Shocking news report today! Cereals marketed to children are high in sugar and low in fiber!
I saw a number of articles on Google News this morning about sugar content in cereal. Apparently Consumer Reports did an analysis of popular cereals among the kiddie set (and probably popular among the teens and adults too). Not surprisingly, they found that many of the cerals were high in sugar and low in nutritional value and/or fiber. At the bottom of the list were such fine choices as Apple Jacks, Corn Pops and Cap’n Crunch.
Honey Smacks and Golden Crisp are both more than 50% sugar. More sugar than a glazed doughnut. And a nice assortment of artificial sweetners and colors plus some big long words that purport to be food. Funny thing about Honey Smacks: If you don’t remember that one from childhood, its because it used to be called SUGAR Smacks. Hello Marketing Genius! Everyone knows honey is much less political than sugar. Just don’t read the ingredient list or you’ll discover the cereal has more sugar and corn syrup than honey.
As a kid, I loooved Cheerios. And Fruity Pebbles but mostly Cheerios. I’ll still eat them now, grabbing a handful from the box to munch on. I also eat frosted shredded wheat (Trader Joe brand is an awesome deal) the same way although in general I don’t eat cereal very often for breakfast or snacking. Fortunately, Cheerios was one of the recommended brands- low in sugar and high in fiber.
Consumer Reports full ratings are available to subscribers only (which I am not) but US News and World Report has some helpful tips for parents looking to boost the nutritional quality of their kid’s morning meal.
I particularly liked the suggestion to be unconventional. Leftover pizza makes an awesome breakfast
Seriously, this should not be news. Walk in to your local grocery store- any of them- and walk down the cereal aisle. If you are less than five feet tall or you ride around in the front seat of a shopping buggy, you only see a world of brightly colored boxes with cartoon characters calling your name and pointing out the awesome prizes in the bottom of the box of candy cereal.
Cheerios might be on the main shelf but even Life and Kix are often relegated to the margins of the average sight-line of a 6 year old. Grape Nuts, Kashi? Please, who wants a boring ole white box with just words on it?
And all you adults who thinking you are being smart n’ healthy with your Special K? Pay no attention to the HFCS behind the curtain.
Good Food Hunting 