Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice

Name: Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice
Brand: Quaker

0Avoid

Breakdown

Ultra-processed · 9 contaminants flagged · 2 ingredients to avoid

100

Contaminants

Substances that do not belong in food

−152

aluminum−63

chlormequat−26

diquat−26

cadmium−14

mercury−11

3 smaller deductions−12

Ingredients

−33

caramel color−8

folic acid−7

other spices−3

calcium carbonate−3

niacinamide−2

5 more deductions−10

Processing

−10

NOVA 4: ultra-processed−10

Adjustments

What it takes to land on the final number

+95

Minimum score+95

Final score0

Contaminants · 10

3 at/over limit

Measured by an independent lab and compared against published safety limits.

Aluminum22.3 ppmof 0.2 ppm

Over the limit — 112×FDA bottled-water Standard of Quality (secondary/aesthetic), 21 CFR 165.110(b) — 0.2 mg/L. NOTE: this is a bottled-water level; it is not an FDA limit for aluminum in solid foods, where no comparable federal limit exists.

Cadmium16.5 ppbof 5 ppb

Over the limit — 3.3×FDA bottled-water Standard of Quality, 21 CFR 165.110(b) — 0.005 mg/L

Mercury3.57 ppbof 2 ppb

Over the limit — 1.8×FDA bottled-water Standard of Quality, 21 CFR 165.110(b) — 0.002 mg/L

Lead3.86 ppbof 5 ppb

77% of the limitFDA bottled-water Standard of Quality, 21 CFR 165.110(b) — 0.005 mg/L

Arsenic6.7 ppbof 10 ppb

67% of the limitFDA bottled-water Standard of Quality, 21 CFR 165.110(b) — 0.010 mg/L (= EPA MCL)

Glyphosate13.3 ppbof 160 ppb

8% of the limitEWG children's health benchmark 160 ppb (0.01 mg/day in a 60 g serving). EPA tolerance for glyphosate on oats is far higher at 30 ppm (30,000 ppb), 40 CFR 180.364.

Aminomethylphosphonic Acid7.58 ppbof 160 ppb

5% of the limitNo regulator publishes a food concentration limit for AMPA alone. EFSA (2023 glyphosate conclusion) and JMPR state glyphosate's toxicological reference values apply to AMPA (shared group ADI), so Tallow applies glyphosate's benchmark: EWG children's health benchmark 160 ppb (0.01 mg/day in a 60 g serving). Water-only references: EU drinking water 0.1 ug/L per pesticide/metabolite; Minnesota MDH guidance 1,000 ppb.

Chlormequat70.2 ppbfound

Detected · no published limit

Diquat4.29 ppbfound

Detected · no published limit

ParaquatNDnone found

Not detected

Ingredients · 15

GoodCautionAvoid

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Healthier swaps

Same shelf, cleaner ingredients

Browse Oatmeal & Hot Cereal

Common questions

Is Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice healthy?

Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice scores 0/100 on Tallow — our avoid band. That number comes from what is on the label: the ingredients, how processed it is, and what it is packaged in. It is not a verdict on your diet — Tallow does not weigh calories, portion size or how often you eat it, so a high score means the ingredients are clean, not that the food is unlimited.

What is in Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice?

Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice lists 15 ingredients, starting with Whole Grain Rolled Oats, Sugar, Salt, Cinnamon and Other Spices. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so the first few make up most of what you are eating.

Does Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice contain seed oils?

No. Nothing in Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice’s ingredient list matches a seed oil — canola, soybean, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, sunflower, safflower, rice bran or peanut oil, or an unspecified "vegetable oil".

How processed is Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice?

Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice is NOVA group 4: ultra-processed. That is the top of the scale and the classification the score penalises most heavily.

How does Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice compare to other oatmeal & hot cereal?

At 0/100 Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice scores worse than most oatmeal & hot cereal we have scored. A higher-scoring option in oatmeal & hot cereal is Bob's Red Mill Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats at 100/100.

Is Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice organic?

Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice is not certified organic in our data.

Has Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice been lab tested?

Yes. 10 substances in Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice have a laboratory result on file — see the Contaminants section above for each reading and the limit it was measured against.

Does Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice contain heavy metals?

Yes. A lab detected lead at 3.86 ppb against a 5 ppb limit, arsenic at 6.7 ppb against a 10 ppb limit, cadmium at 16.5 ppb against a 5 ppb limit and mercury at 3.57 ppb against a 2 ppb limit in Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice. Each reading is in the Contaminants section above.

Does Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice contain glyphosate?

Yes. A lab detected glyphosate at 13.3 ppb against a 160 ppb limit in Quaker Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon & Spice. That reading is under its limit. Its breakdown product was also found: AMPA at 7.58 ppb against a 160 ppb limit. Each reading is in the Contaminants section above.

Full methodology: how we score products.