On the Cereal Aisle...

[Snicker Bar]

There’s a brand here called Kashi, looks like healthy stuff. Honey Almond Flax, Berry Crumble with Organic Grains, Organic Berry Fruitfull , and Cinnamon Harvest Organic Biscuits. Do any of these sound like a decent treat for the Greys or Flyers?

[Diggie's Friend]

Hi SB,

Kashi does taste good, and that for most humans may be reasonably healthy choice to eat.

Yet grain sources. like nuts and other grains are higher sources of protein, as well as acidic.

Feeding them with rodent block diets results in duplication of nutrients which can lead to obesity, and poor health.

And like nuts since this is bound to taste yummy they may reject healthier sources to add to rodent block diets.

Most of these sources are moderately high in oxalates also.

[Snicker Bar]

Well dang, ok. I guess kids and I will give it a try. Got the berry one. Looks healthier (for us) than the Chocolate Special K everyone here is addicted to ! Just looking for some new things. Thanks DF , we will try eat right :)

[CritterMom]

This site: http://nutritiondata.self.com/

is great for getting detailed nutrition info - way past what is printed on the box - of all sorts of foods, including name brand stuff. It is where I found out rice chex are supplemented to a 3:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio! Now they have some sugar and sodium but I have to tell you that Mister P is 500% happier I found out he could have a couple rice chex a day because they are his favorite thing in the entire world! Every time I see him I have to show him my hands - front and back - to PROVE I don't have any hidden that I am hogging all to myself!

[Snicker Bar]

Perfect! I’ll check it out. We are in desperate need of a new something. A
Rice Chex may be the trick (maybe with a little almond butter to coat it) for Snicker’s Keppra. She’s gotten bored with her whole grain cheddar Goldfish cracker I’ve used to inject the stuff into. I have also tried drilling a tiny hole (with a screw) into nuts and plug with almond butter, but the liquid ( medicine) oozes out while she eats it. Then she drops the whole thing, and if this happens often she will have a seizure. And we both HATE having to burrito the stuff into her twice a day :( So we will study the options here, for the whole gang . Because it’s not fair ( they said) for her to get a cracker , while they just watch. Everyone needs their medicine cracker !

[ClemC5]

So funny that we are discussing cereal on TSB, I got into a knock down drag out fight last night with my 1 yr old NR over Raisin Brand Crunch. She has never had anything other than what is recommended on the food chart and one almond a day. She jumped off my shoulder last nigh and dove into the milk and pulled out a mouth full of crunch and a raisin. She had milk all over her face and started growling at me for removing her from my dinner. It was hilarious, but there must have been something about my cereal that she thought she needed more than I did. Crazy sql.... no almond last night... I obviously attract crazy people and animals. :grin2

[Diggie's Friend]

I only recommend feeding organic; this in part is why.

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/cereals-unhealthy-3637.html

https://www.foodmatters.com/article/8-additives-from-the-us-that-are-banned-in-other-countries

http://blog.aarp.org/2013/06/25/8-foods-we-eat-that-other-countries-ban/



Chemicals

Preservatives, artificial flavoring and texture enhancers are put into cereals, resulting in a long list of ingredients. The United States Food and Drug Administration is reviewing butylated hydroxyanisole, BHA, and butylated hydroxytoluene, BHT, common preservatives in cereal because some studies indicate that they may cause cancer in rats, while other studies find them safe, according to the University of California at Los Angeles publication "What Food Additives Add." Although preservatives can keep your cereal fresh and prevent illness due to rancidity, eating unprocessed whole-grain cereals, such as oatmeal, puffed rice or plain bran flakes can help ensure that you get good nutrition without potentially harmful additives

[Snicker Bar]

Love your references DF! I’m thinking of starting to print all these things out, from all my various questions and making a Nutrition folder, with a Table of Contents! Truly good stuff. Don’t know how or where you find, but good reading!

That’s hilarious about your cereal attack ! My squirrels had never dove into my bowl, but the cat will sit on my lap, and wait for me to dip out spoonfuls of milk for her to lick off a plate. Or , just the table, to be honest....

[Diggie's Friend]

This site: http://nutritiondata.self.com/

This source references the USDA database.

It is the same source that I've heavily relied upon for data to support my Whole Foods Diet.


I found one source of organic cereal, Albertson's Organic (O) brand, that contains only oats and rice.

Both hulled oats and rice contain no glutens.

It tastes better to me than the other organic O cereals with wheat barley, and other grains that contain glutens.

Glutens from corn dampen the sensors in the intestinal wall that trigger the brain that it's time to drink.

For this reason it can contribute to mild to moderate dehydration that can promote kidney stone formation long-term.

Corn gluten concentrate is now being used as a rodenticide; it kills by causing severe dehydration, but doesn't effect dogs.