Organic cereals lacking "enriched" vitamins (NYTimes)

September 26, 2007,  1:02 pm

NYTimes:

The Missing Ingredients in Organic Cereals

 

Are organic cereals really better for children? (Credit: Tim Boyle/Getty)

Kids who go organic for breakfast may be missing out on their vitamins.

Since the 1940's, commercial cereal companies have been adding vitamins to their flakes, puffs and O's in order to replace nutrients stripped away during the manufacturing process. But the main appeal of organic cereals is that they're made with only natural, organically grown ingredients free of additives, including artificial preservatives and colors — and often, vitamins.

For many kids, commercial breakfast cereal is the main source of daily vitamins and minerals. Take a look at Kellogg's Frosted Flakes reduced-sugar cereal. A serving provides 25 percent of the recommended daily intake of seven essential nutrients, including iron, folic acid and other B vitamins. It also provides 10 percent of the recommended intake for vitamins A, C and D.

Now look at its organic equivalent: EnviroKidz Organic Amazon Frosted Flakes. The only ingredients are organic cornmeal, organic evaporated cane juice and sea salt. A serving gives kids only 2 percent of the recommended daily intake for vitamin A and iron, according to the label.

Not every organic cereal is low on vitamins. Several cereals from the Barbara's Bakery organic line are fortified with extra vitamins. A serving of Barbara's Bakery Organic Apple Cinnamon O's, for instance, actually provides higher levels of iron, folic acid and other nutrients than does an equal amount of Kellogg's Apple Jacks.

"Some mothers appreciate having a fully rounded cereal for their kids knowing they may not eat the apple or orange they pack for lunch,'' says Jacquie Perlmutter, marketing manager for Barbara's Bakery. Still, the company's line of Puffin cereals don't contain any added vitamins, says Ms. Perlmutter, because many consumers "prefer to get their vitamins directly from fruits and vegetables or from a dedicated supplement.''

Check the label of your cereal box to see if vitamins have been added and to find recommended daily intakes. Some organic cereals add a few extra vitamins. For instance, Nature's Path Organic Soy Plus Granola contains additional calcium and folic acid. If your organic cereal is low on vitamins, it doesn't mean you have to give it up. But it's probably a good idea to give your child a multivitamin in the morning as well, notes Dr. Susan Roberts, a nutritionist at Tufts University and co-author of Feeding Your Child for Lifelong Health.

Kids who gobble down vitamin-fortified cereals every day, however, don't need additional vitamins. Fortified cereals, she says, already "do the job.''