• by Nina Lentini  @Nina_Lentini, December 12, 2006

Cereal eaters were once "cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs." Then, they were not. Now, two cereal giants, indirectly riding the positive wave from the antioxidant properties of dark chocolate, are bringing the craziness back.

Quaker Oats will launch Life Chocolate Oat Crunch low-fat, high-fiber whole grain cereal in February based on consumer feedback that asked for a healthy cereal "that delivers nutrition [and satisfied] their cravings ... for an indulgent chocolate taste," said a spokesperson.

In January, at the height of dietary resolution season, Kellogg will introduce Special K Chocolatey Delight. A spokesperson said the brand fits in with the two-week, weight-loss challenge familiar to Special K lovers.

Marion Nestle, the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University, says chocolate does not belong in breakfast cereals, which "are supposed to be about whole grains and fiber, milk and fruit."

Chocolate giants Hershey and Mars have successfully touted the results of a 2005 report by the American Heart Association that claimed a daily serving of dark chocolate may lower blood pressure and improve insulin resistance. Neither cereal product will tout the purported antioxidant properties of chocolate, and neither company would confirm whether the chocolate is dark, but Kellogg did say this: "As more and more fans of Special K enjoy our cereals as an evening snack, we felt it was a perfect time to bring this ... to market."

"Chocolate may have a place in the diet--in moderation, of course," said Nestle, "but in breakfast cereals? I don't think so."

According to Information Resources, Inc., Life's sales are down 4.4 percent, to $123 million, and Special K's are flat, at $123 million for the year ending Nov. 5.