When it comes to cereal choices for kids, we might as well be feeding them dessert.

The Environmental Working Group, a public health nonprofit organization, reviewed the nutrition labels of more than 1,500 cereals, including 181 marketed to kids. Cereals with cartoon characters on the box were found to have the most added sugar. In fact, two thirds of the products analyzed by the EWG contained more than a third of the sugar kids should consume in an entire day in just one serving. The average serving packed about as much sugar as three Chips Ahoy! cookies, according to the EWG.

Despite careful label reading, dubious health claims on those sugary breakfast picks may be misleading. Many of the sweetest offenders promote whole-grain, fiber and vitamin content prominently on packaging, "making it less likely that consumers will focus on the unhealthy sugar content," according to the EWG report.

Below are the most sugary cereals by percent sugar by weight among national brands. (Local store brands like Food Lion Sugar Frosted Wheat Puffs, Krasdale Fruity Circles, Safety Kitchens Silly Circles and Food Club Honey Puffed Wheat also ranked among the most sugary cereals.)

5 Kellogg's Froot Loops Marshmallow Amazon.com With 14 grams of sugar per serving, Froot Loops with marshmallows are 48 percent sugar by weight, and an alleged "good source of Vitamin D". 4 Kellogg's Apple Jacks With Marshmallows Amazon.com Apple Jacks with marshmallows also clock in at 14 grams of sugar per serving, which makes that bowl 50 percent sugar by weight. 3 Post Golden Crisp Amazon.com This so-called "excellent source of six B vitamins" is 52 percent sugar by weight with 14 grams of sugar per serving. 2 Malt-O-Meal Golden Puffs Amazon.com There may very well be "11 vitamins and minerals in Golden Puffs" but there are also 15 grams of sugar per serving, making a bowl 56 percent sugar by weight. 1 Kellogg's Honey Smacks Amazon.com The alleged "good source of vitamin D" is 56 percent sugar by weight due to 15 grams of sugar per serving.