The Red, White, and Green

Last week, when I wrote about the recent Albert Einstein College of Medicine study that revealed that 70 percent of US children are low in vitamin D — putting them at increased risk for cancer, thyroid disorders, even heart disease and obesity — I half-joked that it wouldn’t be long before Kraft and Kellogg caught wind of the report and started fortifying Velveeta and Pop-Tarts with the vitamin. Well, I was wrong about one thing: the company. Way to respond with lightning speed to this public health crisis, General Mills! (Click on image below to see the “Grow Up Strong” website in all its greenwashing glory.)

Here, honey: We don’t want you to become obese because of low vitamin D levels, so gobble up this bowl of sugar/corn syrup/Red 40-laden Lucky Charms! I mean, nothing encourages good health like marshmallows for breakfast. 

A general rule of truly healthy eating is that if something is fortified, it’s because the food itself is lacking in nutritional value. If you really care about your kids’ vitamin D levels and their overall well-being, skip the sugary cereals and tell them to go play outside in the sunshine. 

–Jennifer Grayson

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