Eating a healthy breakfast is a great way to start your day but what if you don’t know whether what you are eating is healthy or not? The same goes for honey nut Cheerios. Many people are curious to know, are honey nut Cheerios healthy? Well, many health-conscious cheerios consumers think that cheerios will solve all their health problems such as cholesterol and heart attack. Is this true?
The article is going to explore all the myths and facts about honey nut Cheerios, their ingredients, and preservatives. You will also get to know whether the honey nut Cheerios are good while pregnant and for diabetics or not. Moreover, are honey nut Cheerios healthy for weight loss? The answer to this question is here in this article.
Table of Content
Are Honey Nut Cheerios Healthy For You?
Are honey nut Cheerios good for you? Many people who consume cheerios for breakfast ask this question. 1 cup (39g) of honey nut Cheerios contains 146.6 calories. But it’s not about calories only. It’s about what are the ingredients provide these calories. Are they healthy? Or the calories you are consuming are just empty calories and nothing else?

Well, in the case of honey nut Cheerios, most of the calories you are consuming are either just empty calories and the others are from unhealthy ingredients. Most of them are preservatives.
No doubt, honey nut Cheerios contain whole grain oats that provide fiber and are a rich source of B vitamins but except for a little quantity of fiber, every other ingredient is unhealthy including sugar, sodium, and other preservatives. Honey nut cheerios have some vitamins and minerals that are good for health but overall the cereal is not healthy because of too many preservatives and sugar.
Vitamins and Minerals in Honey Nut Cheerios
A moderate quantity of honey nut Cheerios can be good for containing some healthy vitamins and minerals. The following ingredients give us a clue of how healthy honey nut Cheerios are.
- Honey is a rich source of antioxidants and phenols. It is good for your health.
- Honey nut cheerios contain tocopherol or vitamin E that is added to preserve freshness. Vitamin E is considered good for healthy skin.
- Calcium carbonate is a dietary calcium additive in honey nut Cheerios. It is recommended that you eat 2500 mg of calcium per day.
- Honey nut cheerios also have zinc and iron. Both of these are very important minerals. Zinc can strengthen the immune response and iron is used to make hemoglobin.
- The cereal contains sodium ascorbate, which is vitamin C. It serves as an antioxidant in the body. It is responsible for the growth, development, and repair of many-body systems.
- It also has Niacinamide or vitamin B. It improves skin function and works to manage cholesterol levels.
- Vitamin B2 riboflavin helps in glucose metabolism.
- Honey nut cheerios contain thiamine mononitrate or vitamin B1 that helps break down carbohydrates and turn them into energy.
- Vitamin A helps in maintaining healthy eyesight and skin functions.
- Folic acid is a B vitamin that aids in maintaining and producing new cells.
Unhealthy Ingredients in Honey Nut Cheerios
Honey nut cheerios are not considered good to consume daily in breakfast because of the following unhealthy ingredients.
Trisodium Phosphate
One of the ingredients cheerios are made from is a chemical called trisodium phosphate. It is still being sold and used in the USA as a cleaning agent and food additive. This ingredient is used in most of the brands in the market as household cleaners. They are unhealthy to be used as preservatives in eatables.
Sugar
Sugar should not be present in the top 5 ingredients of any food you purchase. Refined sugar consumption suppresses immunity and causes weight gain. Research has linked sugar consumption to the following health conditions. It includes:
- Premature aging
- Various cancers
- Diabetes
- Digestive problems
- Fatigue
- Low energy levels
- Heart diseases
- Hyperactivity and concentration problems
- Loss of muscle mass
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Osteoporosis
- Tooth decay
- Yeast infections
BHT
BHT is a food additive used to preserve freshness in some products. This ingredient is not safe. It is linked to cancer in some animals, interferes with hormones, and disturbs the endocrine system.
Are Honey Nut Cheerios Good for Cholesterol?
Cheerios contain soluble fiber which is known to lower the bad LDL cholesterol by absorbing it in the intestines. Soluble fiber is also found in food such as kidney beans, sprouts, apples, pear, barley, and prunes. But keep in mind that any food that is high in soluble fiber will have the same effect. Most people think that cheerios can lower blood cholesterol levels. That’s why they ask, are honey nut Cheerios good for your heart?
The truth is that cheerios themselves have no specific benefit in lowering cholesterol levels. The cholesterol-lowering of cheerios and other high-fiber foods is very small. So don’t expect any miracles. Cheerios can have many negatives that most people are unaware of.
FDA has issued many warnings against cheerios for making false health claims. For example, “only the original cheerios can claim lowering cholesterol”. All the other versions such as honey nut, multigrain, apple cinnamon, chocolate frosted, fruity, and a dozen other variations can not make claims of lowering cholesterol, so are honey nut Cheerios heart-healthy? What do you think now?
Are Honey Nut Cheerios Fattening?
Are honey nut Cheerios fattening? This is the question that most people ask who want to lose weight. Are honey nut Cheerios good for diabetics? Both of these questions are interrelated to each other. Honey nut cheerios contain a lot of sugar.
This cereal contains 12 grams of sugar per cup, which is nearly half of the daily recommended intake for women and one-third of the daily recommended intake for men. Because of this high sugar content, the honey nut Cheerios are not good for diabetics as well as for those who want to lose weight.
Are Honey Nut Cheerios Healthy While Pregnant?
Honey nut cheerios are safe to eat in pregnancy unless you are diabetic. Just make sure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients present in honey nut Cheerios. It may cause diarrhea and a bloated stomach.
Are Honey Nut Cheerios Healthy for Dogs?
Plain cheerios or honey nut Cheerios for dogs is more like a treat, but it doesn’t fulfill their basic nutritional requirements, so don’t give them cheerios daily. Cheerios are healthy for dogs but stop giving them if you see the following signs in your dog.
- Rashes
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Sneezing
- Asthma-related signs
- Front paw licking
Are Dry Honey Nut Cheerios a Healthy Snack?
Original dry honey nut Cheerios can be healthy in the form of homemade granola bars with a lot of dry fruits. Homemade versions do not contain any kind of preservatives so they are healthier as compared to packaged foods.
The Bottom Line
Cheerios have no significant health values due to the excessive processing while manufacturing them. Most people eat cheerios with milk which is not good for heart and cholesterol levels.
So, are honey nut Cheerios healthy? The final answer is that as they have a high glycemic index, they increase blood sugar and insulin levels. So, for the little 3 grams of fiber from oats, you should not get a lot of negative ingredients in your body.
FAQs
Are honey nut Cheerios unhealthy?
Honey nut cheerios contain a lot of preservatives and sugar. These ingredients make this cereal unhealthy especially for diabetics and those who want to lose weight. It is good to eat in moderate amounts.
Which are healthier cheerios or honey nut Cheerios?
Honey nut cheerios have 9 times more sugar. The healthier versions are:
- Maple cheerios
- Cheerios ( original flavor)
- Fruity cheerios
- Apple cinnamon
- Chocolate
What is the healthiest cereal you can eat?
These are the healthiest cereal you can eat.
- Oats
- DIY muesli
- Granola
- Cinnamon crunch cereal
- Kashi 7 whole grain nuggets
Are Honey Nut Cheerios too sugary?
1 serving of honey nut Cheerios contains half of the daily recommended intake of women, so it is too much sugar for one serving especially if you eat sugar in all your meals.