FORTY additives and as much sugar as two Krispy Kreme Donuts, America’s worst breakfast cereals

A bowl of cereal with milk is an American breakfast staple, but many of the most popular brands contain just as much sugar as candies and confectionery.

Successful marketing campaigns over the decades have touted that breakfast is the “best meal of the day,” but doctors are increasingly warning that eating sugary breakfast cereals will make you fail.

The worst offender is Honey Smacks, which has almost as much sugar as two Krispy Kreme donuts in just one cup—that’s without adding any milk. And most people eat at least two cups of cereal for breakfast.

Another big culprit is Cap’n Crunch, which is as sugary as four mini Kit Kat bars.

While these grains are known to be packed with sugar, others may be more surprising.

For example, Cheerios is one of the top selling brands in the United States. In 2021, more than 139.1 million boxes will have been sold, according to research Zippia.

It is widely touted for its health benefits, with the brand claiming that the whole grains it contains help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.

However, the Honey Nut Cheerios flavor is loaded with sugar.

Just one cup contains 12 grams of sugar, almost as much as three Chips Ahoy! cookies and six times the amount of sugar in original Cheerios.

A cup of Kellogg’s Smart Start Original Antioxidants breakfast cereal, despite the healthy-sounding name, contains 260 milligrams (mg) of salt, more than a medium serving of McDonald’s fries.

Too much sugar is consistently associated with harmful health problems.

a review published last month in the magazine BMJfor example, linked high consumption of added sugars to 45 negative health outcomes.

These include diabetes, gout, obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, cancer, asthma, tooth decay, depression and early death.

Much of the danger lies specifically in the added sugars. For example, fructose and lactose occur naturally in foods such as fruit and milk. Added sugars include sucrose, dextrose, and syrups, which are manufactured in processed foods such as grains.

Consuming too much sugar this early in the morning can mess up your whole day.

Sugars are broken down into glucose faster than other carbohydrates, so they are absorbed into the bloodstream more quickly. This can cause blood sugar spikes, leading to mid-morning crashes and a slowed metabolism.

Meanwhile, salt, which more than 90 percent of Americans get too much of, according to the Center for Disease Control and Preventioncan lead to an increased risk of heart disease, weight gain and diabetes.

Fruity Pebbles, while also packed with sugars, have more sinister ingredients lurking.

The cereals contain BHA, a common additive in processed foods such as breakfast cereals, chewing gum, fast foods and snack foods.

It is also possibly carcinogenic to humans, meaning it can increase the risk of cancer, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

They also contain the additives Red 40, Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Blue 1 and Blue 2, which give the grain its bright colors.

Additives such as these are added to foods to improve their taste or appearance or to keep them fresh.

Red 40 and the two Yellows have both been banned from food products in the UK. This is because they contain benzidine, a human and animal carcinogen that is permitted in low doses.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, intake of free benzidine raises the risk of cancer to just below the “concern” threshold, or one cancer in 1 million people.

Some states, such as California, have pushed to ban such additives, although they are largely allowed in the US.

And while it only contains a few ingredients, Raisin Bran may not be as healthy as it seems.

It contains 47 grams of carbohydrates per cup, or 20 percent of the recommended daily intake.

Most of these carbohydrates are refined, meaning they consist mainly of processed sugars. They’re stripped of all fiber and nutrients, and because the body digests low-fiber foods quickly, you’re more likely to need to eat more to stay full.

Read more about the worst grains below:

Kellogg’s Krave

Price: $4.98

Calories per box: 2,040

Calories per serving: 170

Fat per serving: 4.5 grams

Salt per serving: 140 milligrams

Sugar per serving: 15 grams

Ingredients: 27

Honey Smack

Price: $6.79

Calories per box: 1,560

Calories per serving: 130

Fat per serving: 0.5 grams

Salt per serving: 45 milligrams

Sugar per serving: 18 grams

Ingredients: 9

Apple jackets

Price: $4.18

Calories per box: 1,500

Calories per serving: 150

Fat per serving: 1.5 grams

Salt per serving: 210 milligrams

Sugar per serving: 13 grams

Ingredients: 32

Special K Fruit & Yoghurt

Price: $4.98

Calories per box: 1,440

Calories per serving: 160

Fat per serving: 1 gram

Salt per serving: 190 milligrams

Sugar per serving: 13 grams

Ingredients: 38

Kellogg’s Smart Start Antioxidants

Price: $4.99

Calories per box: 1,680

Calories per serving: 240

Fat per serving: 1 gram

Salt per serving: 260 milligrams

Sugar per serving: 18 grams

Ingredients: 25

Honey Nut Cheerios

Price: $3.68

Calories per box: 1,120

Calories per serving: 140

Fat per serving: 2 grams

Salt per serving: 210 milligrams

Sugar per serving: 12 grams

Ingredients: 22

Cap’n Crunch

Price: $4.99

Calories per box: 1,350

Calories per serving: 150

Fat per serving: 2 grams

Salt per serving: 290 milligrams

Sugar per serving: 17 grams

Ingredients: 15

Fruity Pebbles

Price: $3.79

Calories per box: 1,260

Calories per serving: 140

Fat per serving: 1.5 grams

Salt per serving: 190 milligrams

Sugar per serving: 12 grams

Ingredients: 25

Raisin Bran

Price: $4.29

Calories per box: 2,090

Calories per serving: 190

Fat per serving: 1 gram

Salt per serving: 200 milligrams

Sugar per serving: 17 grams

Ingredients: 7

Lucky charms

Price: $3.48

Calories per box: 1,960

Calories per serving: 140

Fat per serving: 1.5 grams

Salt per serving: 220 milligrams

Sugar per serving: 12 grams

Ingredients: 26