When it comes to breakfast, cereal is a quick and popular choice for many families. However, not all cereals are created equal in terms of nutritional value. Many popular brands contain high amounts of sugar, artificial colors, and preservatives that can negatively impact your health.
Some of the most unhealthy cereals on the market contain more than 10 grams of sugar per serving, along with concerning ingredients like artificial colors and harmful preservatives. These cereals often lack fiber and protein, which are essential for feeling full and maintaining steady energy levels throughout the day.
Understanding which cereals to avoid can help consumers make better choices for themselves and their families.
1) Froot Loops
Froot Loops is one of America’s most popular cereals, selling over 90 million boxes each year. Despite their popularity, these colorful O-shaped pieces are far from nutritious.
Nearly 42% of Froot Loops’ weight comes from sugar. A single serving contains about 12 grams of sugar but only 2 grams of fiber.
The cereal also contains 210 mg of sodium per serving. Additionally, Froot Loops uses controversial ingredients like butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a preservative that some companies have removed from their products due to health concerns.
The bright colors come from artificial dyes, further reducing its nutritional value.
2) Cap’n Crunch
Cap’n Crunch is a popular cereal known for its sweet taste and crunchy texture. However, it ranks high on the list of unhealthy cereals due to its high sugar content.
The cereal contains little fiber and numerous additives that provide minimal nutritional value. These qualities make it a poor choice for a healthy breakfast.
Regular consumption of sugary cereals like Cap’n Crunch may contribute to weight gain and related health issues. These can include Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
When shopping for breakfast cereals, it’s better to choose high-fiber options with less sugar. This helps maintain a healthy weight and provides more nutritional benefits.
3) Trix
Trix cereal may look colorful and fun, but it’s not a healthy breakfast choice. This popular cereal contains high amounts of sugar that can lead to weight gain and energy crashes.
The bright colors in Trix come from artificial additives that have been linked to hyperactivity in some children. These same additives offer no nutritional benefits.
Trix is also very low in fiber, which means it won’t keep anyone feeling full for long. Most people will feel hungry again shortly after eating it.
The cereal provides little nutritional value while delivering empty calories. Better breakfast options include whole grain cereals with less sugar and more fiber.
4) Cocoa Puffs
Cocoa Puffs are chocolate-flavored cereal puffs that appeal to many children but rank among the unhealthiest breakfast options. They contain approximately 14 grams of sugar per cup serving.
The high sugar content makes this cereal a concerning choice for regular consumption. While Cocoa Puffs are fortified with some vitamins and minerals, these additions don’t outweigh the negative aspects.
Nutritionists recommend offering this cereal sparingly, if at all. The chocolate flavor makes it particularly appealing to kids, which can make it difficult to limit consumption.
5) Reese’s Puffs
Reese’s Puffs cereal blends chocolate and peanut butter flavors in a sweet breakfast option that mirrors its candy counterpart. The cereal contains high amounts of sugar, with about 33% of its calories coming from sugar alone.
Nutritionally, a serving provides around 150-190 calories with approximately 15 grams of sugar and 22 grams of carbohydrates. While it doesn’t contain trans fats or cholesterol, the high sugar content remains problematic.
The cereal also contains various additives and artificial ingredients. Like many highly processed cereals, Reese’s Puffs offers minimal nutritional benefits while potentially contributing to blood sugar spikes and inflammation.
6) Lucky Charms
Lucky Charms is a childhood favorite that contains colorful marshmallows and toasted oat pieces. However, this cereal is far from a healthy breakfast option.
The cereal contains high amounts of sugar, with a single serving providing a significant portion of the recommended daily sugar intake. Many dietitians include Lucky Charms on their lists of unhealthiest cereals.
The brightly colored marshmallows contain artificial dyes that offer no nutritional benefit. When combined with Froot Loops, as some fans suggest, you’re essentially doubling down on unhealthy breakfast choices.
Despite its magical marketing appeal to children, Lucky Charms lacks substantial fiber, protein, and other essential nutrients needed for a balanced breakfast.
7) Count Chocula
Count Chocula cereal might remind you of Halloween fun, but its nutrition profile is scarier than its mascot. This chocolate-flavored cereal contains high amounts of sugar – about 15 grams per serving.
The cereal offers little nutritional value despite being fortified with some vitamins and minerals. It has low fiber content and relies heavily on refined grains rather than whole grains.
Regular consumption of Count Chocula may contribute to health issues like obesity and heart disease. The artificial ingredients used in this cereal are another concern for health-conscious consumers.
While it might be a nostalgic treat, Count Chocula is best enjoyed only occasionally as part of a balanced diet.
8) Golden Crisp
Golden Crisp is one of the sweetest cereals available, containing 18 grams of sugar per serving. This high sugar content makes it even sweeter than a traditional donut.
Despite the “wholesome goodness” claims on the cereal box, the nutritional profile tells a different story. The excessive added sugar places Golden Crisp among the most unhealthy breakfast options.
When comparing breakfast choices, it’s worth noting that you could eat a donut with similar nutritional value as this cereal. The sweet, honey-flavored puffed wheat cereal may taste good, but its high sugar content makes it a concerning choice for regular consumption.
9) Franken Berry
Franken Berry is a monster-themed cereal that might be fun for kids but isn’t the best choice for health-conscious families. This bright pink cereal contains artificial colors, including Red 40, which some parents prefer to avoid.
The cereal is high in sugar, with about 9 grams per serving. This adds up quickly, especially since most people pour more than the recommended serving size.
Franken Berry offers little nutritional value with minimal fiber and protein. The cereal mainly provides empty calories that don’t keep kids full and satisfied through the morning.
10) Boo Berry
Boo Berry cereal has a high sugar content that makes it unhealthy for regular consumption. Each cup contains about 12 grams of sugar, which is a significant amount for a breakfast food.
The cereal also contains artificial colors, including blue food coloring, which has been linked to health concerns. Other problematic ingredients include modified corn starch and corn syrup.
Despite its fun, ghostly appearance that appeals to children, Boo Berry offers little nutritional value. Its colorful marketing masks the potential health risks associated with regular consumption.
Eating this cereal frequently may contribute to weight gain, dental problems, and increased risks for diabetes and heart disease.
11) Apple Jacks
Apple Jacks is a popular cereal that may seem appealing with its fruity taste, but it’s not the healthiest breakfast choice. Each serving contains 13 grams of sugar and 210 mg of sodium.
While the cereal does provide some nutrients like Vitamin A and C, and contains whole grains and iron, these benefits don’t outweigh its drawbacks. The high sugar content is concerning for a breakfast food.
Kellogg’s has even added a Cinnamon Jacks variation, which contains additional sugar. Despite these nutritional concerns, Apple Jacks remains popular, selling nearly 41 million boxes per year.
12) Oreo O’s
Oreo O’s, a cereal based on the famous cookie, is a poor choice for a healthy breakfast. With approximately 13 grams of sugar per serving, it offers little nutritional value to start your day.
The cereal contains about 150 calories per serving with minimal fiber and protein content. These nutritional shortcomings make it more like a dessert than a breakfast food.
While the chocolate cookie flavor might be appealing, the high sugar content and lack of essential nutrients place Oreo O’s firmly among the least healthy cereal options available on store shelves.
13) Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Cinnamon Toast Crunch is a popular cereal with a cinnamon sugar coating that appeals to many children. A small serving size of just ¾ cup contains 10 grams of sugar, which is almost half of the daily recommended amount for children.
The cereal provides about 3.6mg of iron per serving and contains whole wheat, giving it some fiber. However, with 130 calories, 3 grams of fat, and minimal protein in a small serving, its nutritional profile is concerning.
While not the absolute worst cereal on the market in terms of sugar per ounce, Cinnamon Toast Crunch still ranks poorly when compared to healthier breakfast options.
14) Frosted Flakes
Frosted Flakes may have a smiling tiger on the box, but this cereal isn’t as friendly to your health as it appears. According to nutritionists, it offers little nutritional value while containing high amounts of sugar.
Each serving contains about 15 grams of sugar, making it one of the more sugar-heavy options in the cereal aisle. The cereal also has very little fiber or protein, nutrients that help keep you full throughout the morning.
Additionally, some versions of Frosted Flakes contain controversial preservatives that have raised health concerns. For a healthier breakfast, consider options with less sugar and more fiber.
15) Honey Smacks
Honey Smacks is one of the most sugar-heavy cereals available today. Introduced in the 1950s, it had the highest sugar content of any cereal at that time—and it hasn’t improved much since.
A single serving of Honey Smacks contains 15-16 grams of sugar, which is more than two Krispy Kreme glazed donuts. One cup provides 130 calories, 30 grams of carbohydrates, and only 2 grams of fiber.
The cereal undergoes extensive processing through extrusion, which depletes it of many natural nutrients. Despite being marketed as a breakfast option, its nutritional profile makes it more similar to a dessert than a healthy morning meal.
16) Raisin Bran Crunch
Raisin Bran Crunch might seem healthy with its whole grain and raisin content, but it has serious nutritional drawbacks. This cereal contains high levels of added sugar that can lead to dental problems and weight gain.
The added sugar can cause blood sugar spikes shortly after eating. One serving packs more sugar than many people should consume in an entire breakfast.
While it does offer some benefits like fiber and added nutrients, these positive aspects are overshadowed by the sugar content. The whole grains and antioxidants from tocopherols aren’t enough to make this a truly healthy breakfast choice.
17) Rice Krispies Treats Cereal
Rice Krispies Treats Cereal combines the classic Rice Krispies with marshmallow flavoring to mimic the popular homemade treat. While the original Rice Krispies aren’t particularly nutritious, this dessert-inspired version is even less healthy.
The cereal contains mostly empty calories from refined carbohydrates in the puffed rice. It also has added sugars from the marshmallow coating, making it more like a dessert than a balanced breakfast option.
For those with food sensitivities, Rice Krispies products may be free of common allergens like nuts, dairy, soy, and wheat, depending on the specific formulation. However, this doesn’t make up for its poor nutritional profile.
18) Frosted Mini-Wheats
Frosted Mini-Wheats contain whole grain wheat, which offers nutritional benefits like fiber and essential nutrients that aid digestion. A serving provides decent protein content while being low in fat.
However, sugar is the second ingredient after whole grain wheat, followed by brown rice syrup – another form of added sugar. One serving contains about 12g of added sugar, which is a significant portion of the daily recommended intake.
The cereal also contains BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), a preservative that extends shelf life. While FDA-approved, this additive has raised some concerns about its safety when consumed in larger amounts.
19) Fruity Pebbles
Fruity Pebbles is a popular rice cereal known for its bright colors and fruit-like flavors of orange, cherry, and lemon. Unfortunately, this colorful breakfast option is not a healthy choice.
The cereal contains high amounts of sugar, with minimal nutritional benefits. Like many unhealthy cereals, it uses artificial colors to achieve its vibrant appearance.
The rice-based cereal offers little in terms of fiber or protein, which are important nutrients for a balanced breakfast. Without these components, the cereal won’t keep you full for long.
Choosing this sugary option regularly may contribute to unhealthy eating patterns over time.
20) Corn Pops
Corn Pops may seem like a fun breakfast choice because they pop in your mouth. However, this cereal contains an unhealthy amount of sugar per serving.
The high sugar content makes Corn Pops a less nutritious option for your morning meal. While the cereal might taste good, its nutritional profile is concerning.
Many nutritionists recommend avoiding cereals with high sugar levels like Corn Pops. They often contain artificial ingredients and offer little nutritional value compared to healthier breakfast alternatives.