Are Multi-Grain Cheerios a Healthy Cereal?

I just wanted to post this quick lesson in discerning “health claims” that are on many foods.

If you have looked at a box of Cheerios lately, you may have noticed it’s claim that they can reduce cholesterol.

Here are the ingredients taken directly off the box of Multi-Grain Cheerios:
Whole Grain Oats, Whole Grain Corn, Sugar, Corn Starch, Corn Bran, Whole Grain Rice, Whole Grain Sorghum, Whole Grain Millet, Brown Sugar Syrup, Salt, Tripotassium Phosphate, Color (caramel color and annatto extract) and Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols) added to Preserve Freshness.

These claims are manipulative and take advantage of the uneducated buyer (which sadly is most consumers when it comes to nutrition).  Too often claims like this are based on a certain ingredient (oats, in this example) but they fail to account for what is done to the oats!

They make the claim as if they were talking about whole organic oats.  But what they are really referring to is a highly processed genetically modified oat bathed in 3 types of sugar as well as genetically modified corn and canola oil!  One of the biggest concerns in regard to the multiple ingredients that are genetically modified is the true lack of testing and the apparent resistance to doing the testing (or even labeling it).¹

Genetically modified foods are FAR from healthy and should never be consumed by humans.²  And most of you know the detriment of sugar³ and processed foods⁴ on our health.  These things harm the body in a systemic way where no body system is protected.

In my clinic, my goal is always to put your health back in your hands (as it should be).  Education like this is one of those ways that I love to educate clients, so they are empowered to grocery shop with confidence!

PS: Looking for a better breakfast (or snack)?  Try a delicious, hydrating, nutrient dense green smoothie!

Resources:
1. Genetically Modified Foods. American Academy of Environmental Medicine. https://www.aaemonline.org/gmo.php. Published 2020. Accessed October 21, 2020.
2. Swanson N, Leu A, Abrahamson J, Wallet B. Genetically engineered crops, glyphosate and the deterioration of health in the United States of America. J Org Syst. 2014.
3. Gaesser GA. Perspective: Refined Grains and Health: Genuine Risk, or Guilt by Association? Adv Nutr. 2019. doi:10.1093/advances/nmy104
4. Marti A. Ultra-processed foods are not “real food” but really affect your health. Nutrients. 2019. doi:10.3390/nu11081902

Nothing said or implied in this post is intended to treat, cure, diagnose or prevent any disease.  It does not take the place of a qualified health care practitioner and is intended for educational purposes only.