Honey nut cheerios nutrition; is there more to it?

Honey nut cheerios are a variation of General Mills’ cereal Cheerios. The Honey nut variation was third to be brought to market after the original and Cinnamon nut cheerios. Honey nut cheerios were originally made with honey and almond nut flavors. However, General mills dropped the almond flavor in 2006 and replaced it with peach and apricot flavors. Honey nut cheerios are the most popular variation of cheerios. In fact, they are one of the most popular cereals in the United States. They were the best selling cereal in the United States in 2011. General Mills has been promoting Honey nut cheerios as a healthy food since they went to market in 1979. While the company does not state any false information, they do not provide the whole picture of Honey nut cheerios’ nutrition composition.

Honey nut cheerios nutrition

Similar to many breakfast cereals, honey nut cheerios are rich in carbohydrates and low in fat and protein. The low-fat content of honey nut cheerios is what gave General Mills the idea that honey nut cheerios were not only healthy but also heart-healthy. Honey nut cheerios were even endorsed by the American Heart Association, the leading authority on heart health in the United States as a heart-healthy food. This is due to their low saturated fat and cholesterol content.

However, this endorsement does not qualify honey nut cheerios as food suitable for good body health. First, the endorsement came at a time when there was a lot of fear of high-fat foods. This fear made many people abandon foods with fat in favor of high carb and high sugar foods. Safe to say, this was not a suitable solution as obesity rates and diet-related diseases have continued to increase in the United States. The fact is there is very little difference between a bowl of honey nut cheerios nutrition composition and that of a bottle of Coca-Cola. Secondly, evidence of manipulation of nutrition recommendations by food processing companies has been shown to have occurred especially in the late 20th century.

The calorie content of honey nut cheerios

Honey nut cheerios have a fair calorie content of 146 calories per cup. The serving size of the cereal is 3/4 cup but many individuals especially adults need more for a satisfying meal. While this calorie content seems fair or even good, you will not be eating honey nut cheerios alone. You will most likely eat them in milk and maybe even add more sweetener. A cup of milk adds an extra 22 calories and a teaspoon of sugar adds 35 calories. In total, a meal of honey nut cheerios will give you up to 200 calories. The downside of honey nut cheerio calories is not in the calorie content but rather in how long they will sustain you. Honey nut cheerios contain mostly simple carbohydrates which we know to offer very little satiety after eating.

The types of Carbs in Honey Nut Cheerios

Carbohydrates are the most abundant nutrient in honey nut cheerios. A cup of honey nut cheerios has an astounding 30g of carbohydrates. 40% of the carbohydrates in honey nut cheerios are sugars. Some people may even push this value higher by adding sugar to the milk they add the cheerios to. If you are a honey nut cheerios lover, it is advisable to eat them without adding more sweetener since the cereal itself is sweet enough. If you need the extra sweetness, a non-nutritive sweetener is advisable. Adding some fruits is also a viable option.

The fiber content of honey nut cheerios is low making up only 8% of the carbohydrates. A cup of honey nut cheerios contains only 2.6g of fiber. Considering General Mills uses fiber content to promote how healthy honey nut cheerios are, this content is very low. A whole cup of honey nut cheerios does not even contribute even 10% of the daily recommendation of dietary fiber. If you are looking to add more fiber to your breakfast, which you should, have some fruit with your Honey Nut cheerios. Adding seeds and/or nuts is also a good option.

You have to supplement the protein

Honey nut cheerios are a very poor source of protein. A cup of the cereal contains 3.9g of protein. Even if honey nut cheerios are usually accompanied by milk, a cup of whole milk has only 1.1g of protein. For more protein, you can have some seeds and/or nuts as a side or add them to the cereal if you love the taste. A boiled egg alongside your breakfast is another viable option.

Not much fat in Honey Nut cheerios

Similar to protein, you will be not getting much fat from honey nut cheerios. While this seems like a good thing, balancing macronutrients is more important than having low calorie count. Milk may add some fat to the meal but it is not a reliable source since a cup has only 2.2g.

Vitamins and minerals

Since honey nut cheerios are made from refined grains, they do not have a rich micronutrient composition. Fortunately, with the advancement of food technology, cereals can now undergo fortification during processing. Food fortification is a process of adding nutrients to food that are absent or lost during processing. General Mills fortifies honey nut cheerios with Iron. Other micronutrients present in honey nut cheerios include Calcium, vitamin B6, and Magnesium.

Nutrient	Amount in 1 cup of honey nut cheerios
Calories	146kcal
Carbohydrates	30g
Sugar	11.7g
Fiber	2.6g
Protein	3.9g
Fat	2g
Iron	40% of the daily recommendation
Calcium	13.3% of the daily recommendation

Health implications of consuming foods similar to honey nut cheerios

For clarification, eating honey nut cheerios will not guarantee that you will catch disease. However, relying on honey nut cheerios and similar foods may result into the following health conditions:

• Weight gain; honey nut cheerios are high in simple carbohydrates which are a risk factor for weight gain
• Since the simple carbohydrates from honey nut cheerios are stored as fat, they may cause disruption of the blood lipid profile which is a risk factor for heart disease
• The high sugar content of honey nut cheerios may also result in blood sugar control disruptions resulting in type 2 diabetes.

Allergen information

From the name, one would assume honey nut cheerios contain nuts. However, General Mills removed nuts from almonds from the ingredients in 2006. The packaging of honey nut cheerios still contains an almond allergy warning because people with almond allergies may also be allergic to closely related apricots and pears which are still used.

General Mills also undertook a mission to eliminate gluten from their non-wheat products by avoiding contamination during processing. Currently, honey nut cheerios are gluten-free.

In conclusion, honey nut cheerios are not very healthy food. However, with the right adjustments, you can have a healthy breakfast including the cereal like you would with a dish like grits. You can try a variety of healthy recipes to help you have a more balanced breakfast.

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