If your child is eating a bowl of kid's cereal every day that equates to 10 pounds of sugar a year, says a new Environmental Working Group study, as the 'average' bowl boasts as much sugar as three Chips Ahoy! cookies.
The study notes nearly every cold cereal boasts sugar, but those specifically aimed at younger kids goes way beyond just a sprinkling to what the study calls "extreme sweetening."
"When you exclude obviously sugar-heavy foods like candy, cookies, ice cream, soft and fruit drinks, breakfast cereals are the single greatest source of added sugars in the diets of children under the age of eight," nutritionist and EWG consultant Dawn Undurraga, co-author of the organization's new report, Children's Cereals: Sugar by the Pound, said.
"Cereals that pack in as much sugar as junk food should not be considered part of a healthy breakfast or diet. Kids already eat two to three times the amount of sugar experts recommend."
Obesity among children has become an increasingly talked about topic in the past year though studies have differed on whether U.S. kids are getting skinnier given more awareness to the need for healthier food and more exercise and activity.
The study states a child's cereal boasts an average of 40 percent more sugar than adult cereal servings.
The study ranks current popular cereals for children that have more than 50 percent sugar levels. Here's the list :
- Kellogg's Honey Smacks
- Malt-O-Meal Golden Puffs
- Mom's Best Cereals Honey-Ful Wheat
- Malt-O-Meal Berry Colossal Crunch with Marshmallows
- Post Golden Crisp
- Grace Instant Green Banana Porridge
- Blanchard & Blanchard Granola
- Lieber's Cocoa Frosted Flakes
- Lieber's Honey Ringee Os
- Food Lion Sugar Frosted Wheat Puffs
- Krasdale Fruity Circles
- Safeway Kitchens Silly Circles
The study examined 84 popular children's cereals. One problem, notes the study, is that parents may not realize how much sugar is in a cereal as cereal makers focus on promoting whatever little nutrition claims they can make.
"Parents read nutrition claims on the side of the cereal box and think they are feeding nutritious food to their kids," said Renee Sharp, EWG's research director. "That's why the federal government and food manufacturers need to hear from us. We hope the report will empower Americans to use their voices and buying dollars to demand better choices and a limit on how much sugar is added to food products that are marketed as 'healthy'."
Of 181 children's cereals reviewed, only 10 met the group's criteria for low sugar. That list includes Kellogg's Rice Krispies, General Mills Cheerios, Post 123 Sesame Street (C is for Cereal) and Kellogg's Corn Flakes.
The group advises parents to read labels and stick to cereals with less than 4 grams of sugar per serving.
