Raisin bran (sultana bran in some countries;[1] see sultana grape) is a breakfast cereal containing raisins and bran flakes. Raisin bran is manufactured by several companies under a variety of brand names, including the popularly known Kellogg's Two Scoops Raisin Bran, General Mills' Total Raisin Bran, and Post Cereals' Raisin Bran. This popular breakfast cereal is a staple in households all over the United States, in part because of its advertised nutritional value.[2]
 Kellogg's Raisin Bran – Raisins and Toasted Bran Flakes with milk | |
| Alternative names | Sultana bran |
|---|---|
| Type | Breakfast cereal |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Created by | Skinner Manufacturing Company |
| Invented | 1926 |
| Main ingredients | Raisins and bran flakes |
History edit
Skinner's Raisin-BRAN was the first raisin bran brand on the market, introduced in the United States in 1926 by the Skinner Manufacturing Company.[3] For 17 years, Skinner had ownership over the product's name, until Kellogg's and Post began to sell their own versions of raisin bran.[4] With concerns of losing money within grocery store sales, Skinner filed a cease-and-desist in an attempt to keep ownership over his raisin bran product.[4]
The name "Raisin-BRAN" was at one time trademarked by Skinner, however in 1944 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit found:
- The name "Raisin-BRAN" could not be appropriated as a trade-mark, because: "A name which is merely descriptive of the ingredients, qualities or characteristics of an article of trade cannot be appropriated as a trademark and the exclusive use of it afforded legal protection. The use of a similar name by another to truthfully describe his own product does not constitute a legal or moral wrong, even if its effect be to cause the public to mistake the origin or ownership of the product."[3] Now, any brand or manufacturer may create their own version of raisin bran and name it just that.[4]
Ingredients edit
Kellogg's Raisin Bran in the United States contains the following ingredients: whole grain wheat, raisins, wheat bran, sugar, brown sugar syrup, malt flavor, salt, and assorted vitamins and minerals.[5][6] The cereal's vitamin D3 supplementation is made from lanolin, which is an animal product, rendering it as a non-vegan breakfast cereal.[7][8]
Healthful debate edit
Raisin bran cereal is commonly referred to as a "healthy" breakfast cereal because of its high fiber content, but according to Consumer Reports, Kellogg's Raisin Bran has a low nutrition rating.[2]
In 1991, Kellogg's complained that the guidelines for the USDA's supplemental assistance WIC program did not allow for the purchase of Kellogg's Raisin Bran for containing too much sugar.[9] Currently, with 17 grams of sugar per cup, it has a higher content of sugar than Lucky Charms, Reese's Puffs, and Cocoa Krispies (all known to be "sugary" cereals).[10]
On the other hand, Kellogg's Sultana Bran received 4.5 stars out of 5 on the Australian Government's Health Star Rating System.[11] In addition, a plain serving of Kellogg's Raisin Bran provides 80% of the Daily Value of manganese and 6% of the Daily Value of potassium, both important nutrients for the body.[12]
Research suggests that eating commercially produced raisin bran containing sugared raisins produces acid which can lead to cavities, while home-made raisin bran, created by adding plain, unsugared raisins to bran flakes, produces less of this acid.[13]
Manufacturers edit
- Kellogg's – Split into the following two companies in 2023:
- Kellanova – While consisting mostly of the snack food business of the original Kellogg's, it continues to manufacture and sell cereals, including raisin bran, outside North America.
- WK Kellogg Co – The North American cereal division of the original Kellogg's, operating in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean.
- Post Consumer Brands
- General Mills
See also edit
- Muesli – Breakfast dish based on raw rolled oats
References edit
- ^ "What Is a Sultana?". wiseGEEK. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
- ^ a b "Cereals That Aren't as Healthy as They Sound - Consumer Reports News". www.consumerreports.org. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
- ^ a b Skinner v. Kellogg 143 F.2d 895. August 4, 1944.
- ^ a b c Dockter, Mason. "A brief history of a raisin bran conflict". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
- ^ "SmartLabel". smartlabel.kelloggs.com. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
- ^ "Raisin Bran Deconstructed - Sugar and Fiber Math". HuffPost. 2010-06-28. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
- ^ Cudmore, Dale (2019-01-18). "Is Kellogg's Raisin Bran Cereal Vegan?". VegFAQs. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
- ^ "Animal-Derived Ingredients Resource | Living". PETA. 2012-04-18. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
- ^ "Kellogg Raisin' a Fuss; Cereal Maker Says WIC Food Guidelines Barring Bran as Too Sugary Are All Wet". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2012-11-05. Retrieved 2008-03-20.
- ^ "Worst Cereals | Cancer Survivors Network". csn.cancer.org. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
- ^ Han, Esther (20 April 2015). "Food health star ratings: Kellogg's reveals the cereal that gets 1.5 stars". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ "SmartLabel". smartlabel.kelloggs.com. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
- ^ "Bran flakes with raisins and added sugar promote plaque acid". 19 December 2009.
External links edit
- Raisin Bran (Post Consumer Brands)
- Raisin Bran (Kellogg's)
- A quantitative analysis of Kellogg's Raisin Bran (Science Creative Quarterly)