Diet high in ultra-processed food is linked to an increased risk of depression, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.
IRIS MYERS, The Environmental Working Group
Cereal
can be part of a balanced and nutritious breakfast. But many contain excess
sugar, potentially harmful additives like food dye and added nutrients that undermine their
nutritional value.
Sugars
and added vitamins
Breakfast
cereals, especially those marketed to children, often contain large amounts of
sugar. An EWG study found
that children's cereal has, on average, over 40 percent more sugar than cereal
marketed to adults. A single serving of the most sugary products can exceed 60
percent of the maximum daily amount recommended by health authorities.
Many
breakfast cereals also have excess added vitamins and minerals. Added
micronutrients like vitamin A, zinc and niacin in a cereal might be a draw. But
too much of a good thing can be harmful: A 2014 study shows nearly
half of all children ages 2 to 8 consume more than the "tolerable upper
intake levels" for vitamin A, zinc and niacin. Overconsumption can lead to
health problems like brittle nails, hair loss, anemia and suppressed immune
function.
Food additives
Many
popular breakfast cereals contain potentially harmful food additives like
butylated hydroxyanisole, or BHA, and butylated hydroxytoluene, or BHT.
BHA
and BHT are added to well-known
brands such as Cap'n Crunch, Apple Jacks,
and Froot Loops to
prolong their shelf life. The additives have been shown to cause hormone
disruption, harm the reproductive system and potentially increase risk of
cancer.
These
additives continue to be allowed in the food we eat because of the Food and
Drug Administration's outdated generally recognized as safe, or GRAS,
rule loophole.
The purpose of the GRAS rule was to allow ingredients to skip regulatory
approval only if they're known to be safe. But it's allowed manufacturers, not
the FDA, to certify their own ingredients as safe.
Food
dyes are also frequently found in cereals. For instance, Red 40 – shown to
cause behavioral
problems in children—can be found in Froot Loops, Apple Jacks
and Lucky Charms.
Organic
versus conventional
Most
packaged breakfast cereals are ultra-processed. EWG recommends limiting
consumption of these foods, whether organic or conventional. A
diet high in ultra-processed food is linked to an increased risk of depression,
obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.
When
you do want to consume ultra-processed cereals, picking organic options can
help you to avoid some of these health concerns.
A
recent EWG peer-reviewed study analyzed nutrition and ingredient
information for more than 8,200 organic and 72,200 conventional foods sold in
the U.S. in 2019 and 2020. It found organic packaged
food contains fewer ultra-processed ingredients and potentially harmful food additives, and
has a better overall nutritional profile, with
less added sugar.
Unlike
conventional packaged foods, organic packaged foods must be formulated in
compliance with robust standards set by independent and government experts.
To
find healthier cereal choices, check out EWG's Food Scores database, which rates
food items based on concerns about nutrition, ingredients and processing.
Iris
Myers is EWG's communications associate.