Consumer Reports has conducted its first nutritional analysis of cereals marketed to children and their findings are amazing. The full report will be published in the November issue of the magazine. But it seems that only four out of 27 cereals are rated as "very good" because they are relatively low in sugar, have some fiber, are high in iron and are a good source of calcium.

Corn Pops, Honey Smacks, Golden Crisp, Froot Loops, Apple Jacks, Rice Krispies, Cap'n Crunch and Cap'n Crunch's Peanut Butter Crunch are the absolute sugar champions. Out of these Golden Crisp and Honey Smacks are more than 50 percent sugar and poor in fiber.

On the other hand the Consumer Reports rankings rated four children's cereals as very good, because they are low in sugar, contain fiber, are high in iron and a good source of calcium. Cheerios from General Mills rated the best, with one gram of sugar per serving and three grams of fiber. Kix, Quaker Oats 'Life' and Honey Nut Cheerios also earned a rating of “very good.”

"There's very little nutrition attached to sugar," says Linda Somers, Senior Nutritionist at Children's Memorial Hospital. "It's just a carbohydrate with no nutrients in it, so it's a calorie source and nothing else." The study also found there is as much sugar in a serving of some cereals as there is in a glazed doughnut.

Moreover, Rice Krispies was faulted for being higher in sodium than is necessary, at 135 milligrams, and having almost no fiber. Other cereals heavily promoted to children have up to 270 mg of sodium in a serving, which is a real concern at a time when increasing numbers of children are being diagnosed with high blood pressure.

So it’s high time parents took their glasses with them when going to the supermarket and make sure that what they feed their children for breakfast is not only delicious, but healthy as well.