LUCKY CHARMS
Choosing a healthy cereal can be a difficult task. In the cereal aisle with hundreds of colorfully packaged products, it can be confusing and overwhelming to find a healthful choice. As a guideline, look for: ❯ Whole grains : like oats, whole wheat, brown rice, and rye, at the top of the ingredients list ❯ High fiber content : preferably at least 5 grams per serving ❯ No more than 10 grams of added sugar : Watch out for sugar’s many names including the following: high fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, fructose, sucrose, malt flavoring, cane syrup, corn sweetener, agave nectar, cane juice, dextrose, molasses, and fruit juice concentrate. Make sure to keep in mind that the nutrition facts are for one serving size, and what you consume for breakfast might constitute more than ¾ to a cup of cereal. Denser, heavier cereals tend to be more calorie-heavy but more filling than puffs, so also factor that into your choice.
total wellness ▪ winter 2012
One way to determine the healthiness of a cereal, and of food in general, is to consider its glycemic index. The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how quickly carbohydrates break down into sugar and raise blood glucose levels. High GI foods result in spikes in blood sugar levels that are linked to conditions such as type II diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Thus, it is wise to limit the amount of high GI foods you eat. In contrast, low GI foods tend to be higher in fiber and protein and take longer to digest than high GI foods, which keeps you fuller longer. Here we’ve taken a look at some of the most popular children’s cereals and how you can find healthier alternatives.
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in ¾ cup: ❯ 22 g carbohydrates ❯ 10 g sugar ❯ 2 g fiber ❯ 2 g protein
alternative: The marshmallows of Three Sisters Marshmallow Oaties may not have colors that are quite as vibrant as those of Lucky Charms, but they do not contain any artificial colors. Instead, they are dyed with blueberry, pumpkin, and carrot concentrates. Regardless, both types of marshmallows are high in sugar making them high GI foods, and do not constitute a very sustaining or healthy breakfast. The main difference between Lucky Charms and this product is the presence or absence of artificial ingredients.
CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH
in ¾ cup: ❯ 25 g carbohydrates ❯ 10 g sugar ❯ 2 g fiber ❯ 1.6 g protein
the lowdown: Although Cinnamon Toast Crunch is not the worst in terms of nutrition among these conventional cereals, it makes a significant dent into the recommended daily allowances set by the American Heart Association (AHA). The AHA recommends only six teaspoons of added sugar per day for women, nine teaspoons for men, and four teaspoons for children ages four to eight; just one serving of Cinnamon Toast Crunch contains about two and a half teaspoons of simple sugars. It also contains 15% of the recommended daily sodium intake, a significant portion for only ¾ cup of cereal. According to Time Magazine, this cereal has the most television advertisements aimed at children out of a group of ten evaluated cereals, with six 11 year-olds seeing an average of 82 commercials for Cinnamon Toast Crunch throughout a 15-month study. It is no wonder that unhealthy habits start early, and the effects of those choices can carry on to adult life.
alternative: Cascadian Farm Organic Cinnamon Crunch has the same flavors as Cinnamon Toast Crunch but is made of whole grain wheat, rice, and oat fibers, which adds some variety to the corn and wheat-heavy American diet. Although it is still coated with sugar, it has a few less grams of sugar and carbohydrates than the amount present in Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
right: alasdair thomson/istockphoto
Some breakfast cereals you may have loved as a child are notorious for being loaded with added sugars and low in fiber. Luckily, there are many options and alternatives in the aisles of supermarkets and health stores alike.
the lowdown: The largest health concern with Lucky Charms deals with the characteristic marshmallows that give the cereal its unique shapes and colors. The marshmallows contain the synthetic colors Yellows 5 and 6, Blue 1, and Red 40, and artificial flavors. The Center for Science in the Public Interest’s findings suggest that Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40 contain contaminants that are carcinogenic and may cause hyperactivity in children, and is currently calling on the US Food and Drug Administration to ban these dyes. Although there is a lack of conclusive evidence proving either the certain danger or safety of these substances, it is something to be aware of, especially for consumers who look for products with only natural ingredients. Nutritionally, Lucky Charms are sugar-heavy and full of refined carbohydrates. On the nutrition label, sugar appears in the form of both sugar and corn syrup in the marshmallows and in the cereal pieces.