Now that kids are heading back to school, parents are stocking their pantries with quick breakfast and snack options to keep on hand. Many parents are trying to make healthier choices for their families, but unfortunately, sometimes products are marketed as 'healthy' but are actually harmful.

If you have this popular cereal in your pantry, take action now.

When you go grocery shopping, you trust that the products in the stores, especially the ones marketed to children, are safe. However, a new study points out some serious health concerns that may have you reconsidering purchasing these popular products.

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What Popular Breakfast Item Is Linked To Cancer?

Recently Quaker Oats has been involved in some major recalls and their name was also included in this new study that stated that Cheerios cereal is linked to cancer.

According to Healthline, General Mills Products such as Cheerios have been found to contain chemicals that have been linked to cancer, including glyphosate and phthalates:
  • Glyphosate

    The Environmental Working Group found the main ingredient in the weed killer Roundup, in Cheerios. In 2019, the EWG found that Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch contained 833 parts per billion (ppb) of glyphosate, which is more than five times the amount the EWG considers safe for children. Original Cheerios contained 729 ppb, which is more than four-and-a-half times the EWG's safety benchmark. The World Health Organization has classified glyphosate as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" since 2015.
  • Phthalates

    2024 Consumer Reports report found that General Mills' original Cheerios contain high levels of phthalates, a type of plastic chemical that can cause cancer, infertility, birth defects, and other health problems.

Cheerios With Cancer Causing Chemical:

  • Regular Cheerios
  • Honey Nut Cheerios
  • Cheerios Oat Crunch Oats n' Honey
  • Frosted Cheerios.

Avoid These Quaker Oats Products:

  • Quaker Old Fashioned Oats
  • Quaker Instant Oatmeal Maple & Brown Sugar
  • Quaker Chewy Dark Chocolate Chunk

What Chemical Is Linked to Cancer?

According to the study the chemical in question is chlormequat chloride, which "is present in the U.S. food supply, primarily in oat-based products, and is detectable in a majority of urine samples".

Not only is cancer a primary concern for people who consume these products but the study also states that fertility issues are a major concern as well. The study goes on to say that it is imperative that we understand, "the potential health harms of this agricultural chemical at environmentally relevant exposure levels, particularly during pregnancy."

What Is Chlormequat Chloride?

According to PubChem.com, it is an organic chloride salt that has a crystal like texture and a fish like odor. It is commonly used as a plant growth retardant to produce plants with sturdier, thicker stalks, particularly for cereal crops.

LOOK: 40 Discontinued & Special Edition Kellogg's Cereals

Gallery Credit: John Robinson