Bacon and sausages are often vilified as dangerous breakfast foods, with ties to devastating diseases like cancer. 

However, another popular choice, cereal, may be no better. 

Sugary cereals are a breakfast staple in millions of homes, but these products can be full of additives such as dyes, sweeteners, thickeners and preservatives designed to extend shelf life and improve taste, making them ultra-processed foods (UPFs).

UPFs have been linked to rising rates of obesity and diabetes, and more recent research has found links to cancer and dementia.  

The sugary cereals that fall under the wide UPF umbrella are often advertised as being part of a balanced breakfast, and their fun shapes and bright colors make them popular among children.

According to new CDC findings, 55 percent of daily calories consumed by both kids and adults in the US come from UPFs, and children and teens got about two-thirds of their calories from these foods from 2021 to 2023.

The links between UPF-heavy diets and cancers have become more solid in recent years amid new interest in the roles they play in the rising rates of chronic illnesses in America, as well as the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again initiative.

In a recent study, UK researchers found that all UPFs, not just processed meats, are linked to cancer. For every 10 percent increase in UPF consumption, the risk of cancer rises by 12 percent.

The sugary cereals that fall under the wide UPF umbrella are often advertised as being part of a balanced breakfast and their fun shapes and bright colors make them popular among children (file photo)

The strongest link researchers found was between all UPFs, including sugary cereals, and breast cancer.

The study’s online design helped them track over 100,000 French adults for years. They were participants of the NutriNet-Santé study launched in 2009.

People ranged in age from 18 to 72, with an average age of about 43.  

They logged surveys about their diet, lifestyle, and general health every six months for up to eight years. 

The study, published in the BMJ, asked participants to record everything they ate and drank on three random days over 24 hours. The random days chosen were spread out over two weeks so that researchers could get a clearer picture of their regular eating habits.

They repeated this process every six months for the duration of their time in the study, which ranged from a few years to up to eight years.

They considered UPFs to include mass-produced items like packaged bread, breakfast cereals, snacks, candy, sodas, chicken nuggets, instant noodles, frozen meals, and ready-to-eat foods.

They found that sugary cereals and starchy foods made up 16 percent of the UPFs found in people’s diets. Other top sources included sugary products (26 percent), such as candies and desserts, followed by sugary drinks (20 percent), including sodas.

The strongest link UK researchers found was between all UPFs, including cereals, and breast cancer

Processed fruits and vegetables, such as canned peaches or peas with seasonings in a microwavable pouch, made up 15 percent of the UPFs people ate.

These products often contain additives, like artificial flavors, colors, and sweeteners, and are made using industrial methods such as hydrogenation, extrusion, or deep-frying. 

They’re designed to mimic real food but typically include ingredients not used in home cooking, such as modified starches, protein isolates, and preservatives.

Throughout the study, more than 2,200 people reported a new cancer diagnosis. 

Researchers followed up by looking at medical records, hospital reports, speaking to their doctors, and convening an expert committee to review and verify the reports.

Of the cancers reported, 739 cases were breast cancers, including 264 premenopausal and 475 postmenopausal; 281 were prostate cancers, and 153 were colorectal cancers.

In addition to raising the overall risk of cancer by 12 percent, for every 10 percent increase in UPF consumption, the risk of breast cancer grew by 11 percent.

‘No association was statistically significant for prostate and colorectal cancers,’ the researchers said, but added that they also found a ‘borderline non-significant trend’ of higher colorectal cancer risk the more a person’s diet was made up of UPFs.

The above CDC graph shows percentages of calories consumed from ultra-processed foods

The above CDC graph shows ultra-processed calorie consumption by age group

Sugary cereals and other UPFs typically contain a laundry list of ingredients that have public health experts and officials concerned.

Emulsifiers, the additives that give milkshakes, sauces, and processed meats their smooth texture, are a major culprit. These have been tied to an increased risk of colon cancer, as they may damage the protective barriers in the intestines, leading to inflammation. 

The CDC found that kids and teens have diets primarily made up of UPFs

Kids aged 6 to 11 are consuming the most ultra-processed foods, with 65 percent of their daily calories coming from these products. That number drops slightly to 63 percent for adolescents aged 12 to 18, and to 56 percent for kids under six.

As for adults, those between 19 and 39 are the biggest consumers, getting 54 percent of their calories from ultra-processed foods. The number drops slightly to 53 percent for adults aged 40 to 59, and a bit further to 52 percent for those over 60.

Recent studies suggest ultra-processed foods could be linked to over 120,000 early deaths in the US, a number higher than that of top killers like fentanyl.