Is your cereal contaminated with the toxic herbicide glyphosate? There’s more news about that possibility if you are eating food produced from General Mills. This week the Environmental Working Group dropped another bombshell report–testing 21 cereals from General Mills and finding the herbicide glyphosate in each sample. So what is a mom to do when the cereal you ate as a child is contaminated with glyphosate? You’ve trusted Mamavation to bring you topics like safest cookware, best chips & salsas, & safest sunscreens, now join us as we bring to you 8 bowls of cereal, granola & oatmeal not contaminated with glyphosate like Cheerios.
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Monsanto Faces Thousands of Roundup Cancer Lawsuits After $2 Billion in Verdicts And Now This Chemical Is Showing Up in Cereals
Over $2 BILLION was awarded to three different plaintiffs who sued Bayer-Monsanto for knowing the risks of spraying the weed killer glyphosate decades ago, manipulating the federal process to get their chemical approved, and then going to extraordinary lengths to cover it up. These awards have been extraordinarily high because the jury felt that the crimes were heinous enough to prompt a stern financial punishment. All three plaintiffs are suffering from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (or hodgkin’s lymphoma) which was caused by being exposed to the spraying of glyphosate.
In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a part of the World Health Organization, has classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen. Then in 2017, glyphosate was classified as a carcinogen by California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and put on their Prop. 65 list.
Now, glyphosate is starting to show up in cereals containing ingredients of oats, wheat, and legumes like pea protein. Over 13,000 additional cases are yet to be tried and experts are saying this liability could cause the bankruptcy of Bayer-Monsanto.
Desiccation of Weedkiller Glyphosate on Oats, Wheat & Legumes Is Causing High Levels of Glyphosate in Food
The practice of desiccation is an affront to public health because it increases exposure to a dangerous pesticide. Desiccation is where the farmer dries out his field before harvest by spraying the crops with glyphosate, leaving more glyphosate residue in the crop, thus making it a harvest desiccant. This is believed to be one of the reasons why non-gmo processed food containing wheat, granola oats & legumes consistently have higher levels of glyphosate. It increases the amount of glyphosate on the plant, and by the time the consumer eats, it’s still present in higher amounts.
When seeing rates of glyphosate spike in the United States by farmers, instead of curbing this dangerous practice, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allowed Big Ag companies to spray 300 times more glyphosate on oats and other grains compared to what was legal in 1993. Now you are seeing this reflected in your bowl of cereal as higher glyphosate levels and it could be a problem for children’s health.
Environmental Working Group Tests 21 Boxes of General Mills Cereals & Granola and Finds Glyphosate
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) dropped another report after testing cereals for glyphosate. Every box of cereal and granola tested positive for detectable levels of glyphosate. According to the scientists at EWG, anything above the health benchmark of 160 ppb would be problematic to pregnant women and children. At least 17 out of 21 products tested were above the health benchmark meaning it’s not recommended for pregnant women or children. Here were the results of the testing:
- Honey Nut Cheerios–147 parts per billion (ppb)
- Cheerios Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal–729 parts per billion (ppb)
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios–400 parts per billion (ppb)
- Cheerios Oat Crunch Cinnamon–283 parts per billion (ppb)
- Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch–833 parts per billion (ppb)
- Multi-Grain Cheerios–216 parts per billion (ppb)
- Nature Valley Baked Oat Bites–389 parts per billion (ppb)
- Nature Valley Granola Peanut Butter Creamy & Crunchy–198 parts per billion (ppb)
- Nature Valley Granola Protein Oats n Dark Chocolate–261 parts per billion (ppb)
- Nature Valley Fruit & Nut Chewy Trail Mix Granola Bars, Dark Chocolate & Nut–76 parts per billion (ppb)
- Nature Valley Fruit & Nut Chewy Trail Mix Granola Bars, Dark Chocolate Cherry–275 parts per billion (ppb)
- Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut granola bars, Cashew–158 parts per billion (ppb)
- Nature Valley Crunchy granola bars, Oats and Honey–320 parts per billion (ppb)
- Nature Valley Crunchy granola bars, Peanut Butter–312 parts per billion (ppb)
- Nature Valley Crunchy granola bars, Maple Brown Sugar–566 parts per billion (ppb)
- Nature Valley Soft-Baked Oatmeal Squares, Blueberry–206 parts per billion (ppb)
- Nature Valley Soft-Baked Oatmeal Squares, Cinnamon Brown Sugar–124 parts per billion (ppb)
- Nature Valley Granola Cups, Almond Butter–529 parts per billion (ppb)
- Nature Valley Granola Cups, Peanut Butter Chocolate–297 parts per billion (ppb)
- Nature Valley Biscuits with Almond Butter–194 parts per billion (ppb)
- Fiber One Oatmeal Raisin soft-baked cookies–204 parts per billion (ppb)
Mamavation’s Recommendation for Cereals, Granola & Oatmeal
We understand this is frustrating. Navigating the food industry to avoid glyphosate is very complicated right now.
Both organic and non-organic brands have been testing positive for glyphosate. To best evaluate glyphosate residue we have the Detox Project, which is an organization that certifies brands “Glyphosate Residue Free” with lab testing 3x per year. The Detox Project has a list of brands that have certified and we have added the relevant brands to this list. Brands on this list we would recommend.
Another good resource is and Cornucopia’s list of cereal brands that best respect organic principles. These specific farms at the very top source 100% organic only so they would have less of a risk of contamination.
Here is a list of our top 8 recommendations for cereal, granola & oatmeal.
Zego Oatmeal & Muesli
Shares glyphosate lab results with the public. Typically has non-detect levels.
- Zego Organic Exceptional Oats Original Oatmeal
- Zego Organic Apple & Cranberry Muesli
- Zego Organic Cinnamon Twist Muesli
Grandy Oats Granola
“Glyphosate Residue Free” certified by the Detox Project and made Cornucopia’s list of cereal brands.
- Grandy Oats Organic Coconola Original Granola
- Grandy Oats Organic Coconola Mega Hemp Granola
- Grandy Oats Organic Chocolate Chunk Coconola Granola
- Grandy Oats Organic Coffee Crunch Coconola Granola
Natures Path
Made Cornucopia’s list of cereal brands.
- Nature’s Path Organic Whole O’s
- Nature’s Path Organic Honey Peanut Butter Crunch Cereal
- Nature’s Path Organic Sunrise Crunchy Vanilla Cereal
- Nature’s Path Organic Love Crunch Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter
Cascadian Farm
Made Cornucopia’s list of cereal brands.
- Cascadian Farm Organic Cinnamon Crunch Cereal
- Cascadian Farm Organic Fruitful O’s Cereal
- Cascadian Farm Organic Oats & Honey Cereal
- Cascadian Farm Organic French Vanilla Almond
Read more about a more recent consumer study released in 2022 on bread, oats, legumes, protein powder, bars here. There were some organic old-fashioned rolled oats that had detectable levels of glyphosate, but in lower amounts as conventional food products. Sadly, this is still completely legal according to the FDA.
Ambrosial Greek Granola
Made Cornucopia’s list of cereal brands.
Go Raw Granola
Made Cornucopia’s list of cereal brands.
- Go Raw Sprouted Raisin Organic Granola
- Go Raw Sprouted Organic Superfood Flax Snax
- Go Raw Apple Cinnamon Organic Granola
- Go Raw Organic Gluten Free Chocolate Granola
One Degree Organic
Made Cornucopia’s list of cereal brands.
- One Degree Organic Brown Rice Cocoa Crisps Cereal
- One Degree Organic Sprouted Vanilla Chia Granola
- One Degree Organic Sprouted Oat Honey O’s Cereal
Farm to Table Oatmeal
Made Cornucopia’s list of cereal brands.
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I’m trying to fund a safe cereal to fees my baby. I have read your safe baby foods article but don’t see any cereals on there. Are any of these cereals free of lead and arsenic?
We covered some cereals for babies here, https://www.mamavation.com/food/safest-baby-foods-heavy-metals-perchlorate-labs.html
As a thought, are they spraying all the plants with weedkiller, since it would be faster than spraying the ground of acres upon acres of farmland, and either way getting soaked into the entire plant? Or, when they make the cereal, are they purposefully putting in glyphosate?
The grain crop is sprayed at the end of its development to kill all the crop. this makes an even, no green seeds, in the crops harvest. the farmer is told to wait so many days after spraying to let the roundup disappear… but we all know it never disappears. Also some crops (gmo’s) are sprayed when they are first coming up to eliminate the weed competition. Of course all of the chemical residue goes into the ground and who knows how long it stays there…. even if it does break down into non killing particles. I’m no scientist just a conscientious observer…
This article will answer your question https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/pre-harvest-roundup-crops-not-just-wheat/
it’s from the spraying of the crops, not added to the cereal on purpose
CAUTION: One Degree Organic oats, which you recommend above, are consistently rancid – this means the oil in the oat grain has been oxidized either by poor storage or excessive heat. When you open the bags the oats smell like paint thinner or solvent. I’ve purchased and had to return 4 bags now over nearly 3 months. It may be more unhealthy to eat oxidized rancid oats than glyphosate-tainted oats. I have written them to inform them of this but it leaves me thinking they have to have really poor quality control to ship out a product repeatedly whose rancidity is readily apparent from its smell. If you are not familiar with the risk this poses, Google “dangers of rancid oils.”
I made my whole family switch to One Degree Oats. My aunt mentioned to me that she smells a chemical smell whenever she opened the bag and even noticed the taste was like “plastic”. I can’t believe that this means it’s rancid.
HI
Do you know if Kashi Heart to Heart Organic Honey Toasted Cereal is Glyphosate Free?
I thought I had read the Detox Project said it was.
Also, do you know of a Plant Protein Powder that is Glyphosate Free?
Thanks so much!
Aliceann
Don’t forget to look at the MEGA-corps that own these “organic” brands as well. Best not to give them ANY of your dollars. Kashi is owned by Kelloggs. Here is an excellent graphic, albeit slightly outdated as the big corps have acquired more of the precious organic companies. (Like General Mill’s buying Annie’s) Once they sell, they get added to the blacklist. https://foodfury.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/black-list/
Never eat cooked honey it’s toxic
I was all excited to see a girlfight between Laura and Erin but it fizzled out kind of like the information on glyphosate in 2020. Must be some kind of food conspiracy
Your comment made me laugh. but yes, the info on glyphosate has been suspiciously sparse… except for this in 2020: “Therefore, data indicate that maternal exposure to glyphosate-ROUNDUP® during pregnancy and lactation may lead to decreased spermatogenesis and disruptions in hypothalamus-pituitary-testicular axis regulation in F1 offspring.”
Why did I have to scroll past 8 ads in this article for Roundup Ready Xtend crop protection? The ad is popping up everywhere. Isn’t this stuff part of the problem this article is about?
I didn’t see any RoundUp ads when I scrolled and read the article. Why are you commenting on that and not on this very helpful article? If you were seeing those ads maybe it was because it was relevant to the topic of keeping chemicals out of our food and this website allows ads to drive their site. (Not uncommon) Try an AD BLOCKER Laura (they’re free). Then you don’t have to be SO distracted when you are trying read good articles that are meant to HELP you. 🙂
Very caustic comments directed at Laura personally. Laura is not your enemy Erin. Just because she asked a question that you would not have asked doesn’t make it wrong for her to ask, does it? Try a little kindness in your rebukes, if you think you have the right to rebuke her.
James, as F. Gump might say, “Rebuke is as rebuke does”. Your rebuke of Erin, and rebuke it was, is fairly caustic and negative itself. Why not just lead by example and go with your second post only? It was helpful, unlike the first, and allowed you the opportunity to take the high ground by showing how to redirect the negative to the positive. Why pile negative upon negative?
I felt as you did. We need to resist being caustic.
All “advanced” countries are waiting years to ban roundup since they’re so useless and corrupt to do it as we speak, instead of going into discussions with monsanto and it’s paid scientists thay say glyphosate is even healthy why not just forbid the substance completely like if it was cocaine, that poison is not even crucial to farming, it’ts just used to increase profit of an already billionare company.
Laura, what browser are you using? I am using Firefox and don’t get those ads. You might want to switch if you aren’t using it now. Another good switch would be the search engine Duck Duck Go. Hope this helps.
Yup
Do you happen to know if all organic cereals are safe? I give my son O Organics Cerritos from Vons, Whole Foods organic version of Cheerios, and Simple Truth’s version from Ralphs.
The article specifically says this about organic cereals: “Both organic and non-organic brands have been testing positive for glyphosate. To best evaluate glyphosate residue we have the Detox Project, which is an organization that certifies brands ‘Glyphosate Residue Free’ with lab testing 3x per year. The Detox Project has a list of brands that have certified”
Yes, I’m unsure about those generic brands because we don’t know what farms they are from. It’s always that way with generic organic.
Thanks for this research and for sharing. In these times, there is too much shared that we shouldn’t eat (which is great), but not a lot shared of what is safe to consume.
You’re welcome!
Omg thanks for sharing ?