Beware Of Misleading Marketing In The Cereal Aisle

December 4th, 2009 • Related • Filed Under • by trisha

As we prepare to usher in a new year, many consumers will be making New Year’s resolutions which they hope will stick. One of the more popular resolutions made year after year is the desire to lose weight. Despite what many people believe, most consumers are not falling for the latest diet fad or exercise program touted on television infomercials in the early morning hours. In fact, it is pretty common knowledge that the best way to lose weight and improve your overall health is by watching what you eat and getting regular exercise. So what happens when you are making the effort to eat healthy foods only to discover that the products you are buying are not as healthy as they claim to be?

In an attempt to catch the eye of health conscious shoppers, many breakfast cereals manufacturers have changed their marketing tactics to include words like “reduced sugar” and “whole grain” on cereal boxes. While some consumers have the time and discipline to carefully read and understand the information on these containers, many more are short on time or distracted, making it pretty easy to grab a box of cereal thinking it is a healthy choice.

According to experts, much of the information available to consumers is simply a play on words. In fact in most cases the new and improved version of an old cereal is often not very new or improved in terms of health benefits. If you look carefully at the nutrition labels on each box of cereal you might be shocked to discover manufacturers can legally make these claims by replacing sugar with other forms of refined carbohydrates. The end result, the exact same calorie content as before.

Starting your day with a good healthy breakfast is a great way to stick to your resolution to lose weight. Avoid cereals loaded with sugar or other calorie packing ingredients in favor of a healthy alternate. Do this by learning what to look for on the nutrition labels and trying new ways to sweeten a healthier cereal. Select cereals with less than 5 grams of sugar and at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. Healthy cereals also list whole wheat or wheat bran at the top of the list of ingredients. You can add fruit or even mix half a bowl of “good” cereal with half a bowl of sweetened cereal. This can reduce the caloric intact without forfeiting taste. Start the new year right by knowing what not to buy at the grocery store.