General Mills doubles down on Vitamin D

25-Jul-2023 - Last updated on 25-Jul-2023 at 05:22 GMT

The cereal multinational has punched up the Vitamin D content in Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Cheerios, with other household favourites - Honey Nut Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Cocoa Puffs, Trix and Cookie Crips - to follow throughout the summer.

Vitamin D is essential for building strong bones but is often under-consumed by 96% of all Americans.

As the category leader, Big G is the first to broadly roll out this nutrition upgrade, pushing the Daily Value of Vitamin D up to 20%, twice the previous amount. The move follows approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) earlier this year.

“General Mills Big G Cereals have long been a leader in delivering good nutrition,” said Ricardo Fernandez, president of US Morning Foods, General Mills.

“We were proud to be the first major company to make whole grain the first ingredient in our Big G Cereals recipes nearly 20 years ago, a commitment that stands to this day. And with the newly increased Vitamin D fortification of these cereals, we’re proud to remind parents of the goodness they grew up on with Big G and how we continue to deliver nutritious options for their families today.”

Breakfast literally can change lives. Research shows that nutrients missed at breakfast are usually not made up during the rest of the day, and cereal for breakfast is hard to beat when it comes to nutrient density, offering a source of wholegrain, fibre and several key vitamins and minerals including folate, iron, zinc, vitamin A and many B vitamins.

“Cereal is one of few foods that’s consumed across the lifespan and a household staple that can support good nutrition to a large portion of the population,” said Amy Cohn, registered dietitian and senior nutrition manager at General Mills.

“Doubling the Vitamin D content of our Big G Cereals is just another step in our continued commitment to providing affordable, accessible nutrition because we know that breakfast doesn’t have to be complicated or break the bank - and it can be as easy as a beloved bowl of cereal.”