Ready-to-eat cereal really is one of the best breakfast choices you could make, said Susan Crockett, Ph. D, vice president, Health and Nutrition, and director of the Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition at General Mills. More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights - and lower Body Mass Index measures (BMIs). It ™s true of men. It ™s true of women. It ™s true of kids. And that includes people who eat presweetened cereals.

Ready-to-eat cereal eaters consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters. Cereals also deliver important vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients, such as vitamins A, B6, iron, niacin and zinc, making cereal a top source of key nutrients in children's diets.

Our first target was to reduce sugar in cereals advertised to children to 12 grams of sugar or less, explained Harmening. Many were already lower, but some were not. So we put in place a plan to reduce sugar levels in a series of steps in those cereals and others, while continuing to deliver great taste. As a result, we have already reduced sugar in many cereals, some by as much as 20 percent, and by spring General Mills cereals advertised to children will all have 11 grams of sugar per serving or less.

Today, we are strengthening our goal, Harmening added. We are committing to reduce sugar in cereals advertised to children under 12 to single-digit grams of sugar per serving.

To ensure the cereals continue to taste great, reductions will continue in a series of smaller steps. Maintaining great taste while continuing to reduce sugar is a challenge, noted Harmening. It requires technology, time and investment. But we ™re doing it. We are committed to reaching single-digit levels.

General Mills strives to be the health leader in every category in which we compete, said Harmening, Big G is going to continue to lead in cereal as well.

Source: General Mills