Cheerios and Cancer: Is There a Link? (2023)

FAQs

Are Cheerios now safe to eat? ›

Some regulatory agencies contend that the levels of glyphosate in the popular cereal are too low to be a health risk. However, other organizations, including the Environmental Working Group (EWG), maintain that glyphosate levels in Cheerios continue to be above safe levels.

The two highest levels of glyphosate were found in Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch, with 833 parts per billion, or ppb, and Cheerios, with 729 ppb. The EWG children's health benchmark is 160 ppb. EWG purchased products via online retail sites.

The bottom line

They're not only low in fat and calories but also affordable and packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Yet, Cheerios are a processed food, and some flavors are loaded with sugar. As such, you should minimize your intake or choose low sugar varieties like plain or multigrain.

This classic children's snack can work for adults, too, Jantz says. In fact, you can enjoy an entire cup of crunchy Cheerios for a healthy snack that's only 104 calories. You'll also score nearly 3 g of fiber, meaning it's a good source, and some calcium (about 100 mg), according to estimates from the USDA.

The iron you see in your cereal is elemental iron- actual metallic iron filings or shavings similar to the little flakes you might see come off of a steel wool pad when you squeeze or rub it, just much smaller. That's right, you're eating metal in the morning!

General Mills is recalling 1.8 million boxes of Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios produced at a plant in Lodi, California, saying the cereal is labeled gluten-free but actually contains wheat. The recall affects Cheerios and Honey Nut Cheerios that were made in July.

A. Oatmeal, particularly the slow-cooked kind, is generally healthier than Cheerios. Both are made from whole oats, but the difference comes down to processing. Unprocessed whole oats, like those in steel-cut oatmeal, take a while for the body to digest.

Are Cheerios or eggs healthier? ›

The study, by researchers in Boston, shows that we should be starting our day with a big bowl of cheerios - as they're a healthier option than protein-based meals such as eggs.

The healthiest version of Cheerios is the Cheerios Classic (the yellow box). Cheerios is praised as a healthy cereal brand because of its higher fiber content and lower sugar levels (just 1 gram per serving). They're also oat-based (as opposed to rice-based).

Eggs = More Protein

According to USDA, a breakfast with 2 medium eggs will yield approximately 13g Protein and 1.1g Carbs whereas a bowl of oatmeal will give you 2.4 g Protein and 12g Carbs. So if Protein is your priority for breakfast then the clear choice is Eggs.

Raisin bran is rich in fiber and a variety of micronutrients that are added through fortification. Getting enough of these nutrients may help reduce your risk of diseases associated with deficiencies in them.

Peanut butter is loaded with so many good, health-promoting nutrients, including vitamin E, magnesium, iron, selenium and vitamin B6. Research shows that people who regularly eat nuts and nut butter, including peanut butter, are less likely to develop heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Though many plants can absorb trace amounts of dangerous metals from the soil or from contaminated water, pretty much all fruits and veggies are very low in or entirely free from heavy metals. Dairy is also safe, as is most meat besides seafood.

The crops most likely to be genetically modified include alfalfa, canola, corn, soy and sugar beets. But the principal ingredient of both regular and Honey Nut Cheerios is oats, a plant that is not genetically modified.

Turns out, Cheerios are magnetic. Or are they? Fill a bowl with water and drop in a couple Cheerios. Take a magnet and hold it just above the Cheerios, the Cheerio will be attracted toward the direction of the magnet.

Quaker Oats didn't like it, though, and filed a trademark infringement against General Mills for the use of “oats” in the brand name. Instead of a drawn-out fight, General Mills changed the name to Cheerios. The name played to the O shape of the puffed oats and created a more fun and evocative brand name.

Why did they change Cheerios? ›

More Americans are buying Cheerios, after a decision by General Mills to guarantee the cereal would be gluten-free. With a switch-up in manufacturing (the company now sifts its oats) and sourcing, Cheerios ended General Mills' fourth quarter in June with notable sales improvement.

"Steel-cut oats are the least processed [type of oats] and the best option health-wise," says Kylie Ivanir, MS, RD, a registered dietitian with Within Nutrition. "The fibers in them are very healthy for the gut, hormones, satiety, and weight loss."

They found glyphosate in products such as Lay's Kettle Cooked Original Potato Chips, corn-based Doritos Cool Ranch, Wheaties, oat-based Cheerios, Corn Flakes and Whole Grain Cheez-Its. They found glyphosate in 29 of the 41 products they tested.

Some oats and oat cereals contain traces of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup herbicide. Government groups say these levels are safe, but science shows some potential risks that may make glyphosate free oats a better choice.

But while many brands may boast about their cereals' fiber and low-cholesterol content, far more are brimming with added sugar. HealthGrove, a health and nutrition data site by Graphiq, identified the breakfast cereals with more sugar than a scoop of ice cream.

“It is important to understand that glyphosate is not used on peanuts during the season, because it is not a “'Roundup-Ready crop,'” according to Dr. Prostko. “Growers do not apply glyphosate on peanuts during the growing season, but some farmers use glyphosate to manage weeds prior to planting.” Dr.

Back Roads is one of the only companies in the U.S. selling organic oat products that are also certified glyphosate residue free.

These data indicate that traces of glyphosate are common in conventional eggs and cannot be excluded in organic eggs.

It actually has about nine times as much sugar as plain Cheerios, per serving. An Environmental Working Group analysis of a number of popular cereals — a report that linked sugary cereals to the “nation's childhood obesity epidemic” — put Honey Nut Cheerios's sugar content second only to Fruity Pebbles.

But none of these cereals are great sources of these nutrients considering that daily protein intake should be in the neighbourhood of 50-70 g, and fiber 25-30 g. Clearly, nutrition-wise, the best option of these three popular cereals is plain Cheerios.

Do Cheerios really help lower cholesterol? ›

“Cheerios is ... clinically proven to lower cholesterol. A clinical study showed that eating two 1.5 cup servings daily of Cheerios cereal reduced bad cholesterol when eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.”

For a healthy breakfast, stick to classic Cheerios. “They contain a good amount of fiber and are low in sugar, all those things that we look for [in a healthy cereal],” Spetz explains.

In the new ranking, on a scale of 1 to 100, Cheerios earned a “healthfulness” score of 95 and Lucky Charms 60; while a fried egg was 29, cheddar cheese 28, and ground beef just 26.

Plain Cheerios are the best choice for a diabetic diet. Why? Because the flavored versions are much higher in sugar and won't provide the same benefits. It's best to stick with the whole grain, plain-flavored version so that you don't risk a spike in blood sugar in the morning.

Over 150,000 people voted, and CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH was named the best "dry cereal" to eat without milk. Honey Nut Cheerios was next, and then Cookie Crisp.

Cream of Wheat is particularly rich in iron, along with B vitamins like niacin, vitamin B6, thiamine, riboflavin, and folate. B vitamins are involved in many aspects of health, including energy production, brain function, and DNA synthesis ( 2 ).

Eating eggs leads to elevated levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as the “good” cholesterol. People who have higher HDL levels have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke and other health issues. According to one study, eating two eggs a day for six weeks increased HDL levels by 10%.

As a superior alternative to ordinary eggs, Eggland's Best offers higher nutritional content, less saturated fat and fewer calories. EB eggs contain 10 times more vitamin E, more than twice the amount of omega-3s, more than double the amount of vitamin B, and six times more vitamin D than ordinary eggs.

What is the healthiest brand of raisin bran? ›

If you want healthy raisin bran, check out Cascadian Farm Organic Raisin Bran, which has 6 grams of fiber and only 13 grams of sugar per cup serving, or Erewhon Raisin Bran, which has 6 grams of fiber and 10 grams of sugar per cup serving.

Source of nutrients: Special K cereal is a good source of vitamins A and D and an excellent source of vitamin C, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, and vitamins B12 and B6, and can be consumed as part of a healthy, well-balanced diet.

Salt or sodium

Salt, or specifically the sodium in salt, is a major contributor to high blood pressure and heart disease. This is because of how it affects fluid balance in the blood. Table salt is around 40 percent sodium. Some amount of salt is important for health, but it's easy to eat too much.

In addition to its use as a natural sweetener, honey is used as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial agent. People commonly use honey orally to treat coughs and topically to treat burns and promote wound healing.

In July 3, 1976, "Cinnamon Nut Cheerios" was the first departure from the original flavor of Cheerios, over 30 years after the cereal was created, the second was "Honey Nut Cheerios", introduced on March 1, 1979.

Cereal: plain oats, corn flakes and shredded wheat are minimally processed, but when the manufacturer adds sugar, flavourings or colourings, they become ultra-processed cereals. Try sticking to cereals such as porridge, corn flakes, bran flakes, weetabix etc rather than the more processed versions.

Regardless of the flavor, Cheerios is marketed as a healthy cereal as it's primarily made with whole-grain oats. This means that all Cheerios products are high-fiber cereals. Unlike other cereals, Cheerios products don't use artificial colorings or flavorings. Most products are also gluten free.

Corn and soy are the biggest glyphosate users, but chickpeas, wheat, and oat crops are also heavily treated with it as well. The EPA-approved use of glyphosate is as an herbicide, but there's another, more controversial, “off-label” use.

Did Cheerios change their ingredients? ›

Original Cheerios has always been made with whole grain oats, and there are no GMO oats. We do use a small amount of corn starch in cooking, and just one gram of sugar per serving for taste. And now that corn starch comes only from non-GM corn, and our sugar is only non-GM pure cane sugar.

1. Frosted Flakes, 1952. Since 1952, kids and adults have been enjoying Kellogg's Frosted Flakes (via Kellogg's). Launched a year after the first frosted corn flake cereal — Post's Corn-Fetti — Frosted Flakes have long outlasted the version from their rival cereal maker.

Cheerios: A processed cereal with a harmfully high heat manufacturing process. KUDOS TO CHEERIOS for having whole grain oats as the first ingredient. Unfortunately that's where the positives end as the cereal still has its share of processed ingredients and is made via the harmful extrusion process.

Oatmeal, particularly the slow-cooked kind, is generally healthier than Cheerios. Both are made from whole oats, but the difference comes down to processing. Unprocessed whole oats, like those in steel-cut oatmeal, take a while for the body to digest.