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Cheerios claims challenged

Heart Health Comments (6)

We see TV commercials all the time that advertise the cholesterol-reducing power of Cheerios. It’s true that right on the front of each box of Cheerios cereal, posted in big, bold white letters reads, “Cheerios Can Reduce Your Cholesterol!” Visiting the Cheerios Web site, you’ll also see the same message boasted, but with a little more information: “Eating Cheerios each day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, can help lower your cholesterol, and that could help reduce your risk of heart disease.”

So now we know that as a part of a low cholesterol diet, Cheerios does more than help in reducing cholesterol, but it also reduces your risk for heart disease, one of the most common causes of death in the United States, according to cardiovascular disease statistics. Why aren’t we all eating this for breakfast? Well, the Federal Drug Administration, in a recent report, does not agree.

According to a Washington report, federal regulators are “scolding” the maker of Cheerios (General Mills) for “inappropriate” claims about its ability to lower cholesterol and treat heart disease.

That’s interesting. Did you notice it too? I didn’t see anywhere on the Cheerios box where it advertised “treating” heart disease.

The FDA even went as far as sending a “warning letter” to General Mills saying that the language on the box suggests that the cereal can treat and prevent heart disease.

In response, General Mills said that the health claims it makes on its cereal boxes have been approved for the past 12 years and that it stands strong behind the science of what it claims.

I don’t know about you, but I think the FDA should un-wad its panties and calm down. Aren’t there more important things to worry about right now? I think yes.

Brittany @ May 26, 2009

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