The Popular Chocolate Cereal That Doesn't Contain Any Real Cocoa

If there's one thing America does really well, it's creating timeless, sugary, and colorful breakfast cereals — and if you've ever visited an American cereal aisle, you know that this is true. Cereal is a deeply nostalgic food for many people, and while this makes it a tempting purchase, the majority of them have actually been deemed unhealthy by the FDA due to their large amount of sugar. Even those cereals that claim to be healthy or good for you, like Raisin Bran and Special K, do not qualify as healthy. Their boxes claim to have health benefits, but these aren't always true, and if they are, they probably don't mean much for your health in the long run. The Flintstones-inspired chocolate Cocoa Pebbles cereal box, for example, claims to have "real cocoa," but a 2019, class-action lawsuit revealed that this isn't necessarily true.

If you look at the Cocoa Pebbles' nutrition label, you'll find that it doesn't say "cocoa," but rather "cocoa (processed with alkali)." Alkali-processed cocoa is also known as dutched cocoa, and dutched cocoa is not the same as its natural counterpart. After regular cocoa powder is produced, it is treated through alkalization, which is the process of making something less acidic. Alkalization affects the cocoa powder's taste and color, making it darker, less bitter, and more chocolatey: An optimal combination for a sugary breakfast cereal.

The lawsuit was based on Cocoa Pebbles' deceptive marketing. Consumers assume that the cereal contains real cocoa, but this is not true. Though it might taste better and be less bitter, the dutching process leads to less healthy cocoa because the alkalization eliminates antioxidants found naturally. And, of course, this means that it is a processed ingredient. The cereal box is transparent about the artificial flavors present in the cereal, but by calling the cocoa "real," customers involved in the lawsuit felt deceived. But is there even an alternative?

Thankfully, yes. You can, in fact, consume breakfast cereal that has real cocoa in it. This doesn't necessarily mean that it's healthier; if you're looking to start your day off on a healthy note, maybe avoid cereal altogether with another breakfast recipe that has less sugar and more nutrients. However, cereal with real cocoa powder might make you feel a bit better about the amount of processed products you're eating. Annie's Organic Cocoa Bunnies uses Fair Trade Certified real cocoa, and Cascadian Farm Organic's Cocoa Crispy Rice also uses real cocoa powder. While they may cost you a few extra dollars, those who are concerned about processed foods are unlikely to mind.