These Are The Unhealthiest Cereals In America

Is there anything more satisfying than a giant bowl of cereal? We don’t think so. And even though we, as people, often go through phases when it comes to breakfast, it’s nice to have a box of Special K in the pantry, just in case we don’t have time to whip up something else. Hey — if it’s good enough for Queen Elizabeth’s breakfast, it’s good enough for all of us. But what about the unhealthiest cereals?

Not all of them are created equal. Some parents actively oppose cereal because so many of them have loads of sugar. Plus, most people eat way more than the recommended serving, which is usually about a cup. That may not seem like an adequate serving, but it is if you want to be mindful about your health.

Even if you only enjoy cereal occasionally, cereal nutrition facts are still important. As we get older, it’s more important than ever to have a good idea of what goes into our bodies. Accordingly, we compiled some popular cereals that have more sugar than we initially imagined.

1. Special K Fruit And Yogurt

This one’s a real shocker.

Even though Special K does an exceptionally good job marketing itself as a healthy food option for all times of day, the cereal’s fruit and yogurt variety leaves a lot to be desired. Indeed, the yogurt reportedly doesn’t include probiotics. And with 13 grams of sugar, this breakfast food is just as sweet as other varieties of cereal that obviously aren’t good for you.

2. Sour Patch Kids Cereal

Okay, this one’s not as surprising.

Sour Patch Kids cereal only debuted in 2018. But it made plenty of headlines. For each cup, Sour Patch Kids Cereal has 140 calories and 13 grams of sugar. Interestingly enough, two fun-size pouches of Sour Patch Kids candy has 19 grams of sugar. So, the cereal is very much like the real deal. We guess that’s part of the appeal.

3. Raisin Bran Crunch

When you think of Raisin Bran, you think of nutrition.

But Raisin Bran Crunch? That is another story entirely. The delicious cereal packs way more sugar than one might imagine. Indeed, a single serving of Raisin Bran Crunch contains 19 grams of sugar. Just to compare, Cinnamon Toast Crunch has only nine grams of sugar per serving, making these stats even more shocking.

4. Marshmallow Fruity Pebbles

Every good cereal from the ’90s was chockfull of marshmallows.

And Marshmallow Fruity Pebbles cereal was no different. But just because something is fun (and very colorful) doesn’t mean it’s good for you. Marshmallow Fruity Pebbles maintained a relatively low calorie count for a cereal, coming in at 110 calories per serving. However, each cup had 13 grams of sugar. Regular Fruity Pebbles isn’t that much better; it has 12 grams.

5. Chex Clusters Fruit & Oats

You might assume that anything with fruit and oats couldn’t be too harmful.

That assumption would be completely wrong, though. Chex Clusters Fruits & Oats could make you cringe if you looked at the nutritional label. This cereal has a whopping 200 calories per cup, and that’s not the worst part. The sugar count comes in at 17 grams. Perhaps that’s why it’s increasingly challenging to find Chex Clusters in stores these days.

6. Froot Loops

No, these don’t contain actual fruit.

Many families may have mistakenly thought that, though. On the contrary, Froot Loops cereal has 12.9 grams of sugar. And according to CBS News, 41% of the colorful cereal is nothing but sugar. That may just be the reason we need to completely end our midnight snack Fruit Loops obsession.

7. Honey Smacks

Honey Smacks cereal hasn’t had a few good years.

In fact, you might recall that some food safety administrators took Honey Smacks off the shelves because of a potential salmonella outbreak. That may be the biggest reason to be wary of the cereal, but it’s not the only reason. Per serving, the cereal reportedly contains 15 grams of sugar. That is definitely on the high side. No wonder they used to be called Sugar Smacks.

8. Krave Chocolate

Not like you expected a chocolate-based cereal to be healthy, but…

This high carb cereal has 11 grams of sugar. That amount of sugar certainly isn’t the worst. But as far as breakfast cereals go, Krave Chocolate does not offer much of the nutrition most people need to get through the day. You might want to reserve this cereal for your dessert treat instead.

9. Cap’n Crunch With Crunch Berries

We hate to badmouth the Cap’n.

Indeed, so many people ate Cap’n Crunch during their childhoods. And who didn’t love drinking the milk after the cereal was finished? This cereal has 11 grams of sugar per serving, though. And those yummy crunch berries certainly don’t help. CBS News reports that this classic cereal is 42.3% sugar. We just can’t avoid those stats.

10. Kellogg’s Smorz

This is one of the tastiest cereals around, but it’s not all that great for your health.

Kellogg’s Smorz cereal contains 25 grams of carbs and 13 grams of sugar, making it quite satisfying to your sweet tooth. It contains ample amounts of chocolate and marshmallows, though. So we’re not entirely surprised that this cereal isn’t the best breakfast food. Again, save it for dessert or special occasions.

11. Golden Crisp

Confusing these with Honey Smacks? You’re not alone.

The cereal grains look quite similar, and they taste similar too. One’s got a bear mascot, however. And the other has a frog. But, turns out, neither Honey Smacks or Golden Crisp cereal is good for you. Apparently, Golden Crisp, which has 19 grams of sugar per serving, is literally 51% sugar overall. That’s right — more than half.

12. Frosted Flakes

They definitely taste grrreat, but the nutritional value is only okay.

One cup of Frosted Flakes contains 37 grams of carbs and 15 grams of sugar. Sure, the cereal has a lot of iron. But you’d be better off maintaining adequate iron levels by munching on leafy greens like kale and spinach. Whenever something is frosted, you know it’s not the best choice.

13. Reese’s Puffs

This may be one of the most delicious cereals of all time.

But your dentist probably wouldn’t like it. And as far as cereals go, this one isn’t the worst choice. Reese’s Puffs have 10 grams of sugar per serving, and Nutritionix calculated that they’re 71% carbohydrates. If it’s between this cereal and an actual Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup for dessert, the cereal would definitely be the smarter choice.

14. Lucky Charms

Again, blame the marshmallows.

There may never be a reason that’s good enough to stop many of us from eating Lucky Charms. However, it’s important to acknowledge that the cereal is not a wonderful breakfast choice unless you really want a sugar crash. One serving of Lucky Charms contains 13 grams of (magically delicious) sugar. A single cup also has 10% of your recommended daily sodium intake.

15. Cocoa Puffs

When you hear how much sugar is in Cocoa Puffs, you might go cuckoo.

There’s no shortage of chocolate cereals these days. And even though a bowl of Cocoa Puffs might not be as good as real chocolate, it gives you a feeling of childhood whimsy. But don’t be fooled. Every single serving of Cocoa Puffs contains 13 grams of sugar. And let’s be real, hardly anyone eats a single serving.

16. Basic 4

Back in the ’90s, most people considered this cereal healthy.

Basic 4 cereal has a lot of calories, but the other nutritional values might seem great. In fact, a single bowl has an impressive amount of fiber. And most people could stand to up their fiber intake. Basic 4 cereal also has 12 grams of sugar in each serving, though. That’s more than cereals like Life, Cinnamon Life, and Corn Pops.