The Best and Worst Cereals

The average American consumes more than 160 bowls of cereal a year, so picking the right box could mean knocking 15 pounds off your waistline yearly and infusing your diet with massive doses of vital nutrients. Use my bowl-by-bowl breakdown to find the perfect cereal for you. My criteria: the highest ratio of fiber to sugar, along with a respectable calorie count. Sidle up and grab a spoon!

24. The Best Cereal: Fiber One Original

60 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
14 g fiber
0 g sugars
The gold standard. Add sweetness with a bit of fresh fruit.

23. Great Cereal: Organic Smart Bran

90 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
13 g fiber
6 g sugars
You’re getting 52 percent of your daily fiber in every bowl.

22. Great Cereal: Shredded Wheat Original

 

160 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
6 g fiber
0 g sugars
This one-ingredient cereal is the real breakfast of champions.

21. Great Cereal: Kashi GoLean

70 calories
0.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
5 g fiber
3 g sugars
Low-cal, high-fiber, and a reasonable amount of sugar.

20. Great Cereal: Grape-Nuts

200 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
7 g fiber
4 g sugars
A small serving of these breakfast pellets should carry you until lunch.

19. Great Cereal: Cheerios

100 calories
2 g fat (0 g saturated)
3 g fiber
1 g sugars

It’s hard to beat the ubiquitous yellow box and its admirable balance of fiber and sugar.

18. Great Cereal: Kix

110 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
3 g fiber
3 g sugars

As far as the sweet cereals go, this is about as good as it gets.

17. Good Cereal: Autumn Wheat

180 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
6 g fiber
7 g sugars

A semisweet bowl without the risk of a sugar spike

16. Good Cereal: Wheaties

100 calories
0.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
3 g fiber
4 g sugars

Sure, they get athletic sponsors, but still lose out to a lot more nutritionally stacked cereals.

15. Good Cereal: Kashi Go Lean Crunch!

Honey Almond Flax

100 calories
2 g fat (0 g saturated)
4 g fiber
6 g sugars

Lose half the sugar and this would be a superlative cereal.

14. Good Cereal: Corn Flakes

100 calories
0 g fat
1 g fiber
2 g sugars

The calorie count is okay, but the second ingredient is sugar. And where’s the fiber?

13. Good Cereal: Life Cereal Original

120 calories
1.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
2 g fiber
6 g sugars

Seemingly harmless, but Life could do without the Yellow #5.

12. Fair Cereal: Raisin Bran

95 calories
0.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
3.5 g fiber
8.5 g sugars

Raisins are sweet enough naturally, so why coat them in sugar?

11. Fair Cereal: Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats

Maple & Brown Sugar

95 calories
0.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
2.5 g fiber
6.5 g sugars

For a sweetened cereal, Mini-Wheats at least deliver some fiber.

10. Fair Cereal: Rice Krispies

130 calories
0 g fat
>1 g fiber
4 g sugars

Fiber is cereal’s one true virtue, so why start your day with a bowl all but devoid of it?

9. Fair Cereal: Smart Start Strong Heart

110 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
2.5 g fiber
8.5 g sugars

Don’t be lured in by the buzzwords. This is anything but an intelligent start to your day.

8. Fair Cereal: Quaker Natural Granola

Oats, Honey & Raisins

210 calories
5 g fat (0.5 g saturated)
5 g fiber
13 g sugars

Most granolas are only a small step above sugary kids’ cereals.

7. Bad Cereal: EnviroKidz Organic Koala Crisp

 

110 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
2 g fiber
11 g sugars

Don’t let the flowery label lead you astray--this cereal is no good.

6. Bad Cereal: Frosted Flakes with Fiber, Less Sugar

110 calories
0 g fat
3 g fiber
8 g sugars

The sugar decrease is minimal and the fiber offering is nothing to write home about.

5. Bad Cereal: Trix

120 calories
1.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
1 g fiber
10 g sugars

Let the rabbit have them for you; they’re no good.

4. Bad Cereal: Froot Loops

110 calories
1 g fat (0.5 g saturated)
3 g fiber
12 g sugars

The sugar rush will throw you for a loop.

3. Bad Cereal: Lucky Charms

110 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
2 g fiber
10 g sugars

A rainbow of artificial colors with a pot of sugar at the end.

2. Bad Cereal: Honey Smacks

100 calories
0.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
1 g fiber
15 g sugars

The fiber-to-sugar ratio is alarming—this is essentially a bowlful of pure sucrose.

1. The Worst Cereal: Golden Crisp

110 calories
0 g fat
<1 g fiber
14 g sugars

Sugar is the first ingredient. Enough said!
 

BEST:
Fiber One Original

GREAT:
Kix, Cheerios, Grape-Nuts, Kashi GoLean, Shredded Wheat Original, Organic Smart Bran

GOOD:
Life Cereal Original, Corn Flakes, Kashi Go Lean Crunch!, Wheaties, Kashi Autumn Wheat

FAIR:
Quaker Natural Granola, Smart Start Strong Heart, Rice Krispies, Frosted Mini-Wheats, Raisin Bran

BAD:
Honey Smacks; Lucky Charms; Froot Loops; Trix; Frosted Flakes with Fiber, Less Sugar; EnviroKidz Organic Koala Crisp

WORST:
Golden Crisp

Best in Health & Fitness,

Marty Ozaeta

Velocity Performance Training

www.VPTBootCamp.com

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