Thursday, July 12, 2012

CEREAL ~ Thumbz Up or Down?

  Itz time to begin my monthly report of products that I've researched and stamp with approval "Thumbz UP" or dissaproval "Thumbz DOWN".   Over the last several weeks I've been looking for a great tasting and organic cereal.  This has proven to be more difficult than I imagined even at my local Health Food Store (Good Earth).  I was a bit surprised to find that they were still selling PEACE Cereals since they are no longer "certified organic". So the Thumbz DOWN out-number the Thumbz UP for this month.  But I will continue my quest and report back with my findings.
  First, I will start with the cereals that I'm giving a Big Thumbz DOWN.........

A BIG THUMBz DOWN......

KASHI CEREAL  

In April of this year KASHI went under attack as not living up to its "natural" label on its products.  Most of you probably read something about it on Facebook or heard about it in the news when some consumers claimed Kellog was misrepresenting its cereal.  

The controversy went viral after a grocer tacked a note to one of his store shelves (in Rhode Island) telling customers he wouldn't sell the cereal because he found out the brand used genetically engineered, non-organic ingredients. (For more on the story, I have listed a link to an article from USA Today at the end of this review.) 

Most corn and soy ingredients come from genetically engineered crops, which have never even been proven safe. In fact, scientists have linked GMOs to serious health problems. In Cornucopia Institute tests, researchers detected GMO material in 100 percent of the soy in Kashi GoLean.  (Please read my page to the right "WHATz a GMO" for more information.)
Kashi is owned by food industry giant KELLOG COMPANY, which also markets Bear Naked, a non-organic granola.  (Many big Food Corporations are changing the names on their products to mask who they are from the conscientious consumers) The Cornucopia Institute also points out that the cereal-making giant has no policy against the use of toxic pesticides, hexane, a harmful solvent used in non-organic soybean processing, and GMO ingredients. 

PEACE CEREAL 

In the past I was a big fan of Peace Cereal and really loved the taste.  But about a year or so ago I noticed that they were no longer labeled "Certified Organic".  Doing some research, I found that until 2008, all Peace Cereal products were certified organic or labeled "made with organic ingredients," meaning at least 70 percent of the ingredients were organic. Today, none of their products are, which can be confusing to customers who initially trusted the once-organic brand. Strawberry-containing Peace Cereal options could contain the carcinogenic pesticide Captan, which is detected in 55 percent of conventional strawberries tested.

Peace Cereal has no organic options left, but its prices remain the same.

BACK TO NATURE

Back to Nature is owned by KRAFT FOODS and comes in nine varieties, with only one being organic. Its "natural" granola products contain conventional ingredients that are produced on conventional farms with the use of pesticides and other synthetic inputs that would be prohibited on organic farms. Conventional grain ingredients destined for processed foods like granola can be fumigated in the warehouse. The USDA has tested ingredients like wheat flour for toxic fumigant residues, and has found some samples to be contaminated with levels higher than the maximum acceptable level for children. Organics, which prohibits these fumigants, offers a level of protection that 'natural' products don't."

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NOW FOR A BIG THUMBz UP ~ NATURE'S PATH ORGANIC.....

After searching the shelves for a product labeled "USDA Organic" and "NON GMO Project Verified" this is the only brand that I found. It is also labeled "Certified Gluten-Free" and the boxes are made from "100% Recycled Paperboard".  This all added to my desire of wanting to support this company but was it going to taste good? 

The first box of cereal I tried is the SUNRISE, Crunchy Vanilla which contains: Corn, Rice, Flax, Quinoa, Buckwheat and Amaranth.  It was like a combination of Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies and Corn Puffs.  I enjoyed it but since I've never been a fan of Corn Puffs, I found myself wishing they had left them out.  It was almost a little too sweet for me, but I feel most people who like their cereal sweet will love this.

INGREDIENTS:  Made with love and....Whole corn meal, evaporated cane juice, brown rice flour, yellow corn flour, unulin, quinoa puffs, flax seeds, natural vanilla flavor, buckwheat flour, quinoa, sea salt, amaranth, molasses, tocopherols (natural vitamin E).  ALL ORGANIC 

Nutrition Factz:  Serving Size 3/4 Cup; Calories 110, Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 130 mg, Potassium 65 mg, Carbohydrate 25g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 7g, Protein 2 g.

The second box of Nature's Path Organic Cereal I tried is the Flax Plus, MAPLE PECAN CRUNCH.  This is absolutely my favorite.  It is "Toasted crunchy flax flakes combined with a breakfast granola made of golden-hued, real maple syrup and roasted pecans."  I love cereal with a granola and nut crunch.  This was perfect and just what I was looking for.

INGREDIENTS:  Made with love and...
Organic whole wheat meal, organic rolled oats, organic evaporated cane juice, organic wheat bran, organic pecans, organic flax, organic soy oil, organic brown rice flour, organic oat bran, organic barley malt extract, sea salt, organic maple syrup, organic coconut, natural maple flavor, organic oat syrup solids, tocopherols (natural vitamin E), organic molasses, organic cinnamon.

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Today I went to Nature's Path Organics web-site and was pleasantly surprised to find a large variety of different products..... COLD CEREALS, HOT CEREALS, PREMIUM GRANOLA, TOASTER PASTRIES, BARS, ENVIROKIDS CEREALS, PANCAKE MIXES & LOVE CRUNCH. 

I AM ON IT....cannot wait to try their 8 different flavors of OATMEAL, the PANCAKE MIXES and, of course, the LOVE CRUNCH.  Here is their website:  http://shop.naturespath.com/

ENJOY....and remember YOU ARE what YOU EAT.  Namaste,  Beci


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