Changing health standards is not unusual. Eggs were caught in the middle early on in the debate about what is healthy and what is unhealthy. As science evolves, we learn more about what health standards should be for the majority of the public, and health standards change.
The understanding of eggs created a division as to what was considered healthy or unhealthy. At one point, the yolk was considered the unhealthy part of the egg due to cholesterol. Then the science developed and now the Mayo Clinic states that it is considered healthy as long as most people consume no more than seven eggs per week.
One thing to consider is what is cooked in addition to the eggs, such as cheese, bacon, and butter. Adding these delicious ingredients changes what’s considered healthy. Science is not static. It changes, and as bodies grow and develop differently, the nutrients and calories needed to be the healthiest are possible.
Amazing grains are no longer considered healthy
The Food and Drug Administration is making changes to what should be considered healthy. This has created an amazing list of breakfast cereals that shouldn’t be considered healthy anymore. The Food and Drug Administration has a mission to protect the general public when it comes to health and safety, and to hold companies accountable for making accurate claims about the ingredients and effects of products that Americans consume.
While consumers are able to read labels and consume the products of their choice, it is important to know what is “more accurate”. Cereals Gen X, Millennials, and even Boomers have grown to believe it’s a healthy breakfast option is about to be shocked.
Kellogg (K) Special K Cereals, Frosted Mini Wheats, and Raisin Bran are included on the list by the FDA as they are no longer considered a healthy breakfast option. These cereals contain added sugars and more sodium than the new health standard proposed by the Food and Drug Administration. Raisin Bran has 9 grams of added sugar, Young Frozen Wheat has 12 grams of added sugars, and Special K has only 4 grams of added sugar, but also 270 mg of sodium.
general mills’ (GIS) The cereals that made the FDA’s list were Honey Nut Cheerios and Corn Flakes. These options have always been considered healthy when considering cereal for breakfast. Honey Nut Cheerios has 12 grams of added sugars, while Corn Flakes has only 4 grams of added sugars but contains 300 milligrams of sodium.
Post Holding Company (Mail) Honey Roasted Oats Bundles is rated on the FDA’s list because it contains 8 grams of added sugars and PepsiCo. (PEP) Quaker Oats’s Quaker Oats Life cereal is made with 8 grams of added sugars.
To the layman, these terms may not have much meaning. To break it down, the standard for sodium intake for one serving is 230 milligrams and only 2.5 grams of added sugars. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) makes an effort to limit the general consumer’s understanding of what is healthy versus what appear to be healthy options.
Make the most of the most important meal of the day
Most grains are rarely healthy, but some are healthier than others, and while the Food and Drug Administration classifies these breakfast favorites as “unhealthy,” they’re still healthier than other grain options. One of the worst breakfast cereals out there is Post Consumer Brands’ Golden Crisp. It consists mostly of sugar and corn syrup. Contains 18 grams of sugar per serving. For mathematicians, that’s seven times more than the Food and Drug Administration’s new health standard.
Some balanced breakfasts, according to Harvard Health Publishing, would be plain yogurt with fruit and nuts, oatmeal with fruit and nuts or whole wheat or rye bread with nut butter. She said starting the day with protein and limiting carbohydrates is a good breakfast option. A good rule of thumb is that the less processed the food, the better for you. While this isn’t true in all cases, it’s still pretty consistent when you don’t want to take the time to read ingredients and box labels before every meal.
