Man Realizes How Much Sugar Is in Cereals, Sues Kellogg's

Kellogg's will appear in court to defend the amount of sugar contained in cereals and other breakfast products it claims are healthy, Courthouse News reports. The class-action lawsuit was brought by Stephen Hadley, who says he ate Kellogg's products for breakfast for years and believed he was making a healthy choice. But he says he recently learned some Kellogg's products contain enough sugar to put him at risk for diabetes, obesity, liver disease, and more. Hadley's lawsuit claims some cereals and breakfast bars have 18% to 40% of the FDA's daily recommended value of sugar. The lawsuit names Raisin Bran, Frosted Mini-Wheats, Nutri-Grain Cereal Bars, and 26 other products.

Kelogg's had sought to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that Hadley doesn't actually know how much sugar is in its products, that its products are close to FDA guidelines for sugar, and that language used in its advertising is either true or simple "puffery." In partially denying the company's motion to dismiss, US District Judge Lucy Koh ruled that claims of being "nutritious," "wholesome," and having "essential nutrients" can't be "dismissed as puffery." (More Kellogg stories.)