EWG: The hidden danger in breakfast cereals
Did you know that there is a hidden danger in breakfast cereals? A new report from the Environmental Working Group shows that there is hidden sugar in breakfast cereals that companies may not be reporting.
The dangers of sugar are well documented. Recent research has shown that high sugar intake can greatly increase heart disease risk, and a new MRI technique even confirmed that cancer cells feed on sugar.
Cereal is the number 5 source of added sugar in childrens’ diets. Considering that breakfast is often touted as the most important meal of the day, the hidden sugars bring greater cause for concern.
To make breakfast cereals seem somewhat healthy to consumers, the Better Business Bureau required that children’s breakfast cereals contain 9 grams of sugar per serving. However, due to the new nutrition label changes, serving sizes are set to increase. Because of the larger serving sizes, none of these cereals will be able to measure up.
Health experts weigh in
“If they’re meeting their own voluntary criteria, they’re not going to be able to advertise these cereals anymore,” Dawn Undurraga, the co-author of the EWG report wrote. “The last thing we would hope they do is try to wiggle out of their own standards, which I would be completely surprised if they do.”
Because of the all the changes coming to nutrition regulation like the new labels, new U.S. dietary guidelines, and more, the Children’s Food & Beverage Advertising Initiative is conducting a new review of its nutrition criteria, Elaine Kolish, the vice president and director of the group.
“Obviously we have to take into account what a 40 gram serving size of cereal will mean for its sugar content,” Kolish said in an interview. “We’re going to look at it and take it into account, but we haven’t made a final decision on how the nutrition facts label changes will affect the limits on advertising for sweeter cereals. “Our goal will be to continue to set reasonable and hopefully even better guidelines for sugared cereals for kids,” she said.
According to the EWG report, kids are eating far more servings than the current nutrition labels suggest. Consequently, most children eat almost twice the amount of added sugar than the label suggests. This is the true hidden danger in breakfast cereals.
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REFERENCES:
1. “Kids Are Eating Far More Sugar at Breakfast Than Nutrition Labels Suggest.” TakePart. TakePart, n.d. Web. 27 June 2016.
2. “In Kid’s Cereal, Mini Servings Hide Mountains of Sugar.” EWG. Environmental Working Group, n.d. Web. 27 June 2016.
