Special K: is it really as healthy as it touts?

PearlAng
PearlAng Posts: 681 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I would like to start this thought by saying I am a young woman who enjoys Special K cereal. I eat it and when I do, it helps me reach my macros. Healthy, delicious, and generally regarded as a good choice. Cool.

But I believe that Special K is not te healthiest. For physical health, it can be worked into your macros and most contain some fiber and other good stuff. But I do not believe it is the best for your mental health.

Special k's slogan is "what will you gain when you lose?" and I've even seen a few commercials that imply that once you lose weight, you will be slim, sexy and more confident and while I feel this is true in many cases, I think some of the younger, more impressionable people may take this ideal the wrong way. If you do not start out with a good self esteem, losing weigh may not improve it.

I once lost 20 pounds and was at my lowest weight ever and I still didn't feel good because I started to lose weight because as I saw the number go up I felt fat and worthless. I got skinny in an unhealthy way, binged and restricted and I still felt fat and worthless, though I weighed just 75 pounds. I thought weight loss would make me feel better about myself. Special K is not the only culprit, but I feel it's among the more influential.

Thoughts? I'm not trying to knock Special K, as I know that there is a plethora of other brands with similar marketing tactics, but Special K is just an example
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Replies

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    It's just cereal not magic. And their advertising annoys me - you should love your body but only if it is skinny. They're hypocrites and their message contradicts what they are saying.

    But off that soapbox - cold cereal doesn't fill me up at all. Neither do their little cereal bars. Just not worth the calories for me.
  • Technolero
    Technolero Posts: 90
    I eat it regularly with raisins, blueberries, or blackberries. Looking at its label it is as healthy as any cereal out there. I've tried most all of them.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    Eat it if you like it and it fits your goals. Me personally, I stay away from any food that touts itself as, 'low-fat', 'no fat', 'diet', 'x% fat-free', 'low sugar', 'low-carb', 'healthy'. Generally speaking, such foods are highly processed - I'm not a clean eating freak, I just like real food (and I'm not a fan of cereal - if I'm going to have it, I'll make it worth my while and have Krave :D).
  • PearlAng
    PearlAng Posts: 681 Member
    I eat it regularly with raisins, blueberries, or blackberries. Looking at its label it is as healthy as any cereal out there. I've tried most all of them.
    Sure they're healthy, but I feel their slogan doesn't promote body acceptance
  • KahuNZ
    KahuNZ Posts: 401 Member
    I am addicted to Special K fruit and nut. Love it! But I always measure the amount I have 50 grams. Its the chewy raisins that I love best.
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
    This is way too deep for cereal.

    It's a marketing campaign. It's a company trying to make more money this quarter than they did last quarter.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    Special K seems really popular with woman aged 18+ who think it's some great tool for weight loss. I must say that their advertising is very well done, but other than that it's just overpriced muesli.

    You're better off having regular muesli, bran flakes or porridge oats with cocoa or something.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    Give me oatmeal/porridge with a little honey and nuts anyday over that stuff.
    I do not find the average portion of dry cereal filling at all.
  • JulsiePie
    JulsiePie Posts: 166 Member
    I love the taste of Special K Red Berries... don't give it any thought beyond that really...

    I haven't had it much in the past few weeks because I also fund cereal doesn't fill me up.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    I don't eat foods based on their slogans. I eat foods based on taste.

    I enjoy Special K's Protein Cereal with some raisins and almond milk. So yummy.
  • PearlAng
    PearlAng Posts: 681 Member
    This is way too deep for cereal.

    It's a marketing campaign. It's a company trying to make more money this quarter than they did last quarter.
    I will agree that the amount of effort that I've put behind creating this thread is probably unnecessary, but I hate to see people buying into that type of campaign
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    I eat the Special K Nourish bowls all the time...especially before my long runs as they are fast to make and not a whole lot in my belly.

    I like the cereals too...mainly the Vanilla Almond one they have. And I will get the breakfast flatbreads from time to time.

    But as far as the diet plan....I can't say much about it as I only know the basics that are displayed on their website.
  • navygrrl
    navygrrl Posts: 517 Member
    The problem with marketing geared towards women (for the most part) is that it's based on unrealistic expectations on how we should look. Eat this, wear that and you'll be happy/thin/beautiful/superwoman. And it works, because we, in general, think we need those things in order to be healthier and happier, so we buy the things and the companies make money and there is no incentive for change. (As a side note, I tend not to notice the ads marketed towards men.)

    I don't know if Special K is as healthy as it touts. I haven't looked at the nutritional info. I think it's tasty, and I like mine with sliced banana and greek yogurt in place of milk. This week I've been on a raisin bran kick.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    It sounds like you are beginning to see how marketing promotes unhealthy practices in the name of weightloss.
  • iPlatano
    iPlatano Posts: 487 Member
    Eat more calories than you burn = gain weight.
    Eat less calories than you burn = lose weight.

    Nothing special about that!
  • ottermotorcycle
    ottermotorcycle Posts: 654 Member
    It's not as healthy as it touts, no. But it is delicious. And enriched, so I guess that counts for something.
  • PearlAng
    PearlAng Posts: 681 Member
    The problem with marketing geared towards women (for the most part) is that it's based on unrealistic expectations on how we should look. Eat this, wear that and you'll be happy/thin/beautiful/superwoman. And it works, because we, in general, think we need those things in order to be healthier and happier, so we buy the things and the companies make money and there is no incentive for change. (As a side note, I tend not to notice the ads marketed towards men.)

    I don't know if Special K is as healthy as it touts. I haven't looked at the nutritional info. I think it's tasty, and I like mine with sliced banana and greek yogurt in place of milk. This week I've been on a raisin bran kick.

    I agree with you. And when I question it, saying "is it as healthy as it touts?", that was my attempt at a Segway to saying that I felt it was a healthy choice, but not healthy for the mind (because of the slogan). The cereal itself is delightful and I'm sure they're plenty of benefits to eating it
  • keziak1
    keziak1 Posts: 204 Member
    I like Special K with fresh berries. I feel that I should be eating my Total Raisin Brand instead.
  • Wetcoaster
    Wetcoaster Posts: 1,788 Member
    This is way too deep for cereal.

    It's a marketing campaign. It's a company trying to make more money this quarter than they did last quarter.


    +1
  • RHachicho
    RHachicho Posts: 1,115 Member
    It used to be quite the healthy alternative. A middle ground for those who wanted something healthier than Kellogg crunchy nut or honey nut cheerio's. But didn't actually want to eat muesli. They however recently updated the recipe and it's pretty high sugar now. If you like stuff like shredded wheat or cheerio's better they are just as good now. It's a pity really I liked the old Special K.
  • dreawest
    dreawest Posts: 208 Member
    Ah the evils of marketing. Check out how woman are portrayed in many yogurt commercials if you want to make yourself crazy :) And I've never even tried Special K as my folks were more into whole foods rather than 'dietish' so I grew up with cheerios, corn flakes, corn bran, etc. And while I've been out on my own for 17 years now I just never felt like it. I do like their cracker chips though.
  • RabbitLost
    RabbitLost Posts: 333 Member
    It sounds like you are beginning to see how marketing promotes unhealthy practices in the name of weightloss.

    +1
  • saralukies
    saralukies Posts: 24 Member
    The problem with advertising, especially that geared towards women, is that it purports to be about supporting us in our goals (whether that be health, fitness, beauty, what have you) while at the same time making us feel crappy about ourselves so that we buy their products to be healthier, skinnier, more beautiful. Don't get me started on that annoying commercial that tries to get me to care passionately about what my underarms look like.
  • eatspopcorn
    eatspopcorn Posts: 63 Member
    This is way too deep for cereal.


    ^^ This.

    I like Cheerios
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    http://youtu.be/qMRDLCR8vAE
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    It's just cereal not magic. And their advertising annoys me - you should love your body but only if it is skinny. They're hypocrites and their message contradicts what they are saying.

    But off that soapbox - cold cereal doesn't fill me up at all. Neither do their little cereal bars. Just not worth the calories for me.

    This
  • dreawest
    dreawest Posts: 208 Member
    http://youtu.be/qMRDLCR8vAE

    This!!! I used to rage rant at the first commercial but I have solved this by recording all shows and skipping commercials.
  • lolosensan
    lolosensan Posts: 251
    This is way too deep for cereal.

    It's a marketing campaign. It's a company trying to make more money this quarter than they did last quarter.


    +1

    Eh it's not that deep. They're trying to make more money this quarter than last quarter at the expense of who? Young women who are basically bread to have insecurities thanks to advertising. Then when young women point out what's going on, they get brushed off, because, well, marketing. It's not deep. It's pretty simple and ****ed up. Also the real unhealthy part about Special K is the ingredients.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    Dammitall. I've just spent the evening watching old Sarah Haskins.
  • WisheeNY
    WisheeNY Posts: 72 Member
    I loooove The Special K Vanilla Almond. In fact after reading this thread I think I'm gonna get a bowl lol. I honestly never really paid attention to the advertising on the box or their commercials or anything. I just like the cereal and I figure it's probably a healthier alternative to other cereals I like like Frosted Flakes and Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

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