A functional food dilemma?
February 7, 2008
Kellogg’s is doing its bit for America’s health by adding whole grain to guess which cereal: Frosted Flakes! Kellogg’s sets its own nutritional standards–Kellogg Global Nutrient Criteria. This cereal meets them. Why do this? The whole grains provide enhanced nutrition for kids along with energy. Of course Frosted Flakes provide energy. They contain sugars!
OK, here’s the problem. Yes, I admit it, I am a closet Frosted Flakes lover. I know better, but I would rather have a bowl of Frosted Flakes and milk than any candy bar, cookie, pie, chip, etc. So, occasionally I do. Just please don’t tell anybody. And I do this within the framework of getting my daily fiber from fresh veggies and fruits and grains and beans. So, from this 40-something Frosted Flakes lover, LEAVE THE FLAKES ALONE!!! DON’T RUIN THEM WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF!!! Yes, they are junk food, but pumping them full of other stuff won’t change that, it will only ruin them.
Please. Thank you.
Comment by Sheila — February 7, 2008 @ 2:45 pm
I saw the GDA’s on a box of Kellogg’s Raisin Bran a few weeks ago and found it somewhat amusing. They had calculated the percentages of everything except sugars. However, reading the fine print they suggest a daily intake of no more than 125g of sugars. After a little math, we determined that there was 17% sugars (19g) in one serving which seemed significant in a non-sugared cereal. Frosted Flakes only has 11g of sugars per serving! If they’re going to use the GDA’s or other values as marketing on the front of the box, they should calculate the sugar percentages as well instead of pretending that they can’t calculate the sugar percentages.
Comment by Saara — February 7, 2008 @ 7:42 pm
I complain about a lot of things they do but this one is complicated. Those extra sugars are in the raisins.
Comment by Marion — February 7, 2008 @ 8:41 pm
Well, but sugar is sugar, and dried fruit is particularly deceiving because it has health food cachet - AND concentrated sugars. Raisins are another example of junk food in a health food suit - concentrated bombs of glucose and fructose. I’m not suggesting that people should avoid raisins completely, and the 5 or 10 raisins in a serving of Raisin Bran will not harm anyone. But if you’re eating a half cup of them at time, you’re getting more glucose and fructose than from a 12 oz. Coke - 42 g!
A half a cup of fresh grapes, however, has only about 12 grams of sugars.
Comment by Migraineur — February 8, 2008 @ 8:39 am
And I’ll add to Migraineur’s excellent points that the raisins in Raisin Bran are dusted with sugar on the exterior as well.
I get some of my worst high blood glucose spikes from cold cereals, even the so-called low sugar ones so I don’t even bother with *any* of them. They are practically pre-digested no matter what “health” wrapping says . That sort of assault just isn’t what our bodies are set up to handle well, day in and day out (along with all the other engineered food substances).
Comment by Anna — February 14, 2008 @ 11:19 am