Abby's

Volume 6 Issue 4

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New research confirms what consumers have long known -- most breakfast cereals adver sed to children are full of sugar. Cereals marketed to kids have 85 percent more sugar, 65 percent less fiber and 60 percent more sodium than those aimed at adults. In fact, the least nutri ous cereals are o en the most heavily marketed to children, such as Reese's Puffs, Corn Pops, Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Cap'n Crunch. Some cereals with the poorest ra ngs even have health claims on the box. San Francisco City A orney Dennis Herrera has wri en a le er to the CEO of Kellogg's, demanding evidence that Cocoa Krispies really "helps support your child's immunity" as it purports to do on the front of the box. Cocoa Krispies are 40 percent sugar by weight. A Kellogg's company spokesperson, Susanne Norwitz, argued that Kellogg's Krispies cereals provide consumers with 25 percent of their daily value of vitamins A, C, and E. Kellogg began making the immunity claims about Cocoa Krispies in May, however as of November 4 said they're pulling the claim from the box. Meanwhile, the average preschooler sees 642 cereal ads a year on TV. Most are for types with the worst nutri on ra ngs. According to Cereal FACTS (Food Adver sing to Children and Teens Score), which was developed based on the best available science, in consulta on with a steering commi ee Ten Breakfast Cereals of experts in nutri on, marke ng, and public health, the 10 worst breakfast cereals based on nutri on score are: 1. Kellogg - Corn Pops (or Pops) - Chocolate Peanut Bu er 2. Quaker - Cap'n Crunch - w/ Crunchberries 3. Kellogg - Special K - Chocolatey Delight 4. Kellogg - Special K - Blueberry 5. General Mills - Reese's Puffs 6. General Mills - Fiber One - Caramel Delight 7. Kellogg - Cocoa Krispies - Choconilla 8. General Mills - Golden Grahams 9. General Mills - Cinnamon Toast Crunch 10. Kellogg - Corn Pops How can Kellogg's Cocoa Krispies, which is one of the 10 worst breakfast cereals out there, get away with pu ng a giant slogan across the front of their cereal boxes claiming this sugar-laden nutri onal disaster will help support your child's immunity? The cereal is 40 percent sugar by weight… and sugar can suppress your immune system and impair your defenses against infec ous disease. Telling parents that they are doing their child's health a favor by allowing them to eat this, or prac cally any children's cereal, is akin to le ng them sit down to a plate full of Twinkies and Oreos and calling it a balanced meal. Fortunately, Kellogg has been receiving cri cism from parent groups and nutri onists alike ever since it launched the far- Abby's Magazine - Volume 6 Issue 4 | Page 19

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