The Best (And Worst) Breakfast Cereals For Your Health

When you roll out of bed in the morning, do you reach for a bowl of cereal to break the fast? Hungry cereal lovers bought $23 million worth of packaged cereals in the U.S. in 2024, and are expected to buy $64 billion globally. People love the convenience of packaged cereals and think of them as a healthy breakfast. But how healthy are they?

Some, yes, and some, not so much. With some tips from three nutrition experts, you can select the best cereals for your health.

The NOVA food classification system has been causing unnecessary confusion about which foods are “ultraprocessed.” It was developed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition, School of Public Health at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and it groups foods by their level of processing and recommends avoiding “ultraprocessed foods” like candy and soda. All breakfast cereal is lumped in the ultraprocessed category. This has prompted debate among nutrition experts.

Courtney Pelitera, a registered dietician (RD), thinks the NOVA scale is being misinterpreted. “Processing simply refers to all physical, biological and chemical methods used during the food manufacturing process, including the use of additives. This classification system was never meant to determine the ‘healthiness of food’ as has become popular on social media channels.”

According to RD Kelly Toups LeBlanc, the VP of Nutrition Programming at Oldways, not all ultra-processed foods are created equal. “Some ultra-processed foods, like whole grain breakfast cereals, contain important food groups recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Other ultra-processed foods, like candy bars and soft drinks, do not.”

She takes issue with the way the NOVA list categorizes foods, especially whole-grain cereals.

“For example, refined grains like all-purpose flour, degermed cornmeal, and white rice, which have been processed to have their healthful bran and germ removed, are somehow considered minimally processed, putting them in the same category as fresh broccoli — while packaged 100% whole grain breads and whole grain breakfast cereals are considered ultra-processed,” LeBlanc said.

The truth is that whole grain cereals can be an important part of nutrition assistance programs, providing valuable nutrition to vulnerable populations. “In a 2023 study from the USDA, government scientists designed a nutritious seven-day, 2,000-calorie diet in which 91% of calories came from ultra-processed foods,” LeBlanc said.

Sarah Keathley, RD, looks for these things first:

Protein: Protein is responsible for building muscle, body tissue and providing energy. Research has begun to show signs that protein at breakfast could have positive benefits, including appetite regulation, better muscle development and overall decreased energy intake throughout the day.

Fiber: It keeps you full and satisfied, and is a necessary component for gut health and regularity. Per the National Institutes of Health (NIH), almost 95% of adults and children are lacking in fiber intake. Cereal can be a great nutrition tool to help get a daily boost of fiber to start your day.

Minimal ingredients: This offers transparency. A consumer can understand what is going into their product and ultimately into their body.

Low added sugar content: Keep it to 5-10g or less per serving (that is one or two teaspoons of sugar in one serving of added sugar). The American Heart Association recommends women consume no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day and men no more than 9 teaspoons per day. Per the NIH, excessive sugar intake is a major component of the obesity epidemic. It is also a factor in the trending increase of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes).

Keathley and Pelitera looked at the top-10-selling cereals in the U.S., and these are their rankings.

• Low in added sugar at only 1g per serving
• Minimal ingredients
• Higher in fiber at 4g serving and protein at 5g serving

• Higher fiber content with 6g per serving
• Higher protein content at 5g per serving
• Why second place? It boasts 12g of added sugar per serving to achieve the frosted topping on each mini wheat bite.
• Note that it contains BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) to extend the shelf life of the cereal. Although it is deemed safe by the FDA, this additive has raised concerns in the past with its safety for human consumption in larger doses. Specifically, targeting organ toxicity if consumed over a long-term period with high doses. BHT is banned in Japan and the European Union.

• Fiber at 3g per serving
• Protein at 4g per serving
• Added sugar at 8g per serving
• Contains two dyes

• Fiber at 3g per serving
• Protein at 3g per serving
• Added sugar at 12g per serving
• This is still a larger amount of added sugar for one serving, but does contain less dye and ingredients than its other counterparts in comparison. Although, keep in mind, this cereal does contain a controversial ingredient called tripotassium phosphate. The FDA considers the small amounts of this ingredient safe to use as a preservative, but some worry this may have long term adverse effects on renal function.

• 2g fiber per serving
• 2g protein per serving
• 8g added sugar per serving
• Although it is lower in added sugar than Honey Nut Cheerios, it does contain at least four different types of dyes to create its vibrant colors in each bowl.
• It also contains BHT

• 3g fiber
• 2g protein
• 4g of fat, a little higher than the other cereals, as it contains a larger amount of canola or sunflower oil
• 12g added sugar per serving
• Trisodium phosphate is an added ingredient, which adds a crunch-like texture, along with color enhancer. It is considered safe in small amounts by the FDA. This ingredient when used in much larger amounts is considered a powerful cleaning product (removes grease and grime), which is then harmful to humans, pets and plants.

• 2g fiber per serving
• 3g protein per serving
• 12g added sugar per serving
• Four food dyes to color the marshmallows
• Also contains trisodium phosphate
  

• 1g fiber per serving
• 2g protein per serving
• 12g added sugar per serving
• Contains BHT

• 0g fiber per serving
• 1g protein per serving
• 12g added sugar per serving
• Five different dyes to achieve the rainbow color effect in the pebbles

Aside from the top sellers, like Cheerios, our RDs had some personal picks to recommend.

Keathley likes the numbers on these tasty cereals:

Kashi GO Crunch: 3/4-cup serving; 190 calories/serving; 16g whole grains; 10g added sugar; 9g fiber; 9g protein

Nature’s Path Organic Heritage Flakes Cereal: 1-cup serving; 160 calories/serving; 23 whole grains; 5g added sugar; 7g fiber; 5g protein

Ezekiel 4:9: 1/2-cup serving; 180 kcals/serving; 0g sugar; 6g fiber; 8g protein

Puffins Cereal: 1-cup serving; 130 calories/serving; 11g whole grains 7g added sugar; 6g fiber; 3g protein

Kashi Autumn Wheat Cereal: This is going to be similar to Frosted Mini Wheats but It contains 7g of fiber, 7g of protein and only 7g of added sugar.

Cascadian Farms Mixed Berry Cereal is a great option with zero added sugar, and 6g of fiber.