Who would ever think that there was a such thing as too many nutrients? Well, a recent Environmental Working Group (EWG) study has determined that that is a possibility- and it’s harmfully impacting large numbers of children, pregnant women, and senior citizens through cereal and cereal bar intake.
Almost half of American children under 8 are consuming potentially harmful amounts of vitamin A, zinc, and niacin. The common “healthy” cereals for adults such as General Mills Total Raisin Bran and Wheaties Fuel have made the list of 114 cereals found in the study with over 30-percent adult daily value of vitamin A. There is also a list of 23 cereals that the EWG determined to be excessively high in added-nutrient dosage.
So that little percentage on the side of our cereal and cereal bar boxes actually means something! For young children, especially; by allowing them to consume these products with added vitamins and nutrients they are being overexposed to vitamin levels. In other words, it’s almost as if it’s nutrient overdose! The EWG determined that too much Vitamin A may lead to liver damage (as does drinking too much alcohol) and too much zinc can negatively impact your red and white blood cells.
This is important to remember when we see labels that say nutrient/vitamin-added. The companies marketing strategies tend to make consumers believe that more vitamins are a good thing, but they can also have their negative effects. They tell you the essential vitamins needed but do not say too much is a harmful.
Cereal may be an easier way for children to get their dose of vitamin A, but one must be aware that this common breakfast food should not serve as a vitamin-supplement because the vitamin levels may be too high. So, the next time you’re using the mantra, “Eat your Wheaties!”… make sure its not too much!
The complete list of cereals and cereal bars with excessively high nurtrient levels can be found here.
Photo credit: Web MD/Raisin Bran/Cheerios