The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit and non-partisan environmental advocacy organization, found popular oat cereals, oatmeal, granola and snack bars come with a hefty dose of glyphosate, according to independent laboratory tests commissioned by EWG.
Glyphosate, the weed-killing poison in Monsato’s Roundup, has been linked to cancer by California state scientists and the World Health Organization. It was found in all but two of 45 (non-organic) oat-based foods that were tested.
| Conventional | Organic | |
|---|---|---|
| Samples Tested | 45 | 16 |
| Glyphosate Detects | 43 | 5 |
| Detects Above EWG’s
Health Benchmark (160 ppb) |
31 | 0 |
The World Health Organization has determined that glyphosate is “probably carcnogenic to humans” and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a safety level for the potentially dangerous chemical, however Monsato “strongly disputes the findings.”
Glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide in our country. Studies suggest that glyphosate-sprayed crops such as wheat and oats are a major contributor to glyphosate in the daily diet.
Do you have any of these in your pantry? Are you going to switch the brands or foods you bring to the breakfast table?
| Type of Food | Product Name | Glyphosate (ppb)* | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sample 1 | Sample 2 | Sample 3 | ||
| Granola | Nature’s Path Organic Honey Almond granola | ND** | ND | |
| Back to Nature Classic Granola | 620 | 170 | ||
| Quaker Simply Granola Oats, Honey, Raisins & Almonds | 430 | 400 | ||
| Back to Nature Banana Walnut Granola Clusters | 30 | 30 | 340 | |
| Nature Valley Granola Protein Oats ‘n Honey | 220 | 170 | ||
| KIND Vanilla, Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds | 50 | 60 | ||
| Instant Oats | Giant Instant Oatmeal, Original Flavor | 760 | ||
| Simple Truth Organic Instant Oatmeal, Original | ND | ND | ||
| Quaker Dinosaur Eggs, Brown Sugar, Instant Oatmeal | 620 | 780 | ||
| Great Value Original Instant Oatmeal | 450 | |||
| Umpqua Oats, Maple Pecan | 220 | 220 | ||
| Market Pantry Instant Oatmeal, Strawberries & Cream | 120 | 520 | ||
| Oat Breakfast Cereal | Kashi Heart to Heart Organic Honey Toasted cereal | ND | ND | |
| Cheerios Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal | 490 | 470 | 530 | |
| Lucky Charms**** | 400 | 230 | ||
| Barbara’s Multigrain Spoonfuls, Original, Cereal | 340 | 300 | ||
| Kellogg’s Cracklin’ Oat Bran oat cereal | 250 | 120 | ||
| Snack Bar | Cascadian Farm Organic Harvest Berry, granola bar | ND | ND | |
| KIND Oats & Honey with Toasted Coconut | ND | 120 | ||
| Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars, Oats ‘n Honey | 340 | 120 | ||
| Quaker Chewy Chocolate Chip granola bar | 120 | 160 | ||
| Kellogg’s Nutrigrain Soft Baked Breakfast Bars, Strawberry | 30 | 80 | ||
| Whole Oats | 365 Organic Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats | ND | ND | |
| Quaker Steel Cut Oats | 530 | 290 | ||
| Quaker Old Fashioned Oats | 390 | 1100 | 1300 | |
| Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats | 300 | ND | ||
| Nature’s Path Organic Old Fashioned Organic Oats | 30 | 20 | ||
| Whole Foods Bulk Bin conventional rolled oats | 10 | 40 | ||
| Bob’s Red Mill Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (4 samples tested) | ND | 10 | 20, 20*** | |
Source: EWG, from tests by Eurofin Analytical Laboratories
*EWG’s child-protective health benchmark for daily exposure to glyphosate in food is 160 ppb.
** ND = none detected
*** Two product samples tested both had 20 ppb glyphosate concentration.
**** Lucky Charms Frosted Toasted Oat Cereal with Marshmallows. Marshmallows were manually removed from the samples prior to shipping to the lab and testing for glyphosate.
Author: Julie McKeeman
Julie is first and foremost a mom of two amazing kiddos, Elliott and Bennett. She is an elementary school librarian whose passion is to create safe spaces for all children.
Julie is first and foremost a mom of two amazing kiddos, Elliott and Bennett. She is an elementary school librarian whose passion is to create safe spaces for all children.
