Breakfast cereals are, and always have been, a scam. Brought to you by the same people as daily multivitamins. It was all part of the modernist movement. “Part of a balanced diet” is because they’re not balanced by themselves. They also usually contain more sugar than you need in a day, often in forms that are unhealthy.

Just eat something with some grains, liquid, basic protein and some fruit, and you’re set for the morning.

The fine print on the front of the Vector box and its nutrition information panel explains that the advertised 13 grams of protein comes from adding 200 milliliters of skim milk to the flakes.

Cereal boxes have shown the nutritional content with milk for as long as I can remember (decades). Has something changed recently?

No blueberries in ‘blueberry’ cereal

Yeah, this has always been a thing, and it is frustrating.

Unless the cereal says “with ABC”, assume that it doesn’t have it. For example, Raisin Bran WITH CRANBERRIES, has actual cranberries in it (and raisins, which is also stated on the box).

If you purchase complex cereal, check the ingredients to see if it has the nuts, fruit, sweetener you’re specifically wanting. If it’s not clear, assume that it’s not in it.

This is the best summary I could come up with:

Ken Bennett, an avid hiker and recreational hockey player, wanted a cereal packed with protein.

In Vector’s case, Health Canada spokesperson André Gagnon said Kellogg can add milk to the protein count, because the product isn’t a cereal.

U.S.-based WK Kellogg Co. said Vector’s label is not only compliant, but voluntarily discloses on the box the protein count without added milk.

According to Canadian regulations, if a cereal shows a real food on the box that is simulated in the product with flavouring, it must be made clear on the packaging.

Kellogg Co. said Mini-Wheats Blueberry is compliant, because the front of the box states “natural and artificial flavour,” and the nutrition label lists all the ingredients.

Andréa Daigle, spokesperson with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, told CBC News it’s heading up an investigation into grocery retail practices that hurt Canadians.

The original article contains 759 words, the summary contains 140 words. Saved 82%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

The government-mandated fine print on the back of the box is there for a reason. If you’re not willing to take the time to read it, and not willing to take the time to cook what you want from basic ingredients, then you’ve decided that you value time more than your health. Which is something you’re allowed to do, but don’t complain because you didn’t think things through.

This is not the 1800s. I’d assume that everyone alive today knows that packaging is a form of advertising and therefore comes with marketing spin which walks a fine line between misleading and lying outright. Should the government regulations about advertising be tightened? Probably, but in the meanwhile, exercise common sense and assume it’s all lies.

One of my favorite talks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BdFkK-HufU

I stopped buying brand cereals. I switched to store brand and it’s like night and day. My store brand ones taste way better and are made with better ingredients like cane sugar