Cheerios: The Awful Truth About America’s Favorite Cereal

http://www.snopes.com/food/ingredient/tsp.asp

And SNOPES.COM says - FALSE!

In the amounts used as a food additive, its harmless.

What you should really be wary of is DHMO

http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html

Dihydrogen Monoxide (DHMO) is a colorless and odorless chemical compound, also referred to by some as Dihydrogen Oxide, Hydrogen Hydroxide, Hydronium Hydroxide, or simply Hydric acid. Its basis is the highly reactive hydroxyl radical, a species shown to mutate DNA, denature proteins, disrupt cell membranes, and chemically alter critical neurotransmitters. The atomic components of DHMO are found in a number of caustic, explosive and poisonous compounds such as Sulfuric Acid, Nitroglycerine and Ethyl Alcohol.

For more detailed information, including precautions, disposal procedures and storage requirements, refer to one of the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) available for DHMO:

• Kemp Compliance & Safety MSDS for DHMO
• Chem-Safe, Inc. MSDS for Dihydrogen Monoxide
• Applied Petrochemical Research MSDS for Hydric Acid
• Original DHMO.org Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for Dihydrogen Monoxide (html)

Should I be concerned about Dihydrogen Monoxide?

Yes, you should be concerned about DHMO! Although the U.S. Government and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) do not classify Dihydrogen Monoxide as a toxic or carcinogenic substance (as it does with better known chemicals such as hydrochloric acid and benzene), DHMO is a constituent of many known toxic substances, diseases and disease-causing agents, environmental hazards and can even be lethal to humans in quantities as small as a thimbleful.

Research conducted by award-winning U.S. scientist Nathan Zohner concluded that roughly 86 percent of the population supports a ban on dihydrogen monoxide. Although his results are preliminary, Zohner believes people need to pay closer attention to the information presented to them regarding Dihydrogen Monoxide. He adds that if more people knew the truth about DHMO then studies like the one he conducted would not be necessary.

A similar study conducted by U.S. researchers Patrick K. McCluskey and Matthew Kulick also found that nearly 90 percent of the citizens participating in their study were willing to sign a petition to support an outright ban on the use of Dihydrogen Monoxide in the United States.

I am sitting here reading the ingredient list on a box of Cheerios and Trisodium phosphate is not even on the list. Of coarse we all know you have **** for brains!

The original poster didn't mention anything about Banana Nut Cheerios! Best is going to twist the facts!  

There is trisodium phosphate in some Cheerios, perhaps not in the box you have.  If you are suggesting Cheerios are a healthy breakfast choice, you may want to further your own research.  Canola oil, rice (high levels of arsenic), maltodextrin, soy, wheat (GMO RoundUp ready), corn, natural flavors are all highly inflammatory in the body.  Natural flavors can be MSG among other unhealthy ingredients.  There's no law that forces the manufacturer to divulge what they exactly are.  Do you want to guess what you're consuming?  Mixed tocopherols can be derived from GMO corn, and BHT preservative has been linked to various cancers.  Also: contains soy (most all soy in USA is GMO) and wheat ingredients, incl., corn.  This toxic trio is linked to allergies in some individuals.  I don't buy Cheerios because it is an unhealthy, sugary, carbohydrate, most likely GMO and inflammatory "food".  Many companies have been caught lying about their GMO status i.e., Kellogs) with their Kashi cereals.  I'm not implying Cheerios is doing the same.  Nevertheless, Cheerios are NOT a health food product, for sure.

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I prefer fried eggs bacon/sausage, grits, gravy, fried potatoes w/onions & jalapenos and biscuits or pancakes. I wash it down with black coffee. Probably kill me but dang it's good.

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That all sounds OK to me, but I would add country ham with red eye gravy.  The gravy goes on the biscuits, which are preferably made with lard, not some inferior vegetable oil.

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I can't tell you how dangerous that is.  Thousands of people die each year because of DHMO! 

DHMO is a curse and a blessing.  While it causes the deaths of many each year there are even more that are addicted to it and would surely die without it.

I don't know about the ingredients but I love the way they taste.

I can't tell you how dangerous that is.  Thousands of people die each year because of DHMO! 

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Some people claim they can't stand it, swear it ALL tastes weird, and would rather have coffee, tea, or colas. Some people pay for and carry around bottles of the stuff. Deaths are accidental, OR from misadventures while "on it", and suicides. Some, like beternnun, mistakenly think they are so mentally "mighty" they can walk on it. (figuratively speaking)

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Once more, Bestsmirking's  obsession with yours truly asserts itself. Best, while often dismissing my comments as the ravings of a "demoslop" (or other puerile and insulting terminology), nevertheless seems not to be able to resist the compulsion to find some way to perversely  torque the subject matter of just about any topic into some form of hostile ad hominem attack on me.

Alas, it is now beyond doubt that Best has become afflicted with Contendahh obsession disorder.

The studies of the adverse effects of trisodium phosphate on the digestive system actually found that those effects resulted from the use of the unmodified, unbuffered crystalline form.  This substance has been used as a performance aid in certain athletic endeavors. It is not the form found in Cheerios.  Don't worry about the stuff in Cheerios.  If you wish to worry about hazardous food additives, check out this one--titanium dioxide:

http://www.globalhealingcenter...h-risks-of-titanium/

Excerpt:

"The biggest kicker is that even though although titanium dioxide is permitted as an additive in food and pharmaceutical products, it’s also classified as “possible carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Studies show that titanium dioxide causes adverse effects by producing oxidative stress, resulting in cell damage, redness, and immune response."

Keep telling yourself that beternnun, while you go back through the threads that show it's YOU that can't stop posting to ME. While you're at it, show me where I called you a demoslop. I don't remember singling you out. If I did, so what? Hostile attacks on you? Where? You have that bill gray disease that makes a person claim any dissent against them is an attack, and that everything you post is supposed to be taken as the gospel and oohed and ahhed over, while you post anything derogatory you want to post about people. What names have YOU called ME and others in the past? And you have the nerve to cry about words I use to describe the demoslops? Get over yourself. IF you don't want replies, don't post on a public forum.

phosphate salts found in this product

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A simple word search of former forum activity will show that on numerous occasions you have identified me as a "demoslop." Those who care to verify this can simply go to the "search" feature and type in the word "demoslops".  The result will be a lengthy list, with many entries being Bestsmirking's comments directed at me and others who acknowledge their Democratic Party preference.

Best, your memory obviously is failing you if you can't readily acknowledge the use of this terminology you have employed so frequently. Have you also forgotten how often you have used your favorite scatological term, "POS"?   Find a good neuropsychologist and check out that memory problem; it could be serious.

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Your source is a Material Safety Data Sheet prepared for a commercial industrial product.

The dosage rates described there are way beyond what anyone eating Cheerios would consume.

Sodium phosphate compounds are actually used as laxatives in some medical applications, such as the dreaded colonoscopy preparation ritual (a.k.a. "colon blowout").

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So, the amount found in Cheerios would be harmless?  I doubt there is 1 gram of trisodium phosphate in an entire box of Cheerios.

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That would be my take on the matter, Old Salt, and far, far less than a gram  in an individual serving. 

Bestsmirking posts, above:

"If I were you I would immediately stop reading anything on that website. That is some of the dumbest s**t I have ever heard. It is tripotassium phosphate not trisodium phosphate and it is not the first ingredient. The first ingredient is whole grain oats."

Correct on the oats, but more careful research on this matter discloses a broader realm of factual information concerning the metallic phosphate content of Cheerios and other cereals.

Those seeking a worry-free breakfast cereal can do no better than to adopt Shredded Wheat as their preferred product.  I refer to the original, full-sized biscuits with no sugary topping,  still marketed by Post Cereals and maybe others as well. Check the label on this stuff and you will see that there is nothing there but wheat. The label does say that BHT is added to the packaging to preserve flavor. Two of the standard big biscuits of Post shredded wheat provide 47 grams of whole grains, or 97 percent of the minimum recommended daily adult allowance. 

Of course this product is not for the gluten intolerant, since wheat is loaded with gluten.

Nabisco shredded wheat in the long ago sponsored some kids' radio program, where the product was advertised with this chant, backed up by a tom-tom beat:

"N-A-B-I-S-C-O, 

Nabisco is the name to know.

For a breakfast you can't beat,

Eat Nabisco shredded wheat."

The stuff was the favorite of my tender youth and continues today to be my favorite breakfast cereal.

Such candified, pseudo-cereals as Lucky Charms and Count Chocula suck big time. 

More trivia on shredded wheat--a ditty I heard long ago and for which the source escapes me now:

On Nevsky Bridge a Russian stood,

Chewing upon his beard for food.

Said he, "This stuff is bad to eat,

But it beats the  hell out of shredded wheat."

I respectfully disagree, Ivan!

Ingredients Dissected

Okay, so what do these really mean to us where high quality nutrition is concerned?

For starters, I don’t know about you, but when I look at Cheerios, I do not see any whole grain oats. This is important because when the “whole grain” bandwagon started, people lost site of what “whole grain” really is supposed to be. Whole grains ground down to flour, do not offer you the same health benefits as whole grains period. Quick lesson from chemistry tells us that, the more we expose of a surface area of a product, the chemical reaction rate increases. What does this mean to you and I?

This means that the product acts more like an unhealthy simple sugar in your body, than a healthy complex carbohydrate.

The second ingredient is corn starch. Not only is this offering us little in terms of high quality nutrition, but there is a SUPER high chance that this is coming from genetically modified sources, as today corn is one of the top 3 genetically modified crops grown.

The third ingredient? Well wouldn’t you know it – sugar. Famous nutritionist/dietitian, Jeff Novick, teaches audiences world wide, to make a quality food, sugar and salt should not be in the top five ingredients. (Remember, ingredients are listed from most abundant in the food to least.)

This leads us to the fourth ingredient – salt. As you will notice below in the nutrition facts, Cheerios is not a healthy option for people at risk for cardiovascular problems.

I had a huge shock when I saw the next ingredient, trisodium phosphate (TSP), on the Cheerios list. So what is that? A common, strong cleaning compound.

According to Wikipedia, trisodium phosphate is a cleaning agent, food additive, stain remover and degreaser. And also according to Wikipedia, “It is generally considered to be a bad idea to ingest compounds that are sufficiently caustic to dissolve cell membranes.” You think? So what is this substance doing in your food?

In food, TSP is used as an acidity regulator (buffering agent), emulsifier, thickening agent, nutrition enlargement agent and sequestrant (metal-chelating agent). Although naturally according to the FDA, the TSP is GRAS (generally recognized as safe), I think common sense tells us chemicals like this should not be in our food period. It is one thing having adults eat this, but the common parent gives Cheerios with these chemicals, as a treat to their babies.

The calcium carbonate, is a common dietary source of calcium, which makes it sound fine, but more so it is used as a food preservative, color retainer, emulsifier, firming or bleaching agent.

Monoglycerides are single fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule. Basically, they are modified fats, which are used to blend together certain ingredients, such as oil and water. According to VRG.org, the commercial source may be either animal (cow- or hog-derived) or vegetable, and they may be synthetically made as well.

Tocopherols are a series of organic compounds consisting of various methylated phenols. They usually have vitamin E activity, and are mainly used to preserve food, especially oils from going rancid.

There is not much to say about wheat starch, so we will skip on to the last ingredient – annatto. This is a color additive, and is generally considered to be a natural one. Despite this, it is known in many cases as a food allergen.

Nutrition Facts

What I have come to observe, is that many people also think Cheerios are a healthy option because they are low in calories. However, the calories, should really not be our main concern unless we are on some strict diet.

The bigger issues to focus on are: is there any trans fat, saturated fat and sugar? How much? What is the sodium amount? If it is higher than the number of calories per serving, than it is a high sodium food, and should definitely not be eaten by someone with high blood pressure or at risk for it.

So here is what our nutrition facts say, per (1 cup) 27g serving*:

Calories = 110 Fat = 2 g Saturated Fat = 0.4g Trans Fat = 0g Cholesterol = 0mg Sodium = 250mg Carbohydrate = 20g Fiber = 2g Sugar = 1g Starch = 17g Protein = 3g

Vitamin A = 0% Vitamin C = 0% Calcium = 4% Iron = 30% Niacin (B3) = 6% Vitamin B6 = 8% Folate = 8% Pantothenate = 6% Phosphorus = 10% Magnesium = 15% Zinc = 6%

<small>*Based on Canadian package (US values may differ slightly)</small>

The average person eats about 2 cups of this cereal per serving, and with milk. Automatically you are looking at about 300 or more, not 100 calories.

The sodium is more than double the calorie amount, meaning that it is not a heart and stroke healthy food.

The vitamin and mineral values are nice to see, but ultimately if you really want to know what good levels mean, it is much more complicated than looking at the daily value percentages.

Fibre is on the low side as well, compared to what real whole grains provide.

Conclusion

So what is the verdict? If you care about your heart and your health, it is time to get off the Cheerios bandwagon and start to look for some high quality nutrition, real food options. If you are concerned about your heart health, consider some real oatmeal and more importantly what your diet consists of the rest of the day. Other great breakfast alternatives to try if you want to start your morning with a healthy grain are Bob’s Red Mill cereals.

And maybe, maybe I can understand what all the hype and fuss was all about when it came to Cheerios if it at least tasted good – but it doesn’t. It is one of the most tasteless things to eat. So if it isn’t healthy and it doesn’t taste good – then really what is the point of eating it?

There is nothing real or wholesome about this food, and it is sad to call it healthy or rely on it to solve any of our health problems. If this is what healthy food means today, we are not headed in a good direction for the future.

In the end, the choice is always yours, but most importantly do not deceive yourself, or let others deceive you when it comes to healthy food choices. You have too much at stake for that, so choose wisely with your dollars and with your health.

As for me, I will continue to choose real whole grain food options, minus the chemicals.

http://www.evolvingwellness.co...os-is-not-the-answer

Jack Flash, I will not bother to copy and paste that ill-informed article you posted.  Just one aspect of that drivel will show how misguided the author is.  The article says that:

 <<<For starters, I don’t know about you, but when I look at Cheerios, I do not see any whole grain oats. This is important because when the “whole grain” bandwagon started, people lost site of what “whole grain” really is supposed to be. Whole grains ground down to flour, do not offer you the same health benefits as whole grains period. Quick lesson from chemistry tells us that, the more we expose of a surface area of a product, the chemical reaction rate increases. What does this mean to you and I?

This means that the product acts more like an unhealthy simple sugar in your body, than a healthy complex carbohydrate.>>>

It is not necessary to be able to "see" whole grains of wheat or any other grain in order for a food label to identify an ingredient as "whole grain." The oat flour in Cheerios is  a "whole grain flour" as opposed to flour that is refined.  Here is a little discussion of this matter:

" Whole grains are foods that contain of the entire portion of each grain -- which includes the bran (outer layer of the grain), the endosperm (middle portion of the grain), and the germ (the inner "heart" of the grain). Examples of whole grains include whole wheat, brown rice, millet, cracked wheat (bulgur), quinoa, barley and oats, according to the American Heart Association.

When a grain is ground, and all of those listed components listed above are included in the flour that results, that which is produced is a WHOLE GRAIN product, and that is the case with Cheerios, which contains two forms of whole grains.  General Mills is well within the FDA protocols for labeling Cheerios contents as "Whole Grain Corn" and "Whole Grain Oats."

More from the article I am endorsing to you, which is from a far more reliable source than the clumsy thing you posted:

<<<Regardless of whether or not you choose whole wheat or another type of whole grain, you'll reap several nutritional benefits. All whole grains are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals - and contain at least some protein. In comparison, refined grains contain less fiber and fewer vitamins and minerals, though some are fortified with these nutrients. A study published in 2015 in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine reports that an increased intake of whole grains, whether it be whole wheat or another type of whole grain, is associated with lower rates of heart disease and overall deaths.>>>

Read up on whole-grain versus refined grain products.

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/...cle.jsp#.ViFdPX6rRR0

The following FDA regulation is  a little heavy for you, Jack, but you might understand a little of it:

 21 CFR 137.200 Whole wheat flour.

Jack, looks like old beternnun is obsessed with you.

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So says the premier obsesser herself!