Cheerios Nutrition Facts – Is It Healthy?

Cheerios is undoubtedly the most popular breakfast cereal in the United States. In this article, we will bring you nutrition facts, health benefits, and potential downsides of cheerios.

The product was introduced in 1941 and is available in various flavors. Fortification with vitamins and minerals largely contributes to the nutrition of cheerious, which can provide several health benefits too.

---

Cheerios Nutrition Facts

Adding milk can increase the amount if protein (Image via Unsplash/David Streit)

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a cup (approximately 28 grams) of plain cheerios without milk provides:

• Calories: 100 kcal
• Fat: 2 grams
• Carbs: 20 grams
• Fiber: 3 grams
• Sugar: 1 gram
• Protein: 3 grams
• Vitamin A: 10% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Vitamin C: 10% of the DV
• Vitamin D: 10% of the DV
• Vitamin B12: 25% of the DV
• Calcium: 10% of the DV
• Iron: 45% of the DV
• Zinc: 25% of the DV

Many of these nutrients, including iron, vitamin B12, and vitamin D, are added during processing.

Cheerios are very low in calories, protein, and fat. Adding milk can increase their nutritional value. Nutrition of cheerios is contributed mainly by the fortification of the aforementioned micronutrients.

Check out the six categories of nutrients and their importance.

---

Varieties & Flavors of Cheerios

The plain variety contains lesser sugar (Image via Unsplash/John Matychuk)

Cheerios are available in various delicious flavors and varieties. Some of the most popular ones are:

• Plain: These are the original version introduced in 1941 and loved by many. The main ingredient is oats. This product contains just one gram of added sugar and no artificial flavors.
• Honey Nut: This is one of the best-selling varieties. However, it's sweetened with sugar and honey and also contains added almond flavor.
• Chocolate: This product is made using corn and oats. It's flavored and sweetened using cocoa powder and sugar.
• Apple Cinnamon: This product contains whole grain oats and sugar, with added apple puree and cinnamon powder.
• Frosted: Made with whole grain oats and cornmeal, these are sweetened using sugar and flavored using vanilla essence.
• Multigrain: This variety includes whole-grain oats, corn, and brown rice. It contains slightly less sugar for the calorie-conscious.
• Ancient Grains: It's made from whole-grain oats, quinoa, and rice. It's also sweetened using sugar.

---

Cheerios Nutrition Downsides

Cheerios have added vitamins and minerals (Image via Unsplash/Kelly Sikkema)

Although this cereal contains added nutrients, consuming it for all your meals can prove to be detrimental to your health in the long term. Keeping apart the positive aspects of nutrition, cheerios have the following downsides:

High in added sugar

Cheerios are high in added sugar. Most of the varieties, except the plain ones, contain high amounts of sugar as a sweetener. That could be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus and several other lifestyle disorders.

It's a highly processed food

It might be a popular breakfast product, but that does not change the fact that it's processed using industrial methods. Processed foods are often linked with diabetes and other health risks.

---

Can I Have Cheerios Daily?

If you're a cheerios lover, you can have them occasionally, considering their nutritious aspect. However, it's advisable to include a balanced and varied diet consisting of whole and nutritious foods for better health.