Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs

30. September 2007 William Davis (8)




Take a look at the list of ingredients in Cocoa Puffs: corn, sugar, corn syrup--all high glycemic index foods.

In other words, Cocoa Puffs is the physiologic equivalent of pure table sugar. Sure, it comes packaged with this wacky bird and the back of the box usually has fun games and offers. There's also the clever, fast-paced TV commercials to remind you of how fun Cocoa Puffs can be.


What is the actual consequence of a breakfast of a food like Cocoa Puffs in a cup of skim milk? That's easy: A big surge in insulin and blood sugar (from the corn and sugar), a drop in HDL cholesterol, surge in triglycerides (from the sugar and sugar-equivalents), increase in small LDL. Beyond this, you raise blood pressure and experience an insatiable increase in appetite. Then you get fat.

Obviously, none of this is desirable. Then why does the American Heart Association allow its Heart CheckMark endorsement on the package?

The Heart Association is trapped in 1982. Low-fat was in, saturated fat was the sole enemy of heart disease.

In 1982, the evils of small LDL, for instance, were unappreciated. LDL cholesterol was LDL cholesterol--all of it was bad and saturated fats seem to raise LDL. But the story has evolved enormously since then: LDL is not all the same. Small LDL is among the principal culprits in heart disease, the same small LDL hugely magnified by Cocoa Puffs and other similar products that fill 70% of supermarket shelves.

The American Heart Association needs to get with the times. The conversation on healthy diets has progressed considerably. Yet garbage foods that wreak havoc on health like Cocoa Puffs continue to be endorsed by an organization that still carries substantial clout with the American consumer.

My advice: Until they change their tune, anything that carries the endorsement of the American Heart Association should be eliminated from your diet.
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Comments (8) -

  • Sue

    9/30/2007 5:30:00 AM |

    It's a raeal health drink.

  • Bad_CRC

    9/30/2007 11:24:00 PM |

    Dr. Davis,

    Clearly you have lost it.  You're seriously suggesting that Mega Moose Strawberry Blast Energy Drink isn't heart-healthy?

    http://www.northamericanbeverage.com/
    http://checkmark.heart.org/AdCategory/DC/DC-FM

    Come on!  The manufacturer assures us that Mega Moose "provides a natural, wholesome energy [64g sugars, mostly sucrose] in a great tasting drink that captures the flavor of fresh summer strawberries.  Kids will love the taste and mothers will feel good about giving their kids a nutritious 99% fat free and 98% cholesterol free drink that carries the American Heart Association's heart check mark and the American Dairy Association's 'Real Seal.'"  It even has your beloved D3 in it!

    Sorry, but I've gotta trust the scientific consensus (both the AHA and the ADA) on this one.

  • Bad_CRC

    9/30/2007 11:33:00 PM |

    Actually, at Costco today I bought a 4 lb bag of Rader Farms "Nature's Three Berries," which also bears the AHA Checkmark.  It's just a bag of frozen berries, but your post has me wondering if I should return it, just on general principles!

  • jpatti

    10/4/2007 2:56:00 AM |

    I notice it's also marked "whole grains."

    Has anyone ever tried to sprout a cocoa puff?

  • Dr. Davis

    10/4/2007 11:42:00 AM |

    LOL!

    How about Organic Cocoa Puffs? Maybe that's next.

  • jpatti

    10/6/2007 3:58:00 AM |

    I swear I am not making this up: I saw "organic" toaster pastries at the grocery store tonight.  

    I can't figure out who would buy them.

  • Dave, RN

    9/9/2009 5:25:58 PM |

    So where's the mark? I do'nt see it on the pictures. It's 2009 now, has it been removed?

  • buy jeans

    11/3/2010 2:53:38 PM |

    The American Heart Association needs to get with the times. The conversation on healthy diets has progressed considerably. Yet garbage foods that wreak havoc on health like Cocoa Puffs continue to be endorsed by an organization that still carries substantial clout with the American consumer.

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What’s the Problem with My “Healthy” Bowl of Oatmeal?

What’s the Problem with My “Healthy” Bowl of Oatmeal?

26. June 2014 Lisa G Nutrition, Oatmeal (0)


Food manufacturers have clever ways to market foods to us. Unfortunately, many foods that have a reputation for being healthy are no more than junk food disguised as a healthy food choice. I commonly see people under the influence of a “health halo” effect. This is due to strategic marketing efforts. People overestimate the nutritional value of a food that is labeled “good for you” or they underestimate the negative impact of a food because it contains a healthful ingredient, like flaxseed or fiber. In fact, a recent study from the University of Houston found that terms on food labels such as antioxidants, all-natural, and gluten-free often are used to give an otherwise standard food a "healthy" halo, and influence consumption from the well- intended consumer.

Case in point-- oatmeal. We’ve all heard about the cholesterol lower benefits from soluble fiber contained in oatmeal. It’s blasted all over packages with a paid endorsement from The American Heart Association. However, that’s not the whole story. Most people enjoy a cup of oatmeal with one to two tablespoons of added sugar and fruit such as a ripe, yellow banana. In other words, let’s enjoy a bowl of “send my blood sugar through the roof” high glycemic oatmeal. The glycemic index of oatmeal is 55, and instant oatmeal is 83. Top that with more table sugar, glycemic index 58-65 and better yet top that with a high glycemic, ripe banana with a GI of 62.

Preparing one packet of regular instant oatmeal with one tablespoon of sugar and a medium ripe banana five days per week would result in the sugar equivalent of more than 5 1/2 cups of sugar per month!

Furthermore, the story many Americans are missing is all of that sugar intake, from their so-called “healthy” bowl of oatmeal, actually raises small-dense LDL cholesterol particles, increases blood sugar and contributes to insulin resistance, faulty gut flora, and belly fat.

How do we improve upon our bowl of oatmeal? Enjoy a bowl of hot coconut flaxseed cereal, eggs any variety of ways, or last night’s leftover salmon and vegetables.

The Cureality program provides tools, guidance, and support that does not follow the party line but rather offers nutrition solutions that address the underlying causes for proliferation of many chronic diseases.

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