M&S Golden Syrup Porridge: calories, sugar and nutrition

A 30g bowl of M&S Golden Syrup Porridge contains 118 kcal, 4.3g of sugar (2.7g of free sugar), 2.0g of fibre and 4.0g of protein. With 125ml of semi-skimmed milk the bowl comes to 177 kcal and 10.2g of total sugar. It is classed as NOVA 4 (ultra-processed).

Nutrition by portion size

Full nutrition by portion: Golden Syrup Porridge

Per	Child bowl 25g	Standard bowl 30g	Generous bowl 45g	Pack serving 70g	100g
Energy	98 kcal	118 kcal	177 kcal	275 kcal	393 kcal
Fat	2.2g	2.6g	3.9g	6.1g	8.7g
Saturates	0.5g	0.6g	0.9g	1.3g	1.9g
Carbs	15.5g	18.6g	27.9g	43.4g	62.0g
Total sugar	3.6g	4.3g	6.5g	10.1g	14.4g
Free sugar	2.3g	2.7g	4.1g	6.4g	9.1g
Fibre	1.6g	2.0g	3.0g	4.6g	6.6g
Protein	3.4g	4.0g	6.0g	9.4g	13.4g
Salt	0.03g	0.03g	0.04g	0.07g	0.10g

Cereal only, before milk. M&S gives a pack serving of 70g. Free sugar is Boone's calculation: total sugar less 5.3g lactose from milk powder (estimated where the pack gives no percentage). All other figures are from the M&S nutrition panel.

Calories, free sugar and salt by age

A 30g bowl as a share of daily guidelines

30g bowl	4 to 6	7 to 10	11 to 17	Adult
Calories	9%	8%	6%	6%
Free sugar	14%	11%	9%	9%
Salt	1%	1%	0%	0%
Saturated fat	4%	4%	3%	3%

Cereal only, before milk. Figures are for an average female in each age band; use the calculator for males, other portions or any milk.

Free sugar vs total sugar

Of the 14.4g of sugar per 100g in Golden Syrup Porridge, Boone counts 9.1g as free sugar. The rest (5.3g) is lactose from milk powder, which the NHS limit does not count. Method: total sugar less 5.3g lactose from milk powder (estimated where the pack gives no percentage).

Is it ultra-processed?

Golden Syrup Porridge is classed as NOVA 4, ultra-processed, because its ingredients include golden syrup, invert sugar and flavouring. These are industrial ingredients you would not use in a home kitchen. 2 of its 5 ingredients are of this kind.

Boone classifies processing from the published ingredient list using the NOVA system. Added vitamins and minerals are not counted as a marker of ultra-processing.

What is in it

Ingredients

Oat Flakes, Dried Whole Milk, Sugar, Dried Golden Syrup (Invert Sugar Syrup) (1.5%), Natural Flavouring

5 ingredients in total, counting each component once and the added vitamins and minerals as one. Always check the pack before eating if you have an allergy, since recipes change.

Allergens

Allergen information

Allergen	Status
Cereals containing gluten	Contains
Crustaceans	Not listed
Eggs	Not listed
Fish	Not listed
Peanuts	Not listed
Soybeans	Not listed
Milk	Contains
Nuts	Not listed
Celery	Not listed
Mustard	Not listed
Sesame	Not listed
Sulphur dioxide and sulphites	Not listed
Lupin	Not listed
Molluscs	Not listed

Contains is taken from the ingredient list. May-contain warnings for cross-contamination are not shown here, so always check the pack before eating if you have an allergy.

M&S Golden Syrup Porridge nutrition FAQs

How many calories are in a bowl?+

A 30g bowl contains 118 kcal, or 177 kcal with 125ml of semi-skimmed milk. Per 100g it is 393 kcal.

How much sugar is in a bowl?+

A 30g bowl contains 4.3g of sugar, of which 2.7g is free sugar, about 0.7 teaspoons.

How much free sugar is that for a child?+

A 30g bowl is 14% of the 19g daily free sugar limit for a child aged 4 to 6, 11% of the 24g limit for a child aged 7 to 10, and 9% of the 30g limit for an adult.

How much fibre and protein does it have?+

A 30g bowl provides 2.0g of fibre and 4.0g of protein. Adults are advised to eat 30g of fibre a day.

How much salt is in a bowl?+

A 30g bowl contains 0.03g of salt, 0% of the 6g adult daily maximum and 1% of the 3g limit for a child aged 4 to 6.

Is it ultra-processed?+

It is classed as NOVA 4 (ultra-processed) based on its ingredient list. It contains golden syrup, invert sugar, flavouring.

Is it healthy?+

Under the UK government's 2018 nutrient profiling model it scores 5. A food scoring 4 or more is classed as less healthy, so it would be classed as less healthy. The 2018 model has been published but is not yet the basis of the advertising and promotion rules.