Cheerios are marketed as a heart-healthy option and are a long-time consumer favourite. But are Cheerios a healthy choice? Check out our full dietitian review before adding them to your grocery cart.
Note: I have recently published a complete review of the cholesterol-lowering claim and full Cheerios product line as part of my newsletter, The Grocery Edit. You can check that out here.
About Cheerios
Cheerios is an oat-based cereal produced by General Mills. It is promoted as a heart-healthy option and claims that it can help lower cholesterol as part of a heart-healthy diet. What was once a single, plain cereal is now an entire product line ranging in flavours including honey nut, fruity, and frosted Cheerios.
Nutrition Marketing Claims
Cheerios are promoted as “good for you” and “wholesome” on their website. We agree that Cheerios are a “good for you” option as they are made with whole grain oats, however, some flavours of Cheerios are high in sugar compared to other cereals on the market. In addition, Cheerios do not contain a significant source of fibre.
Cheerios also contain the claim “Oat Fibre Helps Lower Cholesterol” on the front of their packaging. This health claim is regulated by Health Canada, and Cheerios needs to meet specific criteria to use this claim. The criteria are as follows:
- Must contain at least 0.75g of oat fibre per serving
- Must contain at least 10% DV of fibre per serving
- Contain less than 100mg cholesterol per serving
- Contain 0.5% or less alcohol
- Contain 480mg or less of sodium per serving
- Meet the definition of “free of saturated fatty acids” or “low in saturated fatty acids”
Note: the original Cheerios flavour is the only flavour that meets this criteria and is overall in line with a heart-healthy diet.
Taste & Texture
Cheerios are toasted O-shaped cereal with a crispy texture. They have an oat flavour that is pleasant and not overly sweet.
Cost
At the time of this review, Cheerios are available in Ontario for $4.97 – $5.99 per 350g box.
Cheerios Nutrition Facts
| Cheerios Original | Multigrain Cheerios | Honey Nut | Apple Cinnamon | Chocolate Peanut Butter Cherios | Chocolate Cheerios | Strawberry Banana Cheerios | Vanilla Spice Cheerios | Oat Crunch Almond Cheerios | Oat Crunch Cinnamon Cheerios | Oat Crunches Oats ‘N Honey Cheerios | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 100 | 110 | 147 | 160 | 160 | 150 | 150 | 120 | 230 | 230 | 230 |
| Fat (g) | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2.5 | 4.5 | 2 | 2.5 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Saturated fat (g) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 20 | 25 | 31 | 32 | 25 | 30 | 31 | 25 | 43 | 44 | 44 |
| Fibre (g) | 3 | 2 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Sugar (g) | 1 | 6 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 6 | 15 | 16 | 16 |
| Protein (g) | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Sodium (mg) | 170 | 160 | 213 | 160 | 227 | 210 | 150 | 150 | 270 | 280 | 280 |
| Potassium (mg) | N/A | 75 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 125 | 100 | 75 | 150 | 125 | 125 |
| Calcium (mg) | 52 | 100 | 173 | 173 | 173 | 150 | 175 | 100 | 125 | 100 | 100 |
| Iron (mg) | 5.5 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
Note: the nutrition facts below reflect a 1-cup serving of Cheerios Original. The range of nutrition information for all flavours is listed in parentheses. See our Cheerios Nutrition Facts Comparison Chart below for details. Nutrient data may change, always check the product label before consuming.
Calories: 100
Fat: 2g (2-6g), from whole grain oats.
Saturated fat: 0.4g
Carbohydrate: 20g (20-44g), from whole grain oats, corn starch, and sugar.
Fibre: 3g (2.5-3g), from whole grain oats.
Sugar: 1g (1-16g), from added sugar.
Protein: 4g (2-4g), from whole grain oats.
Sodium: 170mg (150-280mg), from salt.
Micronutrients: calcium 52mg, iron 5.5mg, Thiamine 0.05mg, Riboflavin 0.03, Niacin 1mg, B6 0.14mg, folate 32mcg, pantothenate 0.3mg, phosphorus 12.6mg, magnesium 63mg, zinc 0.88mg.
Check out my Cereal Nutrition Comparison chart to see how Cheerios measure up to other cereals on the market.
Cheerios Ingredients
| Cheerios | Multigrain Cheerios | Honey Nut Cheerios | Apple Cinnamon Cheerios | Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios | Chocolate Cheerios | Strawberry Banana Cheerios | Vanilla Spice Cheerios | Cheerios Oat Crunch Almond | Cheerios Oat Crunch Oats & Honey | Cheerios Oat Crunch Cinnamon | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ingredients | Whole grain oats, Corn starch, Sugar, Salt, Trisodium phosphate, Calcium carbonate, Monoglycerides, Tocopherols | Whole grain oats, Whole grain corn, Sugars (sugar and/or golden sugar, golden syrup), Corn starch, Brown rice flour, Whole sorghum flour, Salt, Calcium carbonate, Trisodium phosphate, Monoglycerides, Caramel and annatto (for colour), Tocopherols (for freshness), | Whole grain oats, Sugar and/or Golden sugar, Corn starch, Honey, Golden syrup, Salt, Calcium carbonate, High monounsaturated canola, Canola and/or high monounsaturated sunflower oil, Trisodium phosphate, Monoglycerides, Tocopherols, Natural almond flavour | Whole grain oats, Sugar and/or golden sugar, Corn starch, Concentrated apple puree, Corn syrup, High monounsaturated canola, Canola and/or high monounsaturated sunflower oil, Golden syrup, Calcium carbonate, Salt, Cinnamon, Trisodium phosphate, Monoglycerides, Sodium citrate, Tocopherols (to preserve freshness) | Whole Grain Oats, Sugar and/or Golden Sugar, Peanut Butter (Peanuts, Sugar, Monoglycerides, Salt), Dextrose, Corn Starch, Corn Syrup, High Monounsaturated Canola Oil, Salt, Cocoa, Calcium Carbonate, Caramel Colour, Tripotassium Phosphate, Monoglycerides, Natural Flavour, Tocopherols. | Whole grain oats, Sugars (sugar and/or golden sugar, corn syrup), Corn starch, Cocoa, Salt, Caramel (for colour), Calcium carbonate, High monounsaturated canola, canola and/or high monounsaturated sunflower oil, Trisodium phosphate, Monoglycerides, Natural flavour, Tocopherols (to preserve freshness) | Whole grain oats, Sugars (sugar, corn syrup, banana puree, strawberry puree), Corn starch, High monounsaturated canola, canola and/or high monounsaturated sunflower oil, Calcium carbonate, Salt, Trisodium phosphate, Monoglycerides, Radish and strawberry juice conentrate (for colour), Natural flavour, Citric acid, Tocopherols | Whole grain oats, Whole grain corn, Sugars (sugar and/or golden sugar, corn syrup), Corn starch, Brown rice flour, Salt, Calcium carbonate, Cinnamon, Trisodium phosphate, Monoglycerides, Caramel and annatto (for colour), Tocopherols (for freshness), Natural flavour | Whole grain oats, Sugars (sugar and/or golden sugar, golden syrup), Whole grain corn, Modified corn starch, High monounsaturated canola, canola and/or high monounsaturated sunflower oil, Almonds, Corn starch, Brown rice flour, Salt, Calcium carbonate, Trisodium phosphate, Baking soda, Monoglycerides, Caramel and annatto (for colour), Natural flavour, Tocopherols (for freshness), Rosemary extract | Whole grain oats, Sugars (sugar and/or golden sugar, honey), Whole grain corn, Modified corn starch, High monounsaturated canola, canola and/or high monounsaturated sunflower oil, Corn starch, Brown rice flour, Salt, Calcium carbonate, Trisodium phosphate, Baking soda, Monoglycerides, Caramel and annatto (for colour), Natural flavour, Tocopherols (for freshness), Rosemary extract | Whole grain oats, Sugars (sugar and/or golden sugar, honey), Whole grain corn, Modified corn starch, High monounsaturated canola, canola and/or high monounsaturated sunflower oil, Corn starch, Brown rice flour, Salt, Calcium carbonate, Trisodium phosphate, Baking soda, Monoglycerides, Caramel and annatto (for colour), Natural flavour, Tocopherols (for freshness), Rosemary extract |
Note: the ingredients below are for the original Cheerios flavour. See the chart above for all flavours.
Whole Grain Oats: a source of carbohydrates and soluble fibre, specifically beta-glucan.
Corn Starch: a source of carbohydrate (starch) commonly used as a thickener and binding agent.
Sugar: used to sweeten Cheerios.
Salt: source of sodium.
Trisodium Phosphate: used as an emulsifier, thickening agent, and stabilizing agent.
Calcium carbonate: emulsifier, stabilizer, thickening agent.
Monoglycerides: source of fatty acids used as an emulsifier, stabilizer, and thickening agent.
Tocopherols: preservative.
Are Cheerios Healthy?
Cheerios (original) has a score of 83 out of 100, making it an excellent choice. Cheerios are made with whole grain oats as the main ingredient and are low in sugar (original flavour). Though they are not necessarily high in sugar compared to other cereal brands, they are a source of beta-glucan, with around 35% of the amount needed to lower cholesterol, making them a healthy addition to an otherwise heart-healthy diet.
Check out my full Cheerios line product review on Substack here for more information on the full product line and cholesterol-lowering claim.
Cheerios Frequently Asked Questions
Sodium in Cheerios
Cheerios contain 150-280mg of sodium per 1 cup serving, depending on the flavour. See our Cheerios Nutrition Comparison chart above for details.
Cheerios fibre content
Cheerios contain 2-3g of fibre, depending on the flavour. This is moderate compared to other cereal on the market. See our Cheerios Nutrition Comparison chart above for details.
Calories in 1 cup of Cheerios
Cheerios contain 100-230 calories per cup serving, depending on the flavour. See our Cheerios Nutrition Comparison chart above for details.
How many carbs are in Cheerios?
Cheerios contain 20-44g of carbohydrates, depending on the flavour. See our Cheerios Nutrition Comparison chart above for details.
What is a Cherios serving size?
A serving of Cheerios is 1 cup (250ml).
Are Cheerios vegan?
Cheerios are vegan, except Honey Nut Cheerios which contain honey. Product formulas may have changed since this review, so always check the label for the most up-to-date information.
Are Cheerios good for constipation?
Cheerios contain soluble fibre, around 1-2 g per serving, which can help promote bowel regularity along with an overall fibre-rich diet.
Are Cheerios high in iron?
Cheerios are an excellent source of iron, with 4-7.5 mg per 1 cup serving, depending on the flavour.
Are Chocolate Cheerios healthy?
Though they are a source of beta-glucan, the heart-healthy soluble fibre, Chocolate Cheerios are much higher in sugar than Original, with 11g per 1 cup serving. If you enjoy the flavour of Chocolate Cheerios, try mixing it with another higher fibre, lower sugar cereal for a more balanced option.
Are Apple Cinnamon Cheerios healthy?
Though they are a source of beta-glucan, the heart-healthy soluble fibre, Apple Cinnamon Cheerios are much higher in sugar than Original or Multigrain Cheerios, with 13g per 1 cup serving. If you enjoy the flavour of Apple Cinnamon Cheerios, try mixing it with another higher fibre, lower sugar cereal for a more balanced option.
Are Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios healthy?
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios are much higher in sugar than Original Cheerios, with 9g per 1 cup serving. If you enjoy the flavour of Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios, try mixing it with another higher fibre, lower sugar cereal for a more balanced meal.
Are Cheerios healthy for diabetics?
Cheerios are considered a high glycemic index food. It is recommended that people with diabetes consume high-glycemic foods less often.
Are Cheerios good for your heart?
Cheerios contain oats as their first ingredient. Oats are a heart-healthy ingredient as they are a source of soluble fibre, specifically beta-glucan, which can help lower cholesterol along with an overall heart-healthy diet. Read my full review of the Cheerios line and heart-health claim on my Substack here for more information.
Are Cheerios better than other cereals?
Cheerios are unique as they are a source of beta-glucan, a heart-healthy oat fibre. The original flavour is also low in sugar. Check out our Cereal Nutrition Comparison Chart to see how Cheerios otherwise compares to other cereals on the market.
Related Content
Raisin Bran Dietitian Review: our full review of Raisin Bran nutrition facts, ingredients, and how it compares to other All Bran cereals.
Cereal Nutrition Comparison Chart: a comprehensive chart to compare nutrition facts of all cereal on the market.
Is Magis Spoon Cereal healthy? Dietitian review of nutrition facts and ingredients.
Sources:
Corn Starch, Health Canada (accessed June 26, 2023).
Trisodium Phosphate, Health Canada (accessed June 26, 2023).
List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents, Health Canada (accessed June 26, 2023).
List of Permitted Food Preservatives, Health Canada (accessed June 26, 2023).
Glycemic Index – Cheerios, Glycemic Index Research, The University of Sydney (accessed June 26, 2023).
Glycemic Index Education Portal, Diabetes Canada (accessed June 8, 2023).
Oat Products and Blood Cholesterol Lowering, Health Canada Summary of Assessment of a Health Claim about Oat Products and Blood Cholesterol Lowering (accessed June 26, 2023).
