Breakfast Cereals Made With The Highest And Lowest Quality Ingredients

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day — so it makes sense you'd want to choose the healthiest, most nutritious food possible. While eggs, pancakes, bacon, and French toast are synonymous with the first meal of the day, there's a faster, more convenient pantry staple that many households rely on: breakfast cereal. While cereal has become a daily indulgence for many, some popular favorites may be disguising unhealthy ingredients and additives. But it can be difficult to know at a glance which cereals provide a nutritious start to the day and which are filling your morning with sugar and empty calories.

After extensive research and a thorough evaluation of ingredients, nutrition, and additives, we developed a methodology we'll elaborate on further to evaluate popular breakfast cereals and determine which are made with the highest and lowest quality ingredients. Read on to discover which options your should stock up on during your next grocery trip and which you should be sure to avoid. 

While the Ezekiel brand may be best known for its popular sprouted grain bread, the cereal is another healthy option for your morning fuel. The crunchy cereal is made from sprouted grains like wheat, barley, millet, and lentils. It's also completely free of flour and all the grains are organic, making it perfect for those trying to avoid processed ingredients.

While it is calorie-dense at 180 calories per ½-cup serving, the cereal is filled with nutrients, including 6 grams of fiber (which is equal to about a quarter of your daily value), 8 grams of protein, and only 1 gram of added sugar. Fans also note that they like the cereal's crunchiness and flavor. It can be eaten hot or cold and combined with add-ons like apples, strawberries, cinnamon, or nut butter for a versatile breakfast staple. Ezekiel also makes three other flavors of its signature cereal, including almond and cinnamon raisin, which are all equally healthy options to add to your morning routine.

While this colorful breakfast cereal may pack a lot of flavor, it's also filled with a ton of additives. The berry-flavored treat contains 17 grams of sugar, which means you'll start your day off by consuming a third of your recommended daily added sugar intake. It also has less than 1 gram of fiber, 13% of your daily recommended sodium intake, and 12% of your daily carbs — all in just a single-cup serving.

Although the cereal is fortified with seven essential vitamins and minerals, it is also packed with less-than-healthy ingredients like palm sugar, artificial flavors, and artificial colors like Red 40. Although this dye is approved by the Food and Drug Administration, some studies link it to conditions and side effects like ADHD, irritability, and even cancer. Because of the unknown — and potentially hazardous — impact of this coloring, it's best to steer clear of it as much as possible.

Purely O's lives up to its name. This cereal is filled with super clean ingredients like whole grain oats, whole grain barley, and sea salt. With very few processed ingredients or preservatives, it's a heart-healthy option to start your morning. Each grain in the stellar ingredient list is both whole grain and organic, ensuring you aren't unknowingly consuming unwanted pesticides or additives.

Purely O's has 31 grams of whole grains per serving (nearly two-thirds of your daily recommended intake) and is ultra-low in sugar (especially for breakfast cereal) at less than 1 gram per 1 ½-cup serving. The box is even made from 100% recycled paperboard, so it's an eco-friendly option, too. It's the perfect substitute for those who are on the hunt for a cleaner, lower-calorie alternative to sugary cereals. Try the Honey Nut or Fruitful flavors for similar health benefits with a different twist.

Though Fruity Pebbles isn't higher in calories than most other cereals, the major red flags are all hiding in this colorful cereal's ingredient list. The first three ingredients in this cereal are rice, sugar, and canola oil, which means you'll start your day without the heart-healthy fuel you need — and a bowlful of empty calories.

Lower down on the ingredient list, the red flags continue. This unhealthy, sweetened treat is filled with artificial colors and flavors (which is also what makes it so delicious and fun to eat), including Red 40, Yellow 6, and Blue 1. Like Red 40, Yellow 6 may contain cancer-causing contaminants, so it's best to avoid it when possible. Beyond the artificial dyes, a single serving of Fruity Pebbles also has 12 grams of sugar, or about a quarter of your daily recommended intake, with only 1 gram of protein. While it may taste amazing, these nutrition facts may have you thinking twice before reaching for your next bowl.

If you're looking to start your day with a high-fiber, high-protein cereal, look no further than Shredded Wheat. Considered by many to be one of the healthiest cereals out there, this breakfast classic boasts 8 grams of dietary fiber in a single serving, which is over a quarter of your daily recommended value. It also has 7 grams of protein to help keep you full longer throughout the morning.

Though it's high in carbs at 49 grams per 1 ⅓-cup serving, it's a healthy option with a single ingredient: whole-grain wheat. No added sugar, no artificial flavors, and no unhealthy oils to be found. While the simple flavor may be a bit plain for those who prefer sugary breakfast cereals, this versatile option can be mixed with your favorite fruits (fresh or frozen) to change up the taste each morning. For added sweetness, you can even top it with a sprinkle of brown sugar without adding too many calories.

While this colorful cereal may seem healthy at first glance thanks to a few whole grain ingredients at the beginning of the list, they are really just distracting from a ton of added sugar. Each 1 ⅓-cup serving has 12 grams of added sugars (just under a quarter of your daily recommended intake) and only 2 grams of protein.

If you keep reading the ingredients list, you'll spot worrisome items like hydrogenated oils and Red 40. Hydrogenated oils are detrimental to your heart health and can raise your cholesterol, while Red 40 is tied to a plethora of both short- and long-term side effects. Though it boasts many essential vitamins and minerals, the pros just don't outweigh the cons enough to eat this cereal regularly. Instead, look for cereals with less than 5 grams of added sugar, at least 5 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of protein per serving for a more nutritious breakfast.

This popular breakfast cereal boasts 7 grams of protein, only 4 grams of added sugars, and 150 calories for a 1 ¼-cup serving. These impressive metrics make it a smarter option to start your day than sugary alternatives. It's also filled with essential vitamins and minerals like iron, folate, and vitamin B12.

Like all cereal, Special K is a bit high in carbohydrates, but the ingredients are fairly basic and include rice, defatted wheat germ, and wheat gluten. It's also free of artificial colors and flavors. Try mixing it with your favorite fruit, like raspberries, strawberries, or bananas, to switch up the flavor from day to day for a new taste every morning. Or, opt for one of Special K's high-protein varieties, including a modified version of the original and Chocolate Almond, both of which have at least 10 grams of protein per serving (and some as high as 20 grams).

Because this cereal is known for its unicorn, rainbow, and clover-shaped marshmallows, it's no surprise this colorful breakfast treat is also high in sugar. With 12 added grams per serving, it's a sweet start to the morning that uses up nearly a quarter of your daily recommended intake. And for very little payoff — the cereal only has 3 grams of protein and 2 grams of dietary fiber.

Though it's gluten-free and made with whole-grain oats, it's also filled with artificial colors like Red 40 and Yellow 5 and 6 that give the marshmallow shapes their distinctive look. In addition to these less-than-stellar additives, Lucky Charms also has unhealthy ingredients toward the top of its list like sugar and corn syrup, a known inflammatory ingredient. Unlike many breakfast cereals, it also contains gelatin due to the marshmallows, which takes it off the table for anyone who follows a vegan diet.

This breakfast cereal has a lot of accolades: It's USDA-certified organic, non-GMO, and filled with whole-grain oats. It's also free of artificial preservatives, so you're getting only pure, healthy ingredients in every bite. Though it is a bit high in carbohydrates, this cereal is otherwise a very clean option. Every 1 ⅓-cup serving contains only 2 grams of sugar, 150 milligrams of sodium (only 7% of your daily value), and 5 grams of protein. Eating it with cow's milk will add even more protein to keep you fuller, longer.

While it's healthy, there is some added organic sugar cane for a little bit of sweetness to enhance the flavor. Just like similar options such as Cascadian Farms Purely O's Cereal or Cheerios, this cereal can be enjoyed in the morning with milk and topped with your favorite fruit. It's also the ideal bite for little ones to munch on throughout the day as a healthy, filling snack.

Though this cereal boasts about its added vitamins and minerals, it's really just a sugary option you should pass on. With 12 grams of sugar per 1 ¼-cup serving, Trix will quickly eat up your daily allotted value. The first ingredients offer mostly empty calories, with whole grain corn, sugar, rice flour, corn syrup, and canola oil taking the top spots.

With six different flavored puffs — raspberry, lemon, orange, wildberry, grape, and watermelon — Trix is also filled with several artificial colors to give these puffs their distinctive hues. Not only does it feature the common culprits like Red 40, Yellow 6, and Blue 1, but the ingredient list also mentions a mysterious "other color added," without specifying the dyes. While each of these artificial colors is questionable on its own, they're especially detrimental when all combined. To stay on the safe side, avoid all of these additives and opt for an artificial color-free cereal instead.

With 7 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein per cup, this nutritious cereal helps you start your day on the right foot. It's also packed with whole and ancient grains like wheat bran, whole wheat meal, spelt, barley, and millet. Besides the high quality of the ingredients, Heritage Flakes cereal is also certified USDA-organic and non-GMO so you can feel confident you're avoiding unwanted pesticides and preservatives.

In addition to the standard box, it also comes in a 32-ounce bag, making it easy to keep larger quantities on hand. Despite the limited sugar compared to some cereals (5 grams of added sugars per serving), it tastes subtly sweet and is super filling, making it a popular option among consumers. Thanks to the thicker texture, it also stays crunchy after an extended period mixed with milk, which reviewers seem to particularly enjoy. Though the cereal is slightly sweet, try mixing in your favorite fresh or frozen berries to add another dimension to the flavor.

Like Lucky Charms, this colorful cereal is filled with tasty marshmallows. That also means this sweet treat is accompanied by a whopping 17 grams of added sugars per 1 ¼-cup serving, which is as much (if not more) sugar as some candy bars. It only contains 3 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber, and the ingredients leave something to be desired. Though it starts out promising with whole grain oat flour, things go downhill as the list goes on. Sugar, corn syrup, canola oil, and artificial flavorings complete the list.

Though it comes in a 33-ounce bag for a steal of a price, it's hard to say if the affordability outweighs the negative nutritional value. Many reviewers also mention issues with the cereal featuring very few marshmallows (and sometimes none altogether), so it may be best to skip this product next time you do your grocery shopping.

To determine which cereals to buy and which to avoid, we evaluated a few different characteristics. We first took a look at the ingredients list. While some cereals might seem fine at first, there could be less-than-stellar ingredients hiding lower down. While we looked for high-quality ingredients like whole grains, we also kept our eyes open for potentially harmful ingredients like hydrogenated oils, sugar products like corn syrup, and artificial colors and flavors. By assessing these elements for each type of cereal, we were able to determine which products are a high-quality, nutrient-dense option to start your morning, and which are better to avoid.

Along with the ingredients, we also evaluated one of the most important elements: nutritional content. From positive elements like high protein and fiber to negatives like high sugar or carbohydrates, we assessed the quantity and percentage of daily value for all of the main nutritional highlights.