Study Names 10 Worst Children's Cereals

By Samantha Bonar Fri., Dec. 9 2011 at 10:00 AM

Apple Jacks ranked as the 8th worst kids cereal

According to a new study by the Environmental Working Group, some children's cereals contain more sugar than Twinkies and Chips Ahoy! cookies. The worst offender, Kellogg's Honey Smacks, is nearly a whopping 56% sugar by weight. For the top 10 list of the sugariest children's cereals, click here or head to the jump.

In their review of 84 popular brands, the EWG found that one cup of Honey Smacks (nee Sugar Smacks), Post Golden Crisp (nee Sugar Crisp, Super Sugar Crisp) or General Mills Wheaties Fuel (yes, Wheaties!) has more sugar than a Twinkie. One cup of any of 44 other children's cereals--including Honey Nut Cheerios, Apple Jacks and Cap'n Crunch--contains more sugar than three Chips Ahoy! cookies.

Most children's cereals--about three-quarters--fail to meet the federal government's proposed voluntary guidelines for foods nutritious enough to be marketed to children, the group says. Sugar is the top problem, but many also contain too much sodium or fat or not enough whole grain. The federal guidelines recommend no more than 26% added sugar by weight. The EWG suggests, "Simple-to-prepare, healthy breakfasts for children can include fresh fruit and high-fiber, lower-sugar cereals. Better yet, pair that fruit with homemade oatmeal."

Their report quotes hippie health expert Dr. Andrew Weil as saying, "The fact that a children's breakfast cereal is 56% sugar by weight -- and many others are not far behind -- should cause national outrage."

The EWG also quotes noted NYU nutrition professor Marion Nestle as saying, "Cereal companies have spent fortunes on convincing parents that a kid's breakfast means cereal, and that sugary cereals are fun, benign and all kids will eat. The cereals on the EWG highest-sugar list are among the most profitable for their makers, who back up their investment with advertising budgets of $20 million a year or more. No public health agency has anywhere near the education budget equivalent to that spent on a single cereal. Kids should not be eating sugar for breakfast. They should be eating real food."

The EWG's "10 Worst Children's Cereals," based on percent sugar by weight:

1. Kellogg's Honey Smacks -- 55.6%
2. Post Golden Crisp -- 51.9%
3. Kellogg's Froot Loops Marshmallow -- 48.3%
4. Quaker Oats Cap'n Crunch's OOPS! All Berries -- 46.9%
5. Quaker Oats Cap'n Crunch Original -- 44.4%
6. Quaker Oats Oh!s -- 44.4%
7. Kellogg's Smorz -- 43.3%
8. Kellogg's Apple Jacks -- 42.9%
9. Quaker Oats Cap'n Crunch's Crunch Berries -- 42.3%
10. Kellogg's Froot Loops Original -- 41.4%

The best children's cereals, according to the EWG, are Kellogg's Mini-Wheats: Unfrosted Bite-Size, Frosted Big Bite, Frosted Bite-Size, Frosted Little Bite; General Mills Cheerios Original; and General Mills Kix Original. It recommends that parents look for cereals with a short ingredient list that are high in fiber with few or no added sugars (including honey, molasses, fruit juice concentrate, brown sugar, corn sweetener, sucrose, lactose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup and malt syrup). They advise: "Cereals that meet these criteria can usually be found on the top shelves of the cereal aisle. They are harder to reach and not at eye level but often less expensive."

Follow Samantha Bonar @samanthabonar.

Tags:

Children's Cereal, Environmental Working Group, Froot Loops, Golden Crisp, Honey Smacks, Samantha Bonar

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Becky

What gets me is that even the "good" recommendations in this article include Frosted shredded wheat! Why does it have to be frosted. All 3 of my kids (ages 8, 6, and 2) will eat plain shredded wheat. The only ingredient in that cereal is 100% whole wheat. Cheerios are another option that we buy, as well as Wheatabix. Kids will eat what the family buys - I am always amazed that parents will buy those sugar cereals for their kids!

Pablo in K-town

It's more than disingenuous to discredit Dr Weil as a quack and then quote him. Really what's the point? Why even bother with that reference, Samantha? It's truly annoying to read something like that.

SamanthaB

Since when does hippie=quack? I have the utmost respect for hippies, especially old hippie dudes. Obviously you don't.

Lauren Stephens

Wow these people would REALLY hate what I feed my kids for breakfast EVERY DAY:

Eggs, sausage and potatoes. Sometimes I even make french toast, which I make out of french bread. With lots of syrup, butter and sometimes powdered sugar. home made. Liberals would be whining about the cholesterol, the dead pig and all that sugar!

The research by this liberal organization suggests to feed your kids OATMEAL, but there is just one problem with that - oatmeal has nearly ZERO vitamins and minerals - http://www.whfoods.com/genpage... which is where cereal, combined with milk, out does oatmeal every time.

Liberals, mind your own business! Why do you care what someone else eats for breakfast? You probably aborted all your kids, so leave mine alone! I am so sick of all this liberal propaganda and fear mongering! Stop your whining!

Honey Trinh

How about digging for the real story and asking parents why they let their kids eat this junk? I'd also like to know how the scientists who develop these cereals justify using their training to sell such harmful foods to children. Finally, take a look at your own publication and ask why you put so much focus on junk foods, alcohol, etc. For example, at this writing, a "Follow laweeklyfood on Twitter" box across from my comment lists: donuts, french fries, an alcoholic beverage, and a caffeinated beverage. That's inexcusable given your constant criticism of anyone and everyone who acts against the public interest.

uncledude

Parents should act like parents and not serve this shit to their offspring.

Philip Meagher

There was an interesting article a while back at the Health Journal Club that took the position that you just should avoid anything that wasn't actually a food one hundred years ago, seehttp://healthjournalclub.com/t...reading this, it makes a lot more sense

Chris

Cereal should be marketed and sold as candy, that's all it is. I'd be willing to bet that you'd be better off eating a Snickers bar in the morning — not that it would be good for you, but at least you'd be getting some protein in the mix.

Tristan

3. Kellogg's Froot Loops Marshmallow 7. Kellogg's Smorz

I guess I'm getting old, because I remember grown ups always complaining about unhealthy cereals, but how the fuck can you call these two an actual "breakfast". Those are some future obese diabetics that eat that..