Good News Kiddies, You May Not Have to Eat Your Oatmeal!

Mothers everywhere urge children to eat oatmeal because it is good for them. In recent years, the cereal took aim at adults by boasting of health benefits. Quaker Oats, introduced in 1877, has always topped the list of oatmeal favorites. Recently the company was threatened with a lawsuit, a rare event for the historical cereal giant. The Center for Science in the Public Interest objects to the product's label claiming it is misleading and exaggerates the product's ability to lower cholesterol. To avoid a lawsuit, Quaker Foods, a division of Pepsico, has agreed to change the package.

The cereal's history is rich, including being the first to introduce trial-size packaging. It also was the first cereal to include a premium for buyers by placing a piece of china in every box and recipes on the package. The company's customer-friendly past means nothing to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a consumer health watchdog.

CSPI threatened to sue last fall over package claims that the cereal "is a unique whole grain food that actively finds cholesterol and removes it from the body." The label includes a graph that CSPI says is a misrepresentation of the oatmeal's ability to remove cholesterol from the body. The organization does not dispute that oatmeal is good for you, but it wants Quaker Oats Company to stop misleading the consumer.

Oatmeal has been noted to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) levels while maintaining the good cholesterol, a claim supported by the FDA. It is high in soluble fiber, which is why the claim holds merit. It is recommended that adults have 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber each day. While nobody knows exactly how it works, the belief is that the stickiness of oatmeal holds onto cholesterol and prevents the body from absorbing it. Instead, it is discarded in waste.

Grocery shelves are full of oatmeal products from which the consumer can choose. There is "old fashioned" style, quick, one minute, and a variety of breakfast bars to help jump-start the morning. However, oatmeal is not the only food with proven cardio health benefits. In fact, one website, NutritionData, deems 162 other breakfast cereals better for you than oatmeal.

The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is supposed to be the government's version of a consumer watchdog for food labels. Without the work force, it fails to keep up with product claims. Consumer groups have always been a key instrument in prompting changes.

The diligence of CSPI has forced Quaker Foods to be honest with consumers. The new labels will now state that the food, as part of a healthy diet, will help to remove cholesterol, and that three grams of soluble fiber per day from oatmeal will help to keep the heart healthy. CSPI is happy with the resolution. They will continue to hold companies, such as Quaker Foods, responsible for truth in advertising.