ARE CHEERIOS SAFE FOR YOUR CHILDREN?
Cheerios are both kid-and-parent-approved — they’re fun, easy to eat, low in sugar, and contain whole grains. But there is growing concern over how healthy they truly are.
Because Cheerios are made from conventionally grown oats, their glyphosate content has been scrutinized. Normally used as a weed-killer, glyphosate is sprayed on oats to dry them out so they can be harvested sooner, allowing the farmers to churn out a profit sooner.
Unfortunately, recent third-party testing has shown that Cheerios contains 729 parts per billion (ppb) of glyphosate. The Environmental Working Group children’s health benchmark is 160 ppb of glyphosate because of its potential link to cancer. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Two years later, California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment classified glyphosate as a known carcinogen.
So, what should you do? First of all, you should absolutely not panic. Your child is fine. But, if you can opt for a cereal that looks and tastes just like Cheerios without all the glyphosate, then, why not? The good news is, there are plenty of brands that make organic versions and because they’re organic, they don’t use oats that have been sprayed with glyphosate.
Will your child be able to tell the difference? Because these cereals look and taste almost exactly like Cheerios, your child shouldn’t be able to tell the difference. But if you’re nervous you’re going to get an epic meltdown because of the swap, keep an empty Cheerios box, put the new cereal bag inside, and your child will be none-the-wiser. (While tricking kids is not a great solution, in the grand scheme of parenting, a Cheerios swap feels mild.)
Not sure which brands to get? Below are some links to organic alternatives. One thing to note, Cheerios became popular because they’re a great gluten-free option for children with Celiac Disease. If gluten-free is a priority for you and your children, be mindful to check the alternatives to make sure they’re gluten-free. Right now, only the first one on this list is.