What’s up with Bob Harper endorsing processed cereal? He’s in a new TV ad for Quaker Oatmeal Squares, trying to convince America how wonderful this processed cereal is. I understand that a person needs to make a living, but it’s very disappointing that he would choose such a poor food product to promote. Shame on Bob Harper!
Take a closer look at Quaker Oatmeal Squares and how outright deceiving the advertising is (including Bob Harper’s enthusiast endorsement!)
The ad proudly states ONE serving has “96% of your minimum whole grain needs” – the small print on their web page states:
**Experts recommend eating at least three one-ounce equivalents of whole grains, or 48 grams daily, based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Quaker Oatmeal Squares has 46 grams per serving.
What does 48 grams of whole grain exactly mean? Well, the total weight of one cup of Quaker Oat Squares is 55 grams. So, minus the sugar, sodium, and other assorted preservatives and chemicals, and you’ll find a net of 46 grams of whole grain.
But Bob Harper doesn’t mention that a bowl of this crap also provides 10 grams of sugar, which is about a third of the suggested refined sugar consumption (Did somebody say Fruit Loops?), along with some lovely BHT and fake food coloring. Don’tcha just love all those wonderful ingredients that you can’t pronounce!
Quaker Oatmeal Squares Ingredients:
WHOLE OAT FLOUR, WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, BROWN SUGAR, SUGAR, MALTODEXTRIN, MALTED BARLEY EXTRACT, MOLASSES, SODIUM BICARBONATE, SALT, CALCIUM CARBONATE, REDUCED IRON, SODIUM ASCORBATE, YELLOW 5, NIACINAMIDE*, ZINC OXIDE, BHT (A PRESERVATIVE), VITAMIN E ACETATE, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, YELLOW 6, THIAMIN MONONITRATE*, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE*, RIBOFLAVIN*, FOLIC ACID*.
*ONE OF THE B VITAMINS.
Compare Quaker Oatmeal Squares cereal to REAL old fashioned steel cut oats from Bob’s Red Mill, which contains, hmm, say it with me… OATS!
One 1/4 cup (dry) of gives you just about the same amount of “whole grain” goodness @ 44 grams. Even when you add a tsp of sweetener and a pinch of salt, you still come up healthier with less calories, less sugar, and less sodium, compared to the Quaker Oatmeal Squares. And the bonus is you leave out the chemicals, preservatives, and other assorted ickyness that Bob Harper endorses.
Too bad Bob Harper didn’t choose a company like Bob’s Red Mill to support, but then again, they don’t have a huge marketing budget like Quaker and their parent company Pepsico!
Bob Harper is raking in the big bucks but, to me, he’s looking like the Biggest Loser!
What is the song that is played in the background of this commerical?
Yes I agree and too bad the BULK of the people who are eating that junk will BUY INTO what BOB is saying and use it to eat more thinking that he must be a good source…I agree with you…YOU ROCK!
@Ace, I am sorry, I don’t know the song. Sorry I can’t help!
@Jan Payne, thank you for commenting! That’s what really makes me crazy. All his followers will blindly believe his recommendations. I don’t know why he didn’t choose a more appropriate product to endorse!
I have been losing weight with Quaker Oatmeal squares and bought several boxes in bulk at Costco earlier this week. The cereal is fantastic, tastes wonderful, and offers my whole grain requirements. I take it with me for breakfast and eat is twice a day. So far 18 lbs gone in 4 weeks. What a great product. Perhaps you may be endorsing Bob’s red mill, but most people are interested in run of the mill breakfast. Quaker is a solid brand with a stellar reputation and I will continue to recommend it to everyone who is looking for a wholesome, quality option for oatmeal.
Hey Garrett, it “tastes great” because it’s loaded with sugar; eating a donut also tastes great too.
As for Quaker being a “solid brand with a stellar rep” that is debatable. I don’t think any company owned by Pepsi has my best health interests at heart. They know exactly what they are doing, using a spokesperson like Bob Harper to persuade consumers into thinking that they’re eating a “healthy whole food”!
But in all seriousness, congrats on your weight loss! Keep up the good work! I really mean that!
@ Deb, you’re a mean person. There’s no need to hate.
@John, I don’t see the hate in Deb’s post. Cereals in general ARE loaded with sugar, that’s just a fact. In this case there are six forms of sugar, which is often how cereal manufacturers get around having to list sugar as the first and most plentiful ingredient: “BROWN SUGAR, SUGAR, MALTODEXTRIN, MALTED BARLEY EXTRACT, MOLASSES,” these are all forms of sugar.
@Deb, I agree with you whole-heartedly. People should remember that Wilford Brimley was a spokesperson for Quaker, telling everyone what good food it was, and how he just felt better when he ate it. And now he is a spokesperson for diabetic supplies. And if he has a good doctor, he is now told not to eat this crap.
And sure, you can lose weight by eating this sort of thing, even if it is sugar-laden. However, the problem with losing weight by restricting calories, especially when you do not get complete proteins is that your body will compensate by using your muscles as a food source to get the amino acids it needs. So you will become a slender flabby person. The idea is not simply to lose weight, but to lose fat. And you can’t do that by eating cereal.
thanks Cornelius! Now, Bob Harper is hawking a new weight loss “Package” called Smart Success, with supplements and all. It reeks of one of those typical weight loss scam/scheme. I checked out the ingredients in the supplements, and it’s full of caffeine!!!! Not good.
It’s a shame, because it just looks like he’s out to make money. And I can’t blame him for that, but it’s the type of products that he puts his name on that makes me lose respect!
Bob Harper my ass!!! Quaker Oatmeal is one disgusting mix of chemical and something that reminds ground oats! Tastes like cr@p and is packed with unnecessary calories.
Bob really sold himself cheap!!
je vous assure que mon groupe d,amis et moi ne toucheront pas à vos carrés de café Quaker.
Nous n’en pouvons pklus de ce message de *criage* avec vos supposés 2 jumelles.
Quelle annonce désagréable….vous ne ferez pas manger personne avec des messages aussi stupides…
I’m not sure exactly what you were trying to say Marthe, as I don’t speak French…but I did try to translate it using Google Translator:
I assure you that my group, friends and I will not touch your square coffee Quaker.
We can not pklus this message * * Criag with your supposed 2 twins.
What ad … unpleasant. you will not eat with someone as stupid posts
I assume this means that you don’t eat Quaker squares either!!!
Can you repost the video? youtube took it down.
Thanks for letting me know that the video is gone. I did a quick search on youtube, and it looks like there is no other link to post. Sorry about that. Oh well.