The 10 Most Sugary Kids' Cereals

Photo: Uanmonino / Istock

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Several popular kids' cereals are made up of more than 40% sugar, according to a new study by Environmental Working Group.

Of 84 brands analyzed, these 10 had the most sugar by weight:

1. Kellogg’s Honey Smacks: 55.6%
2. Post Golden Crisp: 51.9%
3. Kellogg’s Froot Loops Marshmallow: 48.3%
4. Quaker Oats Cap’n Crunch’s OOPS! All Berries: 46.9%
5. Quaker Oats Cap’n Crunch Original: 44.4%
6. Quaker Oats Oh!s: 44.4%
7. Kellogg’s Smorz: 43.3%
8. Kellogg’s Apple Jacks: 42.9%
9. Quaker Oats Cap’n Crunch’s Crunch Berries: 42.3%
10. Kellogg’s Froot Loops Original: 41.4%

One cup of any of these cereals has more sugar than three Chips Ahoy! cookies, according to Environmental Working Group's analysis.

Consuming too much sugar at breakfast may be related not only to high obesity rates, according to the organization, but also attention problems, as kids who binge on sugars early crash later at school.

To avoid overly sugary cereals, choose cereals with short ingredient lists (other than added vitamins and minerals) that are high in fiber and low in sugar. Sugar can come in many forms, including honey, molasses, fruit juice concentrate, brown sugar, corn sweetener, sucrose, lactose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup and malt syrup.

Homemade oatmeal (without added sugars, as many single-serve packages have) is one healthy option, along with fresh fruit.

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