Of all breakfast baked goods, shortbread seems to be the lightest choice. Especially if they are whole grain. We compared 12 brand-name cookies, in classic and whole-wheat versions. Colussi, Galbusera, Saiwa, Gentilini, Mulino Bianco, Doria.
Breakfast shortbread, nutritional profiles
The nutritional profiles of shortbread-calories, sugars, fat and saturated fat in particular-tend to be underestimated, with the idea that breakfast is ‘burned off’ quickly anyway. And yet, some elements deserve attention.
The shortbreads examined were chosen on the basis of two criteria, brand popularity and the availability of a whole-wheat flour version alongside a fine flour version (e.g., type 00).
Saturated fats, with caution
The two most interesting elements in the nutritional profile of dry or shortbread cookies (adjacent categories) are the amount of saturated fat and dietary fiber. The former should be taken sparingly, the latter generously. (1)
The 12 cookies tested varied significantly in saturated fat content, from 0.9 to 7.8 percent, as the table shows:
– Among the ‘classics’ with fine (or ‘refined’) flours, the lowest amount of saturated fat is found in Oro Saiwa Classico (0.9 percent). Top of the list are Gentilini’s Osvego (7.8 percent) and Doria’s Snowdrops (7.4 percent), with a substantial difference in quality since the former are made with butter, the tradition in pastry making, and the latter with an inexpensive tropical fat (coconut oil),
– in whole grain cookies, the lowest saturated fat content is in Oro Saiwa Fibrattiva (1.4 percent), the highest in Osvego 5 Cereals (6.5 percent), followed by Colussi Più with whole grain flour and chocolate chips (4.6 percent).
The value of dietary fiber
Grains-along with legumes, fruits and vegetables-are the primary sources of dietary fiber. Real health ingredients, as scientific research has discovered in recent years. Their regular intake is even associated with reducing premature mortality from various causes, as well as preventing some forms of cancer. Due in part to their ability to promote eubiosis (i.e., balance) of the gut microbiota. Their recommended intake is 25 grams/day, in the 70 kg adult.
Among the 12 cookies under consideration, whole-wheat cookies as is obvious are the richest in fiber:
– the ‘classics’ with fine flour in fact contain 1.4 to 3.4 grams of fiber per 100g of product, while
– Whole-grain or multigrain cereals record the highest amounts of fiber. Starting with Gentilini’s 5-grain Osvego (6.5g/100g), followed by Colussi Più (7.1g/100g), up to the highest value of 14g/100g in Oro Saiwa Fibrattiva (14g/100g).
Integral, true or false?
Buying whole-wheat cookies requires some attention. In fact, claims about the genre ‘rich in fiber’ are not enough to distinguish the real whole grain from the ‘fake’. A distinction we have already reported on, which it is useful to recall:
– true whole-wheat is the product made with only whole-wheat flour, that is, from whole milled wheat that includes the wheat germ, a source of vitamins, unsaturated fats and health-beneficial phytocompounds,
– ‘False’ whole wheat, on the other hand, is the mix of fine flours (e.g., type 00) with added bran and middlings. Although the amount of fiber is comparable, this solution has a different nutritional value, as it lacks the germ.
Only Galbusera, Più integrali, and Mulino Bianco Buongrano cookies (whose label in fact specifies‘Buongrano is made only with whole wheat flour, without using any other type of flour‘) can be qualified as ‘true whole wheat’ among the six examined in this category.
A welcome intermediate solution is the one adopted by …, in the shortbread … which is made with a type 2 flour, known in the jargon as ‘semintegrale‘.
Consumer information
The 6 manufacturers considered correctly report the ingredient list and nutrition table on their company websites.
Only Doria, on its website, violates the rule of listing ingredients in descending order of quantity. (2).
Additional insights are provided through voluntary label information. Nutritional claims on the amount of fiber, but also evidence to the origin of wheat, the quality of eggs, in some cases Italian and free-range, etc.
Marta Strinati
Notes
(1) Recommended daily nutrient amounts are referenced in EFSA’s ‘Dietary Reference Values‘ https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/dietary-reference-values
(2) Dario Dongo. Ingredient list, ABC. GIFT(Great Italian Food Trade). 6.3.18, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/etichette/lista-ingredienti-abc
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
