Not Your Father's Pop Tart... Kellogg's Unveils New Peanut Butter Flavors
Kellogg's new strategy to entice adults to eat more of its breakfast foods? Offer up a fan favorite while flaunting nutritional content. Boasting peanut butter as the advertised ingredient, Pop-Tarts has introduced two new flavors under a fresh Gone Nutty! label.
"Peanut butter has long been the most requested flavor by our fans," said Dick Podiak, director of marketing for Pop-Tarts, in a press release.
Gone Nutty! Chocolate Peanut Butter and Gone Nutty! Peanut Butter are now available at retailers nationwide along with the brand's 27 other varieties --- who knew?
Although the new filling is "made with" real peanut butter and though the nutrition information reads "contains wheat, peanut, milk, soy and almond ingredients" in bold, a host of other ingredients --- including corn syrup and sugar --- are listed in fine print. Plus, the new Peanut Butter flavor is sprinkled with fine sugar crystals while the Frosted Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor boasts a chocolate pastry crust and sweet frosting. Can't be the healthiest of breakfasts, though probably not the worst.
Are there equally simple breakfasts that might be more healthy than the new Pop-Tarts? Of course.
Our five choices:
Fruit. What could be less complicated? Wash an apple or peel a banana. The former offers a fiber and vitamin C, the latter provides the same plus potassium, manganese, and vitamin B6. As Jack LaLanne, the fitness expert who made it to the age of 96 looking fit and strong, said, "If God didn't make it, don't eat it."
Yogurt. A good source of protein, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, potassium and zinc, plain yogurt is also a very good source of riboflavin, calcium and phosphorus. Easier to digest than milk, yogurt contains lactobacteria, intestine-friendly bacterial cultures, that lower the risk of colon cancer. Grab a spoon, your carton of yogurt, and run... simple.
Oatmeal. Not quite as easy an option as fruit or yogurt, old-fashioned oatmeal is low in saturated fat, while also providing dietary fiber, phosphorus, selenium, and manganese. One mighty benefit is oatmeal may help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Some also claim it reduces the risk of cancer. Not too difficult to make, top it with fruit for extra health benefits.
Energy Bars. Convenient, certainly, these are not the best option as they are not exactly natural, but they are fortified with vitamins and minerals. Choose wisely, avoiding those that contain high amounts of palm oil or other hydrogenated fats.
Bagel and cream cheese. Or for that matter, bagel and peanut butter. Or almond butter. Any of these options offers you protein and fiber while satisfying your hunger. Opt for a wheat bagel if you want to aim higher and top your cheese or peanut butter with a tomato slice for even healthier results.