The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has done it again. EWG is a public health non-profit organization on a mission to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment. That’s a tall order for any organization, and EWG is doing a fine job.
Their latest project involves the assessment of 84 breakfast cereals marketed to children. What they found was that some cereals had more sugar than a Twinkie, which contains 18 g of sugar. More than half of all cereals assessed contained more sugar than three Chips Ahoy! cookies, which contain 11 g of sugar. The report summed it up well: “Most parents say no to dessert for breakfast, but many children’s cereals have just as much sugar as a dessert—or more.”
Here is a list of the 10 worst children’s cereals:
Kelloggs, Honey Smacks
Post Golden Crisp
Kellogg’s Froot Loops Marshmallow
Quaker Oats Cap’n Crunch’s OOPS! All Berries
Quaker Oats Cap’n Crunch Original
Quaker Oats Oh!s
Kellogg Smorz
Kellogg’s Smorz
Quaker Oats Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries
Kellogg’s Froot Loops Original
So this week, it’s time to assess your breakfast pantry. If you happen to eat these cereals, or feed them to your children—STOP! But don’t stop there. Check the sugar content—and the carbohydrate and fiber content for that matter—on your breakfast foods. The problem with most breakfast cereals is that they are high in carbohydrates and low in protein and fiber. Protein helps give you brain power that lasts throughout the day, and fiber helps reduce the absorption of sugar in the body. Try eggs for breakfast instead of cereal, or a protein shake.