What’s Wrong With Lucky Charms?
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is investigating Lucky Charms cereal following 3,000+ illness reports made to the consumer website iwaspoisoned.com as of April 18, 2022. (1)(2)
Customer reviews on the product’s page on luckycharms.com also show some complaints about getting sick after consuming the cereal.
Most of the customer complaints indicated symptoms of food poisoning after eating Lucky Charms cereal: (1)
The illness reports on the third-party website, iwaspoisoned.com, came from different states in the US and parts of Canada. (2)
In a statement issued to the AP (Associated Press) on April 16, 2022, the FDA announced that it’s taking any reports of possible food adulterations or contaminations that may also cause illnesses or injury seriously. (3)
An FDA spokesperson said: (1)(3)
“The FDA is aware of consumer complaints regarding illnesses associated with Lucky Charms cereal and is currently investigating these complaints. The FDA takes seriously any reports of possible adulteration of a food that may also cause illnesses or injury.
Complaints of a less serious nature or those that appear to be isolated incidents are monitored and the information may be used during a future inspection of a company to help the FDA identify problem areas in a production plant. The complaints are also discussed with company management during these inspections.”
However, although the customers posted about the illness symptoms on iwaspoisoned.com, the FDA clarified that it has only received around 100 illness reports this year. (1)(3)
Who Makes Lucky Charms Cereal?
Minneapolis-based company General Mills Inc. makes Lucky Charms, Cheerios, and other cereals. (3)
General Mills spokesperson Andrea Williamson said that the company is aware of the consumer reports via the third-party website, and they’re taking these reports very seriously. (4)
The company said that food safety is its top priority.
However, General Mills clarified that they hadn’t found any evidence that the reported consumer illnesses were linked to Lucky Charms based on their investigation. (3)(4)
General Mills encourages customers to share their concerns with the company directly. (3)
Lucky Charms Cereal Recall
Neither the FDA nor General Mills have issued a Lucky Charms cereal recall or safety alert despite the possible safety concerns. (1)
Food Poisoning Symptoms
These are the most common food poisoning symptoms, but the exact symptoms can vary depending on the type of germ ingested: (5)
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Fever
- Upset stomach
- Stomach cramps
Signs Of Severe Food Poisoning
Call your doctor or rush to the ER if you or your child experiences any of these symptoms: (5)
- High fever (over 102°F)
- Bloody diarrhea
- Frequent vomiting, with difficulty keeping liquids down
- Diarrhea lasting more than three days
- Signs of dehydration – dry mouth, very little urination, and feeling dizzy when standing up
FAQs
What’s In Lucky Charms?
Lucky Charms contain cereals such:
- Frosted oats
- Colored marshmallows called “marbits”
Flavors can include:
- Original
- Chocolate
- Fruity
- Frosted Flakes
Is Lucky Charms A Healthy Cereal?
No. It contains added sugars, corn syrup, highly processed oils (canola oil), salt, artificial flavors, and artificial colors.
Is Lucky Charms High In Sugar?
All flavors of Lucky Charms cereals contain 12g of added sugar per serving (1 cup).
The AHA (American Heart Association) recommends limiting added sugar intake to 24g per day. However, you should also calculate the sugars from other food sources because the Lucky Charms cereal isn’t the only food on your child’s diet. (6)
According to The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2020-2025), foods and beverages with added sugars should be avoided by children below two years of age. (7)
Intake should also be limited to 10% of calories per day for older children and adults. (7)
What Is The Unhealthiest Cereal?
Studies show that these cereals can contain the highest sugar and unhealthy trans-fat content: (8)
- Nestlé cereals: Golden Grahams, Cheerios, and Lion Cereal
- Kellogg’s cereals: Hunny B’s, Rice Krispies, and Frosties
According to the HBBF (Healthy Babies, Bright Futures), 95% of baby foods might be contaminated with heavy metals, which can reduce your child’s IQ and affect brain development. (9)
These are the unhealthiest cereals:
- Cheerios and other oat ring cereals (contain arsenic)
- Soft cereal bars (contain arsenic)
- Puff snacks (contain lead and arsenic)
- Infant rice cereals (contain arsenic)
Brands and products that might contain high heavy metal content: (10)
- Gerber Graduates Cereal Bars, Strawberry Banana
- Gerber Oatmeal Single Grain Cereal
- Gerber Organic Oatmeal Cereal
- Beech-Nut Complete Rice Single Grain Baby Cereal
- Beech-Nut Organic Oatmeal Whole Grain Baby Cereal
- Beech-Nut Complete Oatmeal Whole Grain Baby Cereal
- Parent’s Choice Little Hearts Strawberry Yogurt Cereal Snack
- Parent’s Choice Rice Baby Cereal
- Sprout Foods Organic Quinoa Puffs Baby Cereal Snack (flavor: Apple Kale)
- Baby Food Recall Brown Rice Cereal
- HappyBABY Organic Probiotic Baby Cereal
- HappyBABY Strawberry & Beet Puffs
- HappyBABY Banana & Pumpkin Puffs
- HappyBABY Apple & Broccoli Puffs
- HappyBABY Organics Superfood Puffs, Purple Carrot & Blueberry
- Earth’s Best Whole Grain Rice Cereal
- Earth’s Best Whole Grain Oatmeal Cereal
REFERENCES
(1) https://www.newsweek.com/fda-lucky-charms-cereal-probe-over-2400-illnesses-reported-1698504
(2) https://iwaspoisoned.com/product/lucky-charms?utm_source=home_page&utm_medium=header&utm_campaign=luckycharms_header
(3) https://apnews.com/article/health-business-general-mills-inc-us-food-and-drug-administration-safety-755cdcfaf6cbca9129c5291ef2e49889
(4) https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2022/04/11/lucky-charms-illness/7277179001/
(5) https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/symptoms.html
(6) https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/added-sugar-in-the-diet/
(7) https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf
(8) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC387512/
(9) https://www.healthybabyfood.org/sites/healthybabyfoods.org/files/2019-10/BabyFoodReport_FULLREPORT_ENGLISH_R5b.pdf
(10) https://www.consumerreports.org/food-safety/heavy-metals-in-baby-food/
