Cereals marketed to children often sound the alarm for “sugar” to many people. But as much as 58% of “children’s cereals” are eaten by people over 18. Consumer Reports tested 27 cereals and compared them for overall nutritional value.
A cereal low in sugar, with added fruit and low fat milk can be part of a healthy diet. Breakfast eaters have “better overall nutrition, fewer weight problems, and better cognitive performance throughout the day.”
Some tested cereals contained 40% to 50% sugar. Consumers Union took part in a 32-nation study on similar-brand cereals and found that the U.S. often had more sugar and salt than those sold overseas.
The study found that most children poured up to 50% to 65% more than the suggested serving size on four of the tested cereals.
The nutrition score is based on a balance between “the amount of beneficial nutrients, such as fiber and calcium, and those that should be limited, such as sugar, sodium, and fat.” High dietary fiber is 5 grams or more per serving. There are no government guidelines for sugar so CR assigned a level of 1 teaspoon of sugar per serving to be rated as “low” in sugar.
CR rated 27 cereals usually marketed to children and only four deserved to be rated “very good” for “being relatively low in sugars, with some fiber, high in iron, and a good source of calcium.” Cereals are rated without milk, according to the nutrients listed on the products’ labels.
The top four cereals, rated as “Very Good” are listed with serving size, calories, dietary fiber and sugar in grams, and sodium in milligrams.
1. General Mills Cheerios, 1 cup, 100 cal., 3 g. fiber, 1 g. sugar, 190 mg. sodium.
2. General Mills Kix, 1 ¼ cup, 110 calories, 3 g. fiber, 3 g. sugar, 210 mg. sodium.
3. Quaker Oats Life, 3/4 c., 120 cal., 2 g. fiber, 6 g. sugar, 160 mg. sodium.
4. General Mills Honey Nut Cheerios, 3/4 c., 110 cal., 2 g. fiber, 9 g. sugar, 190 mg. sodium.
Under the category of “Good,” a bit higher in sugar and lower in fiber, but still high in iron:
5. Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats Bite size, 24 biscuits, 200 cal., 6 g. fiber, 12 g. sugar, 5 mg. sodium.
6. Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Gold, ¾ c., 110 cal., 3 g. fiber, 10 g. sugar, 190 mg. sodium.
7. General Mills Cookie Crisp, ¾ c., 100 cal., 1 g. fiber, 11 g. sugar, 150 mg. sodium.
8. General Mills Golden Grahams Honey Graham, ¾ c., 120 cal., 1 g. fiber, 11 g. sugar, 270 mg. sodium.
9. General Mills Lucky Charms, ¾ c., 110 cal., 1 g. fiber, 11 g. sugar, 190 mg. sodium.
10. General Mills Cocoa Puffs, ¾ c., 110 cal., 1 g. fiber, 12 g. sugar, 150 mg. sodium.
A 3rd group is rated “Fair” on the same scale, but it included several Kellogg’s cereals which were in the process of being re-formulated so the given values might no longer be accurate. Those included Rice Crispies, Apple Jacks, Froot Loops and Corn Pops. [It also included Cocoa Crispies, rated “good” at the time, ranking number 18 on the chart, which is part of the reformulation group.]
For cereal lovers who enjoy oatmeal, CR rated 14 oatmeal cereals in the same November 2008 issue. Rated as “Very good” in the top 3 were (#1) Quaker Oats Steel cut (25-30 min. prep. time); (#2) Quaker Oats Old Fashioned (5 min.) and (#3) Quaker Quick-1 Minute.
[CR note: “An outside lab confirmed the accuracy of label data, except for the newly reformulated Kellogg’s cereals, (marked with *) which we did not test.”] Author’s note: That did not include these top 10.
Source:
Consumer Reports magazine, Consumers Union, “Better breakfasts,” pp. 16 and 17, November 2008.
Consumer Reports magazine, Consumers Union, “For tasty oatmeal, be patient,” p. 8, November 2008.
CR is published by Consumers Union, an independent, nonprofit organization that accepts no paid advertising, tests thousands of products a year and publishes their results for consumers. They are based in Yonkers, NY.
