weight loss.
However, during weight loss, you should keep off added sugar- Weetbix has its sugar, which adds more calories to your system. However, if you still need to sweeten your meal, use natural sweeteners like stevia or honey. You can also use sweet fruits like bananas to optimise the taste.
Weetbix is a high-carb dish; only some people do well with it. If you are among them, you can throw in some protein to cover the difference if you are unsatisfied after two pieces of biscuits.
If you’re in the U.K., opt for Weetbix Protein fortified with flour from rice to increase the amount of protein. It contains 12g of proteins compared to the original one, with 4.5g and 10g of extra calories.
You should note that Weetbix is a high-carb dish. Hence, consider a different alternative if you’re on a strict diet or keto.
You can take Weetbix throughout the day — do not limit yourself to breakfast.
Is Weetbix Gluten-Free?
The barley and wheat used to make Weetbix contain considerable gluten.
Is Weetbix Vegan?
Definitely! You make Weetbix wholly out of plant-based products. It is even approved by the Vegan Society and PETA, confirming it is a safe cereal for vegans.
However, some of the products processed by the Weetbix company are not favourable for vegans — you should research them in case you’re allergic to them.
You should substitute milk free from dairy-alternative like soy milk if you’re vegan.
So, Is Weetbix Healthy?
Weetbix is a healthy choice.
Sanitarium’s Weet-Bix is a healthy and balanced option for breakfast. It is the best source of carbohydrates, fibre, minerals, and vitamins. Ideally, one serving of Weetbix will sort about 60% of all your whole grain needs.
The fibre in the Weetbix will ensure a smooth flow in your digestive system all day. The magnesium and iron ensure you enjoy the start of your day.
The milk served is also a great source of protein and calcium.
Is Chocolate Weetbix Healthy?
It’s less healthy than the common one but a great breakfast substitute.
Luckily for you, Weetbix has evolved as the years go by. Nowadays, Weetbix comes in different forms and flavours, giving you several options each morning; changing your toppings or using cold milk are some options if you want to substitute.
You can choose the chocolate Weetbix with a reasonable amount of chocolate chips.
The chocolate Weetbix has a few extra grams of fat, sugar, and saturates. (a total of 165 calories in comparison with 136 calories, an additional 1.7g of fat, and 7.7g of sugar) Therefore before shifting from the original options, you should consider that.
Despite its increased amounts of fats, sugar, and saturates, it’s still an excellent substitute for breakfast; The original Weetbix’s health benefits still apply to the chocolate Weetbix.
Can You Eat Too Many Weetbix?
Just like everything else, Weetbix, too, needs moderation.
Because they optimally fortify Weetbix, take them in moderation; the nutrients are well calculated — 4 pieces of biscuits are excellent.
Is Weet-Bix the Same as Weetbix?
Weetbix was initially known as Weet-Bix when the factory was still in Australia. However, when they launched in the U.K. and Sanitarium took over processing, they changed the name to Weetbix.
The nutritional value in Weet-Bix is almost similar to that in Weetbix. Just that, Weet-Bix has slightly bigger biscuits, with a more considerable amount of calories- Weet-bix has 35g while Weetbix has 30g
Like Weetbix, Weet-Bix has equally low sugar and fat content with a reasonable amount of calories.
How Do You Stop Weetbix from Going Soggy?
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To keep your Weetbix from becoming soggy, store it in a cool and dry place, just as recommended by the manufacturers.
But if your biscuits are already soggy, returning them to their original state might take much more work. Usually, they design the flakes in Weetbix fine enough to get soaked faster to save time after adding milk.
If you prefer your Weetbix dry, keep them from any form of liquid to avoid being soggy.
There are, however, a few shortcuts you can use if you want your biscuits to maintain that crunchy state,
- You can use cold milk instead of warm milk, as hot/warm milk softens them up faster.
- Add the milk in bits to maintain your preferred level of crunchiness
- You could also break the biscuits into bits and dunk them instead of submerging them
- Use yogurt rather than milk
Why Does Weetbix Make Me Bloat?
Several factors could cause your tummy to bloat after taking Weetbix. Here are a few:
Usually, Weetbix is famous for its generosity in fibre.
While most people enjoy smooth digestion from the fibre, some are irritated by the excessive fibre — you could be among them. You should reduce the amounts of Weetbix you take, but if it persists, you should see a medic.
You might have shifted from a minimal-fibre to an extreme-fibre diet way too fast and did not give your tummy time to adjust. To resolve this, discontinue Weetbix until you resolve the bloating, then go easy with it- you’ll have enough time to enjoy Weetbix as your body adjusts.
Weetbix might be smooth, but you must still chew it a bit. Weetbix is mostly cereal- digestion happens in your mouth. So, if you don’t chew, your digestive takes longer to break down the food to absorb the nutrients, producing more gas which causes you to bloat.
Chances of bloating are specifically higher if you are eating Weetbix crunchy- milk helps break down Weetbix a bit.
Wheat is a famous culprit for bloating, so reduce the amount of wheat you consume at that time- usually, the symptoms go away on their own as the body returns to its usual functioning.
The sugars in wheat, known as FODMAPs, are likely to cause bloating. If you are unsure of the cause, it is best to visit a nutritionist who will advise accordingly on how to go about the symptoms and the foods to moderate- don’t give up on Weetbix just yet!
You could also keep a food diary that will help keep track of when the bloating occurs.
Eight Exciting Ways to Eat Weetbix
The best part with Weetbix is it’s possible to eat it in several ways as it is compatible with several drinks — from juice to smoothies to yogurt. To top it all up, you can eat it any time of the day, giving you room to prepare it in several ways.
Here are a few famous ways:
Add Some Blended Juice To It
Mixing Weetbix with some apples or grapes is a great way to sweeten Weetbix without really adding sugar to it — you should try it.
Mix It With Custard
After preparing custard, break a few pieces to it, then top the combo with some rhubarb and stewed apple- it should be like a crumble.
Combine Weetbix With Smoothies
Adding a smoothie is a great way to maintain its crunchiness and optimise nutrients in your breakfast.
Eat It On Its Own
Weetbix can make a great snack. Just take it as it is, apply some butter, honey, jam, or peanut butter, and then enjoy your snack.
Eat It Like Toast
Especially if you’re an avocado fan, pick a mushy avocado and spread it on the Weetbix! It may not be popular with everyone, but you should try it if you don’t mind mushy avocados.
Make Banoffee Cups
It could sound more complex, but it’s clear — mix Crumble Weetbix with butter, layer it with bananas, apples and yogurt and add caramel sauce.
Top it With The Potato
You should check out the Sanitarium website for the complete recipe. However, it combines sweet potato rosti and Weetbix, perfect for brunch.
Eat It With Beans
You should know that the Weetbix Company suggested this combo on Twitter a few years back. Find the post and enjoy a good laugh from the comments of people and major companies worldwide. The post attracted a few rumbles, but the combination is perfect for quick lunch.
Ways To Enjoy Weetbix
Weetbix has many options for enjoying it, as it easily rhymes with various drinks. Additionally, the Weetbix company has diversified its choices, ensuring its customers have a variety of options to pick from.
Aside from the usual biscuits, Weetbix now has chocolate chipped and banana flavour biscuits, cakes, ham and Oatibix — they have your entire week sorted.
Weetbix Original
Weetbix original is the most famous kind of Weetbix and has been in the market for the longest time. It’s easy to prepare- typically takes about 10-15 minutes maximum, and is also very compatible with various drinks and toppings.
It brightens your morning, saving you the hassle of deciding what to prepare for breakfast, especially if you’re having a busy or late morning.
Weetbix Crispy Minis
Weetbix Crispy minis are typically much smaller than the usual biscuits and come as chocolate chipped or with fruit and nuts. Because minis are famous for their crunchy nature, you should go easy on the milk and eat them immediately to keep them from getting too soggy.
Weetbix Chocolate And Banana
Weetbix chocolate or banana is just the typical original but diffused with the chocolate or banana flavour. The nutritional value is the same, perfect for switching up within the week or when bored with Weetbix original.
Oatibix
These are Weetbix made from oats- hence the name Oatibix and are rich in fibre and nutritional content. You can enjoy them with milk, yogurt or a smoothie topped with fruits or syrups. Oatibix is particularly popular among people in weight loss programs.
Weetbix On The Go
If you enjoy your Weetbix extra soggy, then Weetbix on the go is for you. It comes in three flavours; vanilla, strawberry and chocolate. It is easy to drink and ideal, especially when you are in a hurry or have a sore throat that cannot handle scratches from rough food.
