All you have to know about Cornflakes !!!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It replenishes the glucose level in the body and gives the energy to start a day. Most of us usually take cornflakes as our early meal.

Do you like cornflakes?

Is it a part of your day?

Do you know what it contains?

What are their benefits and side effects?

What is the better alternative for cornflakes?

Then read more to know about your diet.

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” - said Jim Rohn.

Corn Flakes became a day-to-day routine in many homes. There are many leading brands and manufacturers that produce products in different varieties. For example, Classic, Original, Real, Real strawberry puree, Real honey almond, etc.

The common ingredients added to all the flavors are Corn Grits, Sugar, Cereal Extract, Iodized salt, Vitamins, Antioxidants(INS 307b), and Minerals. In some cases, Lecithin (INS 322), and Antioxidants (INS 320) are also added.

Antioxidants are food additives that prolong the shelf life of the food by protecting against deterioration caused by oxidation. The commonly used antioxidant INS 307b is Tocopherol (Vitamin E) concentrate, a mixed phenolic compound that is soluble in fats extracted from vegetable oil, nuts, seeds, etc. That are rich in tocopherols. They have strong antioxidant properties which help in reducing the risk of cancer. Vitamin E is one of the essential vitamins which cannot be synthesized by our body. (G, Tomassi, and V.Slano concluded that tocopherols are safe food additives)

Butylated hydroxyanisole (INS 320), is a synthetic, waxy solid, petrochemical widely used in the preservation of food, food packing, cosmetics, petroleum products, etc. BHA is often combined with BHT. It prevents rancidification in fats and fat-containing foods. Some studies have said that BHA is carcinogenic in rats and other animals. It causes papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas in rats. The lower intake of BHA does not show an increased risk of cancer significantly. However, BHA is listed as a carcinogen in the state of California.

Lecithin (INS 322) is generally safe for consumption but it is possible to cause some minor allergic reactions because it may be often derived from soybean and egg yolks. It is used in cholesterol reduction, improved immune function, digestion-related problems, as a breastfeeding aid, etc. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) may be responsible for lecithin’s reported health benefits. According to the United States FDA, lecithin is “generally recognized as safe”.

The cereal/malt extract present in cornflakes gives a natural sweetness to the food and acts as a flavor enhancer and coloring agent. The strawberry-flavored cornflakes contain only 58% of Corn Grits and 2.5% of Strawberry Puree. It also contains sugar and beetroot extract for flavor enhancement. The honey almond contains 61.7% of corn grits and dextrose which is an artificial sweetener. It also contains natural color (INS 150d) is a caramel color variety that may be responsible for high blood pressure & It may also cause cancer as it has 4 Methyl imidazole.

All cornflakes varieties have sugar which has a high Glycemic Index which increases the risk of Type 2 Diabetics. As per the India Times, 1 cup of Corn flakes has only 1.7 g of protein which is comparatively less to keep us full for a longer period. They have very low-fat content but the sugar content in them promotes the storage of fats. So there is no wonder in making it a bad healthy choice. The continuous consumption of cornflakes results in Diabetics, heart disease, and obesity.

The healthy alternatives for the cornflakes are wheat flakes, and oatmeal with low-fat milk, fruits, and nuts. Foods that are rich in protein increase insulin secretion and control the blood sugar level.

Sources:

1. Tocopherols in cancer: an update by Soumyasri Das Gupta and Nanjoo Suh Published in final edited form as: Mol Nutr Food Res. 2016 June ; 60(6): 1354–1363. doi:10.1002/mnfr.201500847.

2. AN ASSESSMENT OF THE SAFETY OF TOCOPHEROLS AS FOOD ADDITIVES by G. TOMASSI and V.SILANO Fd Chem. Toxic. Vot. 24, No. 10/11, pp. 1051-1061, 1986.

3. Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA), CAS No. 25013-16-5, Report on Carcinogens, Fifteenth Edition.

4. Intake of butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene and stomach cancer risk: results from analyses in the Netherlands Cohort Study by Botterweck, A. A. M., Verhagen, H., Goldbohm, R. A., Kleinjans, J. C. S., & van den Brandt, P. A. (2000). Intake of butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene and stomach cancer risk: results from analyses in the Netherlands Cohort Study. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 38, 599-605.

5. Everything you need to know about lecithin, Medically reviews by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT — By Jayne Leonard on September 5, 2017, Medical News Today.

6. Caramel Color(E150) in Food by foodadditives.net

7. Cornflakes: Are they good for diabetics or not?, Times of India, updated on Jan 17,2021