By Claude Brodesser-Akner | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Don't Edit
UNLUCKY CHARMS?
Cheerio, Cheerios.
You probably can't even pronounce it, but your mother is probably emailing you right now to tell you howglyphosate has been found in your kids' cereals.
Sadly, mom's right: The world's most widely used weedkiller -- and the main ingredient in Monsanto's RoundUp -- was discovered at trace levels in popular oat cereal brands like General Mills' Cheerios and Lucky Charms, Quaker Oatmeal, Kellogg's Cracklin' Oat Bran and even Nature Valley granola bars.
Earlier this week, the non-profit advocacy Environmental Working Group (EWG) released a study of nearly 30 popular oat breakfast cereals. It found more than half had levels of glyphosate potentially unsafe for children.
Only five brands tested had no trace of glyphosate.
Glyphosate is added by commercial farmers to ensure all crops are uniformly killed prior to harvest, and opinions vary as to how much of it, if any, is safe to consume.
In a December 2017 draft human health risk assessment, the EPA concluded that glyphosate is "not likely to be carcinogenic to humans” but a spokeswoman for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, told NJ Advance Media in an email that the agency “was aware of the new report and will carefully consider the findings along with our larger body of evidence concerning glyphosate levels in foods.”
With that in mind, you might want to toss your Lucky Charms from the cabinet and go buy something that doesn't have the stuff in it.
So which brands were found to test free of glyphosates?
It's all below...
Don't Edit
BAG THE GRANOLA?
Even the kind of granola you buy matters in ways you cannot discern just by reading the label.
For example, Back to Nature Classic Granola, Quaker's Simply Granola Oats, Honey, Raisin and Almonds and Nature Valley's Granola Protein Oats 'n Honey all might sound wholesome enough, but EWG's study found they actually all contained levels of glyphosate "potentially dangerous to children."
Meanwhile, KIND Vanilla, Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds and Back to Nature Banana Walnut Granola Clusters were found to contain "safe" levels of the weed killer.
Only Nature's Path Organic Honey Almond granola tested glyphosate-free.
Don't Edit
ONE OAT CEREAL TESTED FREE
Cheerios are the go-to breakfast for many busy working parents, since they're relatively low in sugar and gluten-free.
But Cheerios was one of several household name brands deemed to have glyphosate levels that were potentially unsafe for kids, along with Lucky Charms (without marshmallows),
Kellogg’s Cracklin’ Oat Bran and even
Barbara's Multigrain Spoonfuls (original flavor).
The only cereal that tested free of glyphosate?
Kashi Heart to Heart Organic Honey Toasted cereal
.
Don't Edit
GUY WALKS INTO A GRANOLA BAR...
Granola bars aren't free of glyphosate, either.
Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars (Oats 'n Honey)
have potentially unsafe levels of glyphosate.
Kellogg’s Nutrigrain Soft Baked Breakfast Bars (Strawberry
)
were deemed to have elevated but "safe" levels of glyphosate.
Only
Cascadian Farm Organic Harvest Berry
granola bars were tested entirely free of glyphosate.
Don't Edit
Don't Edit
OATMEAL A NOPE-MEAL?
Oatmeal -- particularly Quaker brand oatmeals -- gets dinged, too: Quaker Steel Cut Oats, Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, and Quaker Dinosaur Eggs Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal are all deemed to have potentially unsafe levels of the weed killer.
But it cuts across the board: Lower-cost like
Great Value Original Instant Oatmeal,
Umpqua Oats Maple Pecan, and Target's
Market Pantry Instant Oatmeal (Strawberries & Cream) have potentially unsafe levels, as did higher end brand
Bob's Red Mill Steel Cut Oats.
Meanwhile, Nature's Path Organic Old Fashioned Organic Oats and
Whole Foods Bulk Bin conventional rolled oats are found to have elevated but "safe" levels of glyphosate.
But only Whole Foods private label oatmeal,
365 Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
and
Simple Truth Organic Instant Oatmeal (Original)
tested free of glyphosate.
Don't Edit
Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached atcbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@ClaudeBrodesser. FindNJ.com Politics on Facebook.
Don't Edit
