Trying to keep kids away from drugs just got a bit tougher. Turns out, Cheerios is an "unapproved new drug" under FDA regulations.
General Mills has noted on the Cheerios box that its cereal lowers cholesterol. Here are direct statements from the box: "Did you know that in just 6 weeks Cheerios can reduce bad cholesterol by an average of 4 percent? Cheerios is . . . clinically proven to lower cholesterol. A clinical study showed that eating two 1-1/2 cup servings daily of Cheerios cereal reduced bad cholesterol when eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol."
According to the FDA, the wording of these statements indicates that Cheerios is intended for use in the prevention or treatment of high cholesterol.
I’m sure there will be more to come on this issue and I believe that the American public is being taken advantage of with all these packaging claims. Case in point: I saw a banana with a “seal” that stated NO CHOLESTEROL. We aren’t really that naive, are we?
Kim Dalzell, PhD, RD, LD
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