Fortified cereals that contain added vitamins and minerals may be harmful to children, according to a report from the Environmental Working Group. The study found that nearly half of kids (aged 8 and lower) consume levels of vitamin A, zinc and niacin which may be harmful to the liver.
The research team found 114 cereals and snack bars that had 30 percent or more of the adult daily value of certain vitamins and minerals which may lead to liver damage, skeletal abnormalities, and hair loss in kids.
"Fortification in general can help you replenish certain micro nutrients in the diet and we know that healthy cereals reduce certain diseases like heart disease," Samantha Heller, a dietitian told CBS.
"But what this report is suggesting is that we are over-fortifying our cereals and making some of our chocolaty, sugary, honey-dipped cereals look healthier than they really are."
A statement from cereal maker Kellogg claims that the study is woefully one sided:
"The report ignores a great deal of the nutrition science and consumption data showing that without fortification of foods such as ready-to-eat cereals, many children would not get enough vitamins & minerals in their diets."
Some dieticians suggest that children limit vitamin A, zinc and niacin intake to 25 percent of the adult daily value.
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