Kellogg's has launched reduced sugar cereals in Europe in response to what they describe as "changing consumer tastes." The cereals will have 1/3 less sugar than the familiar varieties, and will deliver slightly fewer calories and slightly less of an impact on blood sugar when consumed. I applaud Kellogg's for introducing cereals with reduced sugar content. More and more evidence is appearing demonstrating the very strong links between the consumption of sugar (or refined carbohydrates) and chronic disease such as cancer, diabetes and obesity.
However, this is only a small part of what's going on with breakfast cereals. Most of these cereals are also made with refined white flour in addition to processed sugars. That means that even with reduced sugar content, they are still very high in processed carbohydrates, and that means they will have much the same effect as high-sugar cereals even though the sugar has been slightly reduced.
Also, this reduction in sugar is not substantial. It's only a 1/3 reduction, or 33% less sugar than the full sugar brands. Healthy people don't eat cereal with any sugar at all, so a healthy cereal would be one made with whole grains that has zero percent sugar. Of course, that cereal wouldn't be very popular with consumers, and perhaps this reduced sugar product may not be popular either. With companies like Kellogg's, it all comes down to consumer demand -- they're going to make the products that consumers buy and eat, regardless of the health effects from ingredients that go into those products. Still, I do commend Kellogg's for moving in the right direction here.
Now, if we can get stevia approved as an alternative sweetener in the United States, and we can increase consumer demand for stevia-sweetened cereals, then perhaps Kellogg's can someday offer cereals made with whole grains with no added sugars whatsoever and sweetened with all-natural stevia. That would be the ideal breakfast cereal that would help fight skyrocketing rate of diabetes and obesity in the United States, Europe, and around the globe.
In the mean time, you can make your own low-glycemic breakfast cereal. Just buy a high-protein cereal like Hi-Lo -- or boil your own Quinoa -- and add stevia as the sweetener. You'll get a delicious cereal without the blood sugar impact.
About the author: Mike Adams is an award-winning journalist and holistic nutritionist with a passion for sharing empowering information to help improve personal and planetary health He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, and he has published numerous courses on preparedness and survival, including financial preparedness, emergency food supplies, urban survival and tactical self-defense. Adams is a trusted, independent journalist who receives no money or promotional fees whatsoever to write about other companies' products. In mid 2010, Adams produced TV.NaturalNews.com, a natural health video sharing website offering user-generated videos on nutrition, green living, fitness and more. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also the CEO of a highly successful email newsletter software company that develops software used to send permission email campaigns to subscribers. Adams volunteers his time to serve as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and pursues hobbies such as martial arts, Capoeira, nature macrophotography and organic gardening. Known as the 'Health Ranger,' Adams' personal health statistics and mission statements are located at www.HealthRanger.org
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Thursday, August 19, 2004
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