The Taste Test: 97% Sugar Free – the muesli

While racing at the St Kilda Cycling Club the other weekend, I bumped into Emma Dumas from the muesli company; she had a stand with her product the muesli and was handing it out to everyone for a taste test.

Before I could taste it my eye was drawn to a statement on the pack; it said, ‘97% sugar free.’ My mind automatically went to everything I new about health and dieting. I know that sugar is our biggest enemy; we’ve got more sugar in our diets that ever before and its sugar that making us fat. That’s not what cyclist (or most people) are after. Rather, we’re all looking for something that is satisfying and enjoyable…and healthy.

I’m not a fan of muesli, but I had adopted a new policy: ‘if my training partner eats it, then I should eat it, because he’s fitter than me.’ As such, I’ve jumped on the muesli bandwagon and Emma was happy to help me out with a packet of the muesli to get me started.

What’s in it?
27% – Raw Nut Mix. Almonds, Cashews, Walnuts, Hazelnuts and Brazil Nuts
23% – Pumpkin, Sunflower, Linseed and Sesame Seeds. (Minerals, fatty acids, fibre)
36% – Rolled Oats
14% – Shredded Coconut

I visited the muesli website to get a better feel for the product and I came across the reason why Emma created the muesli: "Clients of my friend and personal trainer Donna Aston, couldn’t find a breakfast to complement their fitness programs. It’s still the most important meal of the day. So if you’re investing in getting fit and losing weight – both from a time and financial perspective – it’s important to enjoy a quality breakfast. That’s why I created the muesli."

There’s a lot of truth in what Emma is saying, I got the shock of my life when I found out that cornflakes have some of the highest sugar quantities on the shelf in the breakfast isle. I told my personal trainer that I was being good and eating cornflakes, she let me know how bad this was. As cornflakes are one of the most popular cereals, it makes for a good comparison.

Cornflakes are recommended as a 30 gram serving, with 24.9grams of carbohydrates and 2.4gram of sugar in that 30g serving. Compared with the same 30 gram sized serving of the musli, there are 8,3 grams carbohydrates and 0.6 grams sugar.

As a cyclist, if I am not eating, I am on holiday. My body needs a lot of fuel to power my 300km a week regiment. 30 grams of cornflakes with a high sugar rating aren’t going to cut it, I need consistency which is what the musli offers.

For the fitness nerds and calorie counters, lets look at the nutritional breakdown based on a 50g and 100g serving.

*Average sugar content may fluctuate seasonally

What do I think?
I like it, which is saying a lot, I’m a girl who likes rich and decadent food, so I was sceptical about jumping onto the health wagon and did in fact enjoy the muesli more than I thought I would.

I like that when it says there are nuts on the packaging that you can actually see them and taste them, you’ve got to crunch them up when you chew, unlike other brands where they stood on the top of Mt Everest and sprinkled a couple into the packet.

I’ve found it actually very handy to have with me, for those days when I am on the go, I take some muesli in a sealed plastic container and then grab some yogurt at the supermarket; I’ve found a healthy snack which has been keeping me fuller for longer.

I’m not the only one to enjoy it the Ladies Becoz Cycling Team was in on the act!

What does Donna Aston think?
Donna Aston has been a prominent figure in health and fitness for many years, I recall a Donna Aston created salad becoming a huge hit in South Yarra a few years ago and it was everything you wanted in a salad, healthy, it kept you fuller and it was tasty!

I’m inclined to believe her when she says, "I’ve been recommending the muesli by bodsquad to my clients and colleagues for several years now. It was created? thankfully? in response to the demand for a wholesome, natural, nutritionally-balanced breakfast alternative. It’s a great choice for those of us who are health conscious and want a quick, delicious and satisfying meal to start the day."

O2 Racing get serious about nutrition

Want more information? Head to the philosophy page of the website where you can find out more about how this product satisfies you and your training schedule.

Already convinced and interested in trying for yourself? the muesli comes in two sizes and costs $24.50 for 1kg or $112.50 for 5kg and can be ordered online.