Worksheet 2-1: Breakfast Cereal Label Analysis

Instructions: Compare the “Zen-Tastic” and “Marshmallow Magician” cereals and answer the questions
that follow.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 3/4 cup (55g)
Servings Per Container about 6
Cereal +
125 ml
fortified
skim
Amount Per Serving Cereal milk
Calories 190 230
Calories from Fat 25 25
% Daily Value**
Total Fat 2.5g* 4% 4%
Saturated Fat 0g 0% 0%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0% 0%
Sodium 95mg 4% 7%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 14% 16%
Dietary Fiber 9g 36% 36%
Sugars 13g
Protein 5g
INGREDIENTS:
Organic brown rice flour, organic evaporated cane Vitamin A 0% 6%
juice, organic rolled oats, organic wheat bran, Vitamin C 0% 0%
organic sweetened dried cranberries (organic Calcium 2% 15%
cranberries, organic evaporated cane juice), organic Iron 10% 10%
whole wheat meal, organic soy flour, organic whole * Amount in cereal. One half cup skim milk contributes an
oat flour, organic oat bran, inulin, organic soy oil, additional 40 calories, 65mg sodium, 6g total carbohydrate
organic soy fiber, organic molasses, organic barley (6g sugars), and 4g protein.
**Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
malt extract, organic yellow corn flour, organic whole Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on
millet, organic oat syrup solids, sea salt, organic your calorie needs.
quinoa, organic ginger, organic buckwheat flour, Calories 2,000 2,500
organic barley flour, organic rice bran extract, Total Fat Less than 65g 80g
Sat Fat Less than 20g 25g
organic cinnamon, tocopherols (natural vitamin E), Cholesterol Less than 300mg 300mg
organic cloves, organic nutmeg. Sodium Less than 2400mg 2400mg
Total Carbohydrate 300g 375g
Produced in a facility that contains peanuts, tree Dietary Fiber 25g 30g
nuts & soy.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 3/4 cup (27g)
Servings Per Container about 12
with 1/2
cup
skim
Amount Per Serving Cereal milk
Calories 110 150
Calories from Fat 10 10
% Daily Value**
Total Fat 1g* 1% 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0% 0%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0% 1%
Sodium 190mg 8% 10%
Total Carbohydrate 22g 7% 9%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5% 5%
Sugars 11g INGREDIENTS: WHOLE GRAIN OATS, MARSHMALLOWS
Other Carbohydrate 9g (SUGAR, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, CORN SYRUP,
DEXTROSE, GELATIN, CALCIUM CARBONATE, YELLOW
Protein 2g
5&6, BLUE 1, RED 40, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR), SUGAR,
Vitamin A 10% 15% OAT FLOUR, CORN SYRUP, CORN STARCH, SALT,
CALCIUM CARBONATE, TRISODIUM PHOSPHATE,
Vitamin C 10% 10% COLOR ADDED, ZINC AND IRON (MINTERAL
Calcium 10% 25% NUTRIENTS), VITAMIN C (SODIUM ASCORBATE), A B
Iron 25% 25% VITAMIN (NIACINAMIDE), ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, VITAMIN
Vitamin D 10% 25% B6 (PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE), VITAMIN B2
(RIBOFLAVIN), VITAMIN B1 (THIAMIN MONONITRATE),
Thiamin 25% 30% VITAMIN A (PALMITATE), A B VITAMIN (FOLIC ACID),
Riboflavin 25% 35% VITAMIN B12, VITAMIN D, VITAMIN E (MIXED
Niacin 25% 25% TOCOPHEROLS) ADDED TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS.
Vitamin B6 25% 35%
Folic Acid 50% 50%
Vitamin B12 25% 35%
Phosphorus 4% 15%
Magnesium 2% 6%
Zinc 25% 30%
* Amount in cereal. A serving of cereal plus skim milk
provides 1g total fat, less than 5mg cholesterol, 250mg
sodium, 250mg potassium, 28g total carbohydrate (16g
sugars) and 6g protein.
**Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on
your calorie needs.
1. What are the nutritional claims of each cereal?
The Zen-tastic claims to promote inner harmony. The Marshmallow Magician claims to be a good
source of 12 vitamins and minerals, calcium, and whole grain.

2. a. Which cereal has a higher level of fiber?

The Zen-tastic has a higher level of 9g
b. What is the source of fiber in this cereal?
The source of fiber is organic soy fiber

3. a. Which cereal has a higher % Daily Value of vitamins A and C?

The Marshmallow Magician has higher values.
b. Does this surprise you? Why or why not?
This doesn’t surprise me because the zen-tastic claimed mostly fiber content while the marshmallow
magician used vitamins and minerals in their marketing.

c. When can the addition of this cereal to a morning meal help add to the overall nutrition for a
person during the course of a day?
When the person isn’t meeting their nutritional goals.

4. a. What is the source of vitamin B6 in the Marshmallow Magician cereal?

Pyridoxine hydrochloride
b. Is it a naturally occurring ingredient?
It is not a naturally occurring ingredient.
c. How can you tell?
I can tell because hydrochlorides are not usually naturally occurring.

5. a. What is “inner harmony” (from the Zen-Tastic package)?

That is a structure/functional claim.

b. How does this cereal contribute to inner harmony?

This cereal is most likely referring to the positive digestive effects of fiber.

6. a. What type of milk is listed in the right side of the Nutrition Facts panel of the Marshmallow
Magician cereal?
Skim milk
b. Does this seem like a reasonable choice for this cereal?
Yes it does because another type of milk like fortified milk might cause an excess of nutrients after the
rest of the days food.