Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/1003346
fetched claim, and as of November 4 said they are pulling it from their cereal boxes. Kellogg was cri cized for playing up the cereal's imaginary immunity benefits in response to the H1N1 flu craze, which the company denied. Yet, rather than admi ng the claim was way beyond a stretch of the truth, Kellogg has said it's pulling the claim "given the public a en on on H1N1." But immunity claims or not, if you really want to look out for your child, one of the first steps would be to immediately get rid of any cereal, par cularly if it has a cartoon character on the box, as children's cereals are notoriously bad for children's health. Children's Cereals Are Nutri onal Disasters Breakfast cereals, which were ini ally developed to increase convenience, have mostly morphed into nothing more than highly processed sweetened grains sprinkled with synthe c vitamins. They are a mere fantasy of a healthy food, and I don't recommend you eat any cereal for breakfast on a regular basis -- including those that are marketed as healthy fiber sources! But you should know, whether you have children or you secretly keep a stash of Cap'n Crunch in your pantry, that cereals that are aggressively marketed to kids have the nutri onal quality of all cereals, according to an analysis of 161 brands conducted last year. The analysis, published in the Journal of American Diete c Associa on, found that children's cereals have more sugar, sodium, carbohydrates, and calories per gram than cereals not marketed to kids. They also have less protein and fiber. On average, sugar accounts for more than one-third of the weight of children's cereals compared to less than one- quarter of adult cereals. But parents con nue to shell out for these nutri onal disasters because the food industry spends about $229 million annually adver sing them to children. Colorful cartoons and other cheery tricks s mulate your child into wan ng these "fun" foods, but the damage they can do to your child's health is no laughing ma er. In the last two decades, the prevalence of overweight adolescents has nearly tripled, and current sta s cs show 16 percent of children are overweight or obese. An excess of sugar and carbohydrates are two culprits contribu ng to this growing problem. Cereal is Not a Healthy Breakfast According to the analysis of 161 cereal brands noted above, one serving of cereal equated to 11 percent of the daily limit of added sugar for ac ve boys, aged 14 to 18 years old, and an astounding 92 percent of the daily sugar intake for sedentary girls aged 9 to 13. The problem with feeding your child foods high in added sugar is twofold -- they contain li le in terms of vitamins and minerals, and the calories they contain are not made up of important micronutrients needed for health and growth. Reducing sugar intake should be on the top of your list regardless of whether your child is currently overweight or not, because it's been proven over and over that sugar increases insulin levels, which can lead to: • High blood pressure and high cholesterol • Heart disease • Diabetes • Weight gain • Premature aging, and more In fact, sugar is bad for your health in so many ways, I've compiled an en re list outlining 76 Ways in Which Sugar Can Damage Your Health! But even if you're not ea ng a children's cereal -- let's say you're ea ng a more "adult" oriented cereal that's high in fiber and low in sugar -- it is s ll not a healthy breakfast choice. Page 20 | Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysMag.com