BRAND-NAME RATING

COMPETITIONC O M P E T I T I O N IINN TTHEH E CCEREALE R E A L AAISLEI S L E

BYB Y JJAYNEA Y N E HHURLEYU R L E Y & BBONNIEO N N I E LLIEBMANI E B M A N

Weight a Minute

The back of the Quaker Weight Control Instant Oatmeal box admits that “maintaining a healthy weight depends on balancing calo- ries consumed and calories used” (thanks a lot). But the frfrontont touts the ’scereal’s “7 grams t was only a matter of time. of protein” and “6 grams of fi ber.” Do they With claims about heart help control your weight? First, keep in mind that a packet of WeightWeight disease, weight control, whole Control weighs 45 grams (1½ ounces), not the modest 28 grams (1 ounce) Igrains, antioxidants, fi ber, omega-3s, you’ll fi nd in Quaker Regular Flavor Instant Oatmeal. That’s why “each packet contains 2 servings of whole grains.” (Many food companies have and more invading other sections decided that a “serving” of whole grains is 16 grams, but there are no of- of the supermarket, it was inevit- fi cial regs.) It’s also why a packet of Weight Control delivers 160 calories, able that they would make an vs. 100 calories for a packet of Quaker Regular Flavor. A serving of Weight Control has 6 grams of fi ber, 3 more than Quaker appearance in the already-health- Regular Instant. One of the extra 3 grams of fi ber comes from Weight conscious hot-cereal aisle. Control’s extra oatmeal. The rest comes from maltodextrin, a carbohydrate (made from cornstarch) that counts as fi ber because it’s poorly digested If you’re eating the same bowl of and absorbed. Wheatena or ordinary Quaker Quaker claims that “research shows that people who eat a diet higher that you ate as a child, don’t stop. in fi ber tend to weigh less.” Whether that includes a “functional” fi ber like maltodextrin—rather than, say, the fi ber in oatmeal and fruits and vegeta- Unadorned whole-grain hot cere- bles—is anyone’s guess. als are among the healthiest foods. As for protein: maybe it “helps you feel full and promotes lean muscle They’re rich in fi ber but not in bad mass,” as the box notes. But the 7 grams of protein in Weight Control beat regular oatmeal by only 3 grams—half of it from Weight Control’s extra oats fats, salt, or sugar. Toss in a hand- and half from its added whey protein isolate. In contrast, a small (3 oz.) ful of berries, bananas, peaches, or chicken breast has 27 grams of protein. While no one needs the sugar that’s in most sweetened instant oatmeals, other fruit and you’ll make them Weight Control replaces it with the artifi cial sweeteners sucralose (safe) even better. and acesulfame potassium (poorly tested and possibly unsafe). But if you’re bewildered by And, of course, Weight Control’s Banana Bread variety hasn’t been anywhere near a banana. That’s what the words “Naturally & Artifi cially whether—and how—to pick a cereal Flavored” on the label really mean. that’s (supposedly) good for your Bottom line: any unsweetened oatmeal may help dieters stay full. The extra bells and whistles (a few grams of protein and fi ber) in Weight Control heart, your waist, your bones, or aren’t worth the potentially harmful artifi cial sweetener. Maybe Quaker

Photos: PunchStock (top), Nick Waring (all others). your gender, read on. needs some claim control.

1 2 NUTRITION ACTION HEALTHLETTER ■ NOVEMBER 2005 Power PlayBRAND-NAME RATING Sweet’N Nature’s Path Optimum Power Organic Instant Oatmeal is a decent cereal. But Lower the name Optimum Power implies that it’s far superior to other hot . It isn’t. “50% Less Sugar,” says Each serving has 300 mg of omega-3 the label on Quaker Lower fat, says the box. But Optimum Power’s Sugar Instant Oatmeal. If omega-3 comes from fl axseed, and it’s not you like fl avored cereals, clear that the omega-3 in plants is as good go for it. as the omega-3 fats in fi sh oil at reducing Quaker replaces the risk of heart disease. (Most people about 1½ teaspoons of get plenty of omega-3 from plant sources anyway, since canola oil sugars per packet with the safe artifi cial sweetener has 1,300 milligrams per tablespoon and soybean oil has 925 milli - sucralose (Splenda). That leaves each packet with grams.) A serving of Optimum Power also contains 140 mg of just 4 to 6 grams of sugars. In contrast, Quaker’s omega-6 fats, says the label, which doesn’t mention that some popular fl avored oatmeals have 9 to 16 grams experts believe that we already get too much omega-6. (2 to 4 teaspoons) of sugars. Optimum Power’s evaporated cane juice is no better than sugar. Erewhon’s fl avored Organic Instant Oatmeals It’s also not clear that the cereal’s soy isofl avones curb hot fl ashes have around 5 grams of sugars per packet (some of or prevent cancer or lower cholesterol. Like many other “natural it comes from the apples, raisins, and dates in two foods” brands, Nature’s Path doesn’t bother adding extra vitamins of its fl avors). And they don’t use artifi cial sweet- or minerals, as Quaker, Kashi, and some other big brands do. And eners. Just don’t be too impressed with the “no Optimium Power isn’t even optimum when it comes to omega-3 cane sweeteners” declaration on the label. While from fl axseed. A packet of (Best Bite) Uncle Sam Instant Oatmeal Erewhon’s dehydrated maple syrup may not be has 50 percent more (460 mg, vs 300 mg). ordinary table sugar (that’s what “cane sweetener” What’s more, the label claims that “eating oats may also have is), it isn’t any better for you. a positive effect on the immune system” and “may lower systolic It’s also no better than the evaporated cane juice blood pressure,” even though the evidence is skimpy. in Fantastic Big Cereal or the organic unbleached Okay cereal. Runaway claims. cane sugar in Dr. McDougall’s.

Heart to Believe

Heart to Heart Oatmeal (“More For Your Heart”) is But claims that use the word “support” need Kashi’s answer to Quaker’s Take Heart Oatmeal no government approval, so anything goes. (“Advanced Nutrition for your Heart”). Make that Kashi also tosses in grape seed extract Kellogg’s answer, since the cereal giant bought Kashi (“you’re getting the antioxidant benefi ts of several years ago. eating nearly a pound of grapes!”), along Both cereals make essentially the same three with two “potent antioxidants”: green tea claims. Here’s how the Heart to Heart box puts them: extract and lycopene (“equal to the amount in a medium size tomato”). The evidence ■ Helps Reduce Cholesterol. Take Heart has that those extracts matter is shaky, but they slightly more soluble fi ber from oats (1½ grams per give Kashi license to boast that it has “more serving) than Heart to Heart (1 gram). Three grams a heart healthy ingredients than any national day of the soluble fi ber in oats lowers your cholesterol instant oatmeal.” modestly—about 5 percent—according to the Food and Drug Administration. Quaker exaggerates by ■ Helps Manage Hypertension. With about using words like “removes cholesterol” (on the box) or 100 milligrams of sodium per serving, both “hunts down and helps kick out excess cholesterol” (in ads). Heart to Heart and Take Heart are low enough to be able to make this claim. (Plain, quick-cooking or old fashioned oatmeal has no ■ Helps Support Healthy Arteries. It’s not clear that extra vita- sodium.) Take Heart adds more potassium than Heart to Heart, mins (E, B-6, B-12, and folic acid) do anything for your arteries. and potassium can keep a lid on blood pressure.

NUTRITION ACTION HEALTHLETTER ■ NOVEMBER 2005 1 3 BRAND-NAMEBRAND-NAME RRATINGATING

A Spoonful of Sterols… What’s Hot It’s more like a bowlful of sterols that makes the cho- Best Bites are 100 percent whole grain, are free of the lesterol go down. Health Valley HeartWise is the only questionable artifi cial sweetener acesulfame potassium, hot cereal that has added and have no added sugar and no more than 250 milligrams plant sterols—compounds of sodium per serving. Honorable Mentions can have up to that occur naturally in tiny amounts in fruits, vegeta- 6 grams (1½ teaspoons) of sugar or, if they’re single-serve bles, nuts, and beans. containers (which are larger), 12 grams of sugar (and At higher levels (0.8 grams a day), sterols can lower 350 mg of sodium). (We counted bran cereals as whole LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by about 10 percent by keeping some of the cholesterol in the gut from being absorbed grain because they provide the nutrients that have been into the bloodstream. HeartWise has 0.4 grams per serv- milled out of refi ned-grain cereals.) Within each section, ing, so you’d need two pouches a day to get that drop. cereals are ranked from most to least fi ber, then least to most (You can also get 0.4 grams of sterols from a serving of other foods, like Minute Maid Heart Wise orange juice, sugar, calories, and sodium. The weight (in grams) of each Yoplait Healthy Heart yogurt, and Take Control margarine.) serving, single-serve packet, or container is in parentheses Like other companies competing for heart-conscious following its name.

oatmeal eaters, Health Valley pumps up the B-vitamins # and adds a few antioxidants (vitamin C and selenium) for Hot Cereals (milligrams) (grams) good measure. They don’t matter if you take a multivita- (grams) Single-Serve Instant Packets min. Exception: if your multi has no selenium, HeartWise (40 g dry = about 1 cup cooked) Calories Sugars Sodium Fiber is an easy way to get half a day’s worth. ✔✔ Alti Plano Gold Organic —Regular (48 g) 190 1 10 7 Quaker Weight Control (45 g)1A* 160 1 270 6 Quaker Take Heart (45 g)1* 160 9 110 6 ✔✔ Uncle Sam Oatmeal (34 g)* 130 0 20 5 May You Multiply Kashi Heart to Heart Oatmeal (43 g)1* 160 14 110 5 Alti Plano Gold Organic Quinoa—fl avored (48 g)1 180 14 160 5 ✔✔ Erewhon Organic Oatmeal—with Added “Bigger Size,” says the Bran (35 g) 130 0 0 4 label on Dr. McDougall’s ✔✔ Nature’s Path Organic Oatmeal—Original (50 g) 190 0 200 4 Cran berry Muesli, which ✔ Dr. McDougall’s Light Organic Oatmeal (34 g)1* 140 6 150 4 comes in a convenient, just- Nature’s Path Organic Oatmeal—Optimum Power add-hot-water cup that you or Optimum Zen (40 g)2 150 10 150 4 1 can take to the offi ce. The Country Choice Organic Oatmeal—fl avored (39 g) 160 10 80 4 1 catch: The serving listed Nature’s Path Organic Oatmeal—fl avored (50 g) 190 14 110 4 ✔✔ on the Nutrition Facts panel Quaker Oatmeal—Regular Flavor (28 g)* 100 0 80 3 McCann’s Sugar Free Irish Oatmeal (28 g)1A* 100 0 140 3 is only half the container. ✔✔ Country Choice Organic Oatmeal—Regular Eat the whole thing (who Flavor (28 g) 110 0 0 3 wouldn’t?) and, instead of ✔✔ Dr. McDougall’s Organic Oatmeal—Original (28 g)* 120 0 40 3 160 calories, you get 320. ✔ McCann’s Irish Oatmeal—Regular Flavor (28 g)* 100 1 80 3 That’s about as many calories as you’d get in a ✔✔ Arrowhead Mills Organic Oatmeal—Cinnamon Fantastic Big Cereal. But the Big Cereal label help- Raisin Almond or Original Plain (32 g)2 130 2 0 3 fully lists a serving as the entire container. Quaker Lower Sugar Oatmeal—Maple & Brown Sugar (34 g)* 120 4 290 3 ✔ Erewhon Organic Oatmeal—fl avored (34 g)1 130 5 80 3 ✔ Arrowhead Mills Organic Oatmeal—Maple Apple Spice (35 g) 140 5 50 3 The information for this article was compiled by Danielle Weinberg, with help from Heather Jones.

1 4 NUTRITION ACTION HEALTHLETTER ■ NOVEMBER 2005 BRAND-NAME RATING

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(milligrams) (milligrams) (grams) (grams)

(grams) (grams)

Sodium Fiber Calories Sugars Sodium Fiber Calories Sugars ✔ Quaker Lower Sugar Oatmeal—except Maple & ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill Organic Kamut 120 0 0 4 1 Brown Sugar (34 g) * 120 6 210 3 ✔✔ Arrowhead Mills Organic Oat Flakes (34 g) 130 0 0 4 1 Quaker Supreme (43 g) * 160 12 290 3 ✔✔ Mother’s Whole 130 0 0 4 1 Country Choice Oatmeal—Organic Plus (47 g) * 180 12 140 3 ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill Organic Right Stuff 6 Grain 140 0 0 4 McCann’s Irish Oatmeal—Apples & Cinnamon or ✔✔ 1 2 Bob’s Red Mill—Scottish Oatmeal or Steel Cut Maple & Brown Sugar (39 g) * 150 13 210 3 Oats1 140 0 0 4 1 Quaker Bakery Favorites (44 g) * 160 14 250 3 ✔✔ Country Choice Organic Steel Cut Oatmeal 150 0 0 4 1 Quaker Nutrition for Women (46 g) * 160 14 310 3 ✔✔ McCann’s Irish Oatmeal—Steel Cut or Quick & Health Valley HeartWise Oatmeal (43 g)1* 170 16 90 3 Easy Steel Cut2 150 0 0 4 Quaker Oatmeal—fl avored (38 g)1* 140 13 210 2 ✔✔ McCann’s Quick Cooking Irish Oatmeal 150 0 0 4 Nabisco Cream of Wheat—Original (28 g)* 90 0 170 1 ✔✔ Old Wessex—Irish or Instant Oatmeal2 150 0 0 4 Quaker Grits (28 g)1* 100 0 440 1 ✔✔ Old Wessex Scottish Porridge Oats 150 0 0 4 Nabisco Cream of Wheat—fl avored (35 g)1* 130 14 190 1 ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Mighty Tasty (42 g) 150 0 10 4 1 Single-Serve Instant Cups (1 container) ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Farina (45 g) 160 0 0 4 ✔ Dr. McDougall’s Oatmeal & with Real ✔✔ Erewhon Organic Barley Plus (47 g) 170 0 0 4 Bananas & Maple (71 g) 270 12 110 7 ✔✔ Old Fashioned or Quick Oats, most major brands 150 1 0 4 Fantastic Big Cereal (74 g)1 270 17 310 7 ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill Spice N’ Nice 190 3 10 4 Dr. McDougall’s Organic Muesli or Oatmeal ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill Muesli (31 g) 110 5 0 4 (all sizes)—except Oatmeal & Barley with ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill 8 Grain 110 0 10 3 Real Bananas & Maple (73 g)1 260 15 170 6 ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill Rolled 130 0 0 3 The Spice Hunter 3 Grain (56 g)1 220 17 260 5 Arrowhead Mills Organic Wheat Free 7 Grain (41 g) 150 0 0 3 Quaker Oatmeal Express (54 g)1* 200 18 290 4 ✔✔ (grams) Bob’s Red Mill Millet Grits/Meal (47 g) or Multi-Serve Boxes Organic Creamy Buckwheat (41 g)2 150 0 0 3 (40 g dry serving—about 1 cup cooked—unless noted) Fiber ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill 10 Grain 180 0 10 3 ✔✔ Flax-Z-Snax Wheat-Free (50 g)1 210 2 110 15 ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill Grains & Nuts 190 0 0 3 ✔✔ Flax-Z-Snax1 140 0 190 11 ✔✔ Ancient Harvest Organic Quinoa Flakes (34 g) 130 1 0 3 ✔✔ Arrowhead Mills Organic—4 Grain Plus Flax (39 g) ✔✔ or Steel Cut Oats (41 g)2 150 0 0 9 Lundberg Organic Hot ’n Creamy 140 0 0 2 2 ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill Organic Cracked (32 g) 110 1 0 7 Quaker Grits—Quick (37 g) or Old Fashioned (41 g) 140 0 0 2 ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill Soy Grits (38 g) 130 4 0 7 Arrowhead Mills Bear Mush (43 g) 150 0 0 2 ✔✔ Arrowhead Mills Organic 7 Grain (44 g) 140 0 0 6 Arrowhead Mills Rice & Shine (42 g) 150 0 0 2 ✔✔ 1 ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill Peppy Kernels 140 0 0 6 Bob’s Red Mill Creamy Rice (41 g) 150 0 10 2 ✔✔ Kashi 7 Whole Grain Pilaf (46 g) 170 0 20 6 Farina Mills Farina (33 g) 120 0 0 1 ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill—Triticale Meal (35 g) or Barley Grits2 130 1 0 6 Nabisco Cream of Wheat—1 Minute or 10 Minute (33 g)2* 120 0 0 1 ✔✔ Oat Bran, most major brands 150 1 0 6 Malt-O-Meal —Original (35 g)* 130 0 0 1 ✔✔ Arrowhead Mills Organic Bits O Barley (45 g) 160 1 0 6 ✔✔ Pocono Organic Cream of Buckwheat (41 g) 140 0 0 1 ✔✔ Hodgson Mill Multi Grain 160 1 0 6 Arrowhead Mills White Corn Grits (42 g) 150 0 0 1 ✔✔ Hodgson Mill Cracked Wheat 110 0 0 5 Bob’s Red Mill Creamy Wheat (43 g)1 160 0 0 1 ✔✔ Mother’s Multigrain 130 0 0 5 ✔✔ Erewhon Organic Brown Rice Cream (45 g) 170 0 30 1 ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill Cracked Wheat1 140 0 0 5 Malt-O-Meal—fl avored2* 170 11 0 1 ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill Rolled Wheat 140 0 0 5 Nabisco Cream of Rice (46 g) 170 0 0 0 ✔✔ Krusteaz Zoom (35 g) 140 0 0 5 # ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill Rolled Barley Flakes 150 0 10 5 ✔✔ Best Bite. ✔ Honorable Mention. Includes added sugars plus naturally occurring sugars from any added fruit. 1 Average of all fl avors ✔✔ Wheatena (41 g)* 160 0 0 5 or varieties. 2 Average of the fl avors or varieties listed. A Contains ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill 5 Grain (35 g) 120 1 0 5 the inadequately tested artifi cial sweetener acesulfame potassium. ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill 7 Grain (41 g) 140 1 0 5 * Fortifi ed with added vitamins and minerals. ✔✔ The Silver Palate Thick & Rough Oatmeal 160 1 0 5 Daily Values (for a 2,000-calorie diet): Sugars: 40 grams (10 teaspoons). ✔✔ Country Choice Organic Multigrain 130 2 0 5 Fiber: 25 grams. Sodium: 1,500 milligrams.

✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill Apple, Cinnamon & Grains 190 3 10 5 Source: manufacturers. ✔✔ Bob’s Red Mill—Rolled Triticale or Creamy The use of information from this article for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited Rye Flakes (30 g)2 100 0 0 4 without written permission from CSPI.

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