Corn Puffs with Marshmallows

by General Mills

A heavily processed breakfast cereal marketed to children that's essentially candy disguised as a morning meal. With 12+ grams of sugar per serving from multiple sources and ultra-processed ingredients, this product delivers an immediate blood sugar spike followed by a crash, setting kids up for poor metabolic health patterns.

• Whole Grain Corn – beneficial · Provides fiber and some nutrients, though heavily processed in this form. The primary redeeming ingredient in this product.
• Sugar – dangerous · Pure refined sugar that spikes blood glucose and contributes to metabolic dysfunction, especially problematic as the second ingredient.
• Marshmallows – dangerous · Candy pieces containing multiple sugar sources and gelatin, designed to make the product irresistible to children.
• Corn Meal – safe · Refined corn product that provides bulk but minimal nutrition compared to whole grain corn.
• Corn Syrup – dangerous · High-glycemic liquid sugar that rapidly raises blood glucose and may contribute to insulin resistance.
• Cocoa Processed with Alkali – safe · Dutch-processed cocoa that provides chocolate flavor but has reduced antioxidant content compared to natural cocoa.
• Canola Oil – controversial · Highly processed seed oil that's high in omega-6 fatty acids and may contribute to inflammation when consumed regularly.
• Fructose – dangerous · Concentrated fruit sugar that bypasses normal glucose metabolism and is directly processed by the liver, potentially contributing to fatty liver disease.
• Salt – safe · Used in small amounts for flavor enhancement, not problematic at this level.
• Caramel Color – controversial · Artificial coloring that may contain 4-methylimidazole, a potential carcinogen formed during manufacturing.
• Refiner's Syrup – dangerous · Another sugar source that adds to the already excessive sweetener load in this product.
• Baking Soda – safe · Sodium bicarbonate used as a leavening agent, safe and commonly used in food processing.
• Natural Flavor – safe · Undefined flavoring agents that are generally recognized as safe but lack transparency in sourcing.
• Tricalcium Phosphate – safe · Calcium supplement added for fortification, generally safe and beneficial for bone health.
• Calcium Carbonate – safe · Additional calcium source for fortification, commonly used and well-tolerated.
• Zinc – beneficial · Essential mineral for immune function and wound healing, beneficial addition.
• Iron – beneficial · Critical mineral for oxygen transport and energy metabolism, important for growing children.
• Vitamin C – beneficial · Essential antioxidant vitamin that supports immune function and collagen synthesis.
• Niacinamide – beneficial · B-vitamin essential for energy metabolism and nervous system function.
• Vitamin B6 – beneficial · Important for protein metabolism and neurotransmitter synthesis.
• Vitamin B2 – beneficial · Riboflavin supports energy production and cellular function.
• Vitamin B1 – beneficial · Thiamin is crucial for carbohydrate metabolism and nervous system function.
• Vitamin A – beneficial · Essential for vision, immune function, and cellular growth.
• Folic Acid – beneficial · B-vitamin important for DNA synthesis and red blood cell formation.
• Vitamin B12 – beneficial · Critical for nervous system function and red blood cell formation.
• Vitamin D3 – beneficial · Essential for bone health and immune function, particularly important for children.

Contains whole grain corn as first ingredient

Fortified with essential vitamins and minerals

Provides iron and B-vitamins important for children

Extremely high sugar content from 5 different sources

Ultra-processed with artificial colors and flavors

Designed to be addictive to children

Causes blood sugar spikes and crashes

Contains inflammatory seed oils

Misleading marketing as healthy breakfast option