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Aside from other negative health effects, too much sugar at breakfast can cause tooth decay

You’ve known for years that sugary children’s cereals are unhealthy. And thanks to the Environmental Working Group’s 10 worst cereals list, you now know which ones to avoid.

The group notes that children who eat breakfasts high in sugar are prone to a range of behavior and learning problems, and suggests that these cereals may be contributing to rampant childhood obesity.

But do you know what these cereals are doing to your children’s teeth?

Sugary cereal and your child’s teeth
Sugar is a tooth’s worst enemy. The sugar in a popular children’s cereal can linger in a child’s mouth—even after brushing—and will ultimately feed the bacteria that cause tooth decay.

Which cereals to avoid
After studying the sugar content of 84 popular brands of children’s cereal, EWG found that Kellogg’s Honey Smacks consists of 55.6% sugar by weight—the highest of the cereals studied. A 1-cup serving of Honey Smacks contains more sugar than a Twinkie, EWG notes.

Post Golden Crisp cereal, which contains 51.9% sugar by weight, ranks number two on the “10 worst” list, followed by:

3. Kellogg’s Froot Loops Marshmallow, which contains 48.3% sugar by weight

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%

In all, 45 children’s cereals contain more sugar in a 1-cup serving than three Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookies, EWG says.

Click here to read the full EWG report.

Taking the sugar out of breakfast
Along with many other health benefits, eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, healthy proteins and fiber will help your children—and you—prevent tooth decay.

If your children want cereal for breakfast, EWG recommends choosing cereals that:

— have a short ingredient list, which means the cereal contains few preservatives or added sugars
— are high in fiber (at least 6 grams per serving). You can find this information on the Nutrition Facts label on the side of the box.

Also, when at the supermarket, look on the top shelf for the healthy cereals. Typically, the highly sweetened (and more expensive) cereals are stocked on the middle shelf, at eye-level, to entice shoppers to grab these cereals first.

If your child absolutely WON’T kick his Cap’n Crunch habit, then at least serve his favorite cereal alongside other healthier foods. You produce more saliva while eating a full meal than during a snack, and this extra saliva will help wash away the cavity-causing bacteria that thrive on sugar.

The EWG report also recommends specific low-sugar, high-fiber children’s cereals for your children, and suggests other healthy breakfast options.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Dietary Guidelines for Americans (from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health & Human Services)

7 High-Fiber Cereals that Actually Taste Good (from DailySpark.com)