Froot Loops are healthy? :|

Did you read "For Your Health, Froot Loops"?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/05/business/05 smart.html?_r=1&hp

“You’re rushing around, you’re trying to think about healthy eating for your kids and you have a choice between a doughnut and a cereal,” Dr. Kennedy said, evoking a hypothetical parent in the supermarket. “So Froot Loops is a better choice.”

This is the stupidest comment I've heard in a while. Well, in that case, put a checkmark on butter. Couldn't lard be worse?

Couldn't you always name some alternative that could be worse than something else?

The thing is, she expicitly says they aren't going to put an 'X' on items, so no one would know what the product 'is better than'.

Help me expand on the logic of this Smart Choices board president:

Mine: Chips are better than french fries.

I read the article....it's just another marketing scam by the food manufacturers.  I'll be ignoring the "Smart Choice" labels...unfortunately some people will probably believe the misleading/false advertising.

Bacon is better than hotdogs ;-)

Nothing the colour of Froot Loops can possibly be healthy.  For that matter, nothing called "froot" can possibly be healthy.  There's a reason they're not called Fruit Loops.  :-)  Now, if only consumers had the common sense to realise this.

Candy bars are better than arsenic.

I'm afraid I'm one of the guilty ones...my younger son loved Froot Loops as a small boy & so I used to buy it frequently for him ~ in a large family, or so I thought, one has to get as much cheap food as possible, lol. Thank God he made up for it with a love for vegetables!

Nowadays, we are making much healthier choices. He is one who used to drink Mountain Dew quite often. Now he tells me he wants fruit juices or just plain water! Surprise, surprise!!

I guess they all have to grow up sooner or later, eh?

Chocolate pudding is better than mud.

dr pepper is better than coca-cola.

it has fruit, lol! 

I love that woman's logic!  Now let's see ...

chocolate chip cookies are better than chocolate chip double fudge brownies

Marvelous. What a well thought out statement.

Deep fried banana fritters are better than deep fried marsbars. Loads of pottasium in there.

Caramel apple topped w/ peanuts AND chocolate chips is better than a caramel apple plain.

You know, fruit loops aren't THAT bad...at least they have a bunch of vitamins powdered on them. The milk you serve them with provides some sort of protein too!

Yes you should wake up and feed your kid some eggs and a piece of fruit, but most parents don't. Mainstream breakfast in general isn't healthy.

Muffins?

Coffee Cake?

Donuts?

Bagels?

French Toast?

Pancakes?

It's all carb laden sugar filled junk.

Often I make a serving of Trix (120 calories) my afternoon snack. They're fruity and fun to crunch on...

Soooo I get where the article is coming from, but yea.. I see all your points too :)

Original Post by x17star17x:

Yes you should wake up and feed your kid some eggs and a piece of fruit, but most parents don't. Mainstream breakfast in general isn't healthy.

Really? Seriously? Wow.

Most of the kids I knew growing up... myself included... ate muesli, cereal (NOT froot loops), toast, yoghurt, baked beans or fruit for breakfast. It's not like I was from a very well-off neighbourhood either. Wholemeal toast is not exactly expensive!

ETA: A bran muffin, a bagel, french toast or a couple of pancakes are all much healthier imo than a treat food posing as a breakfast cereal, filled with artificial flavours, colours, preservatives and other chemicals. There is nothing wrong with items being carb-laden; in fact the best way to start off your day is with a healthy serving of carbs for energy!

I get both points and yup there is always going to be a better or worse option for every food.

I guess if you put a bowl of Froot loops w/ milk versus a Little Debbie snack cake and juice or a honey bun or something then yea the cereal is the way to go.
At least it gives the kiddies some protein, vitamins and minerals in the morning and gets them into the habit of eating breakfast.

Are Fruity Cheerios any healthier than Froot loops??

Original Post by ezzied:

Caramel apple topped w/ peanuts AND chocolate chips is better than a caramel apple plain.

lol...

WTF Fruit Loops.... ARE NOT HEALTHY! Yikes: No wonder we have an obesity problem!!!

I think that you are being way to hard on fruit loops. They do have 12 grams of sugar per serving, but they are also low in calories, extremly low in fat, have some fiber and of course are fortified with lron, folic acid and vitamin b12 (all common vitamins for children to be deficiant of) although I would prefer my children to eat oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, fruit loops with skim milk is a MUCH better option than doughnuts, or fast food breakfast which have no nutritional value at all and are LOADED with calories and saturated fat or for them to go without breakfast at all.

Just to be clear, it's not "Fruit Loops," it's "Froot Loops." When fruit gets spelled with two o's, it's a clue that it's some crazy junk.

Just like when cheese is spelled with a "z." Beware.

Original Post by lizzypoo222:

I think that you are being way to hard on fruit loops. They do have 12 grams of sugar per serving, but they are also low in calories, extremly low in fat, have some fiber and of course are fortified with lron, folic acid and vitamin b12 (all common vitamins for children to be deficiant of) although I would prefer my children to eat oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, fruit loops with skim milk is a MUCH better option than doughnuts, or fast food breakfast which have no nutritional value at all and are LOADED with calories and saturated fat or for them to go without breakfast at all.

Thank-you for bringing just a wee bit of light to a discussion that threatens to become an argument...

I think we are all in agreement that Froot Loops are not the best breakfast food, not even the best cereal; they do, however provide SOME nourishment (like you say) even a small amount as compared to oatmeal or toast.

But there really are worst things in the world.

I am going to on the "for" fruit loops side...they aren't that bad, like the above, there are way worse things out there besides cereal. Plus, 100 cals for a cup, perfect afternoon snack if you ask me.

I should have stopped after: "backed by most of the nation’s largest food manufacturers" , but what a heck I was bored so I read through the whole thing. That is one awesome marketing scam. Lets face it folks average consumer is not too bright and goes for bright colors and a promise "healthiness".

This was funny:

"“You’re rushing around, you’re trying to think about healthy eating for your kids and you have a choice between a doughnut and a cereal,” Dr. Kennedy said"

The similar logic is used by scam artists. The logic is perfectly sound and makes sense until you look at at starting point of the argument. In this case it's the assumption that there are no other fast to prepare breakfast items that are healthy.

I loved this quote:

“You could start out with some sawdust, add calcium or Vitamin A and meet the criteria,” Mr. Jacobson said."

Coincidentally that is how the rating system works on this website. ha ha

UD

So so true...and our first clue should be "food manufacturers", eh? As soon as I read that they have to "manufacture" food, I start to wonder...this probably should read, "those who add preservatives and coloring and flavoring" to processed foods.

Caveat emptor!

Original Post by lizzypoo222:

I think that you are being way to hard on fruit loops. They do have 12 grams of sugar per serving, but they are also low in calories, extremly low in fat, have some fiber and of course are fortified with lron, folic acid and vitamin b12 (all common vitamins for children to be deficiant of) although I would prefer my children to eat oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, fruit loops with skim milk is a MUCH better option than doughnuts, or fast food breakfast which have no nutritional value at all and are LOADED with calories and saturated fat or for them to go without breakfast at all.

Why is the alternative to Froot Loops a doughnut?  Why isn't it Cheerios?  Or Raisin Bran?  They seem like far more logical alternatives.

I'll also disagree with you on the fast food and say that it would be better to give your kids an Egg McMuffin for breakfast than a bowl of Froot Loops.  At least the Egg McMuffin has all of the nutrients from the egg plus some calcium from the cheese and protein from the egg/cheese/ham.

So, I guess that means McDonalds is better than Froot Loops.  And when you lose to McDonalds, you really shouldn't get to call yourself a healthy food! 

It's this kind of logic, Froot Loops vs. Donuts or Egg McMuffin vs. Froot Loops, that has made about 50% of people on this continent obese or knocking on the door.   Instead it should be Red River Cereal sweetened with dates or fruit vs. Oatmeal, quinoa and barley with raisins or fruit and milk.  People need to see Froot Loops, donuts and Egg McMuffins for what they are...and what they are is not food...