What is the healthiest cereal? These classics battle it out (2024)

To the question 'Is cereal healthy?', we'd probably all like to respond with a resounding 'yes'. The humble bowl of breakfast cereal is something that generates a lot of strong feelings in the UK; simple and nostalgic. (Kellogg's Variety packs, anyone? RIP Frosties). In fact, according to Statista, breakfast cereals are eaten once or more times a day by 14 million Brits.

But what is the healthiest cereal? The health-conscious among us are probably aware they're not all as they seem, with some pretty surprising sugar content. And since the NHS recommends we keep our daily sugar intake to 30g or under, the question becomes, not just which cereal is healthy, but are we eating too much?

What to grab from the crowded cereal aisle remains a hotly debated topic. Remember the outcry when Kellogg’s tried to rebrand Coco Pops as Choco Crisp? (Truly, a simpler time.) Or the cereal diet phenomenon that had everyone – and their mum – eating two bowls of super-sweetened, crunchy, simple carbohydrates daily, circa the early noughties? A far cry from healthy.

Then there were the East London hipsters flogging bowls of cereal for the same price as a salmon bento box (while attracting plenty of scorn from the UK press in the process).

We bet that there's a packet on the cereal aisle that, should you buy it now, would serve as a time machine back to childhood mornings before school. Of course, there’s nothing inherently wrong with breakfast cereals, it’s just a matter of portion size and, um, sugar, that takes cereal from a healthy breakfast option to an unhealthy one.

So, if you’ve ever wondered ‘what’s the best cereal for weight loss?’, ‘is granola healthy?’, ‘how can I make low sugar cereals taste delicious?’ or even: ‘Is Weetabix healthy?’, we’ve got you covered. Time to tuck into some tasty morsels of nutritional know-how.

RELATED: ‘I swapped porridge for savoury breakfasts for 7 days – this is what I learnt’

So, is cereal healthy?

When determining what makes something a healthy breakfast cereal or not, there are a few fundamentals to consider.

In order to navigate the many UK cereal options, you should first think about what you really want inside that brightly coloured box of cereal (see: fibre, whole grains, fortified vitamins and minerals).

Then you need to think about what you, er, really don’t (see: lots of sugar, via honey and dried fruit, not just added sugar, as well as saturated fats, long and complicated ingredient lists — always a red flag — and too much salt).

Then to answer the question is cereal healthy you need to think about how much you’re going to have — and, crucially, how that regular bowl of breakfast cereal is going to fit into the rest of your balanced, varied diet.

Let’s start — as always — with the good: the things you want to make sure are present, correct and abundant in your bowl of breakfast cereal.

Why is wholegrain cereal healthy?

It’s got an awful lot to do with fibre. The best cereal for you will likely be wholegrain cereal since those varieties tend to be higher in fibre — a boon for pretty much every health goal.

Studies have highlighted the role of fibre in bone health, protecting bowel health, reducing osteoarthritis, lowering cholesterol, helping prevent breast cancer and strengthening immunity.

If you’ve ever wondered which is the best cereal for weight loss then a breakfast cereal with ample fibre is what you should be looking for, because roughage plays a key role in weight loss.

Multiple studies have pointed to the principle that fibre absorbs more water and breaks down at a slower rate than other nutrients, keeping blood sugar levels steady and feeling fuller for longer.

Bad news? We’re not getting enough fibre. ‘It’s recommended that we have 30g fibre a day, but most of us are not reaching that recommendation, with the average fibre intake of UK adults 18g,’ says Tai Ibitoye, registered dietician.

That’s why choosing a healthy cereal to start the day is key to ensuring you hit your daily goals — whether it's weight maintenance, better digestion or even steady energy levels.

Top tip: When choosing breakfast cereals, read the nutritional label to see if it is a ‘source of fibre’ which is more than 3g of fibre per 100g or ‘high in fibre’ which is 6g of fibre per 100g

Is cereal healthy? Fortified cereals, explained

The short answer to 'what's the healthiest breakfast cereal?' is those that are fortified – essentially, enriched with essential vitamins and minerals.

‘Look out for essential nutrients that you might be lacking in such as vitamin D, vitamin B12 iron and folate,’ adds Ibitoye.

Though you can get these from other foods in your diet, why not top up your stores via fortified breakfast cereals during what’s often the most hastily-grabbed meal of the day?

While we’re on the topic of what you should be looking out for on the ingredients list of your breakfast cereal, let’s geek out on the ingredients.

Quinoa

Unlike most plants, quinoa is a complete protein, containing muscle-fuelling amino acids lysine and isoleucine. With its subtle, nutty taste, quinoa works equally well in sweeter dishes – but you’ll need time to prepare it.

Millet

Its mild flavour makes millet a versatile vehicle, while a hefty carb count (36g per portion) makes it ideal for cardio commuters. It’s also rich in copper, for energy production and packs more B vits than oats.

Amaranth

Packed with protein, this peppery Central American plant has twice as much immune-boosting iron as wheat. Plus studies have linked its peptides to a reduced risk of hypertension and cancer.

Oats

The most popular grain in the breakfast club (oh hey there, porridge and overnight oats), oats are a source of healthy sugars called beta-glucans, which regulate blood glucose, plus manganese for efficient carb metabolism. Cheap and fuss-free to prepare, too.

UK's unhealthiest cereals: What not to buy (regularly)

You can’t get to the bottom of the healthiest cereal conundrum without addressing that many varieties stuffed with sugar, salt and, sometimes, saturated fats. (And it’s not always the stuff that’s marketed towards sweet-toothed kids that’s the most nutritionally suspect. Eyes open, people.)

Now, no one is vilifying ingredients here – high sugar, salt and fat-containing foods have a role to play in a balanced and varied diet. But it’s a small one, and these guys really shouldn’t be invited to your breakfast bowl.

First of all, says Rhiannon Lambert, registered nutritionist and author of The Science of Nutrition, it’s vital to get clear on what constitutes a high concentration of fat, sugar or salt.

‘While looking at traffic light labels – where more green generally indicates a healthier product – can be useful, it’s worth checking out the 100g nutrition label on the back of the packet as well,’ she suggests.

What to look out for:

• High in sugar: more than 22.5g of total sugars per 100g
• High in fat: more than 17.5g of fat per 100g
• High in salt: more than 1.5g of salt per 100g
  
• Low in sugar: No more than 5g of sugars per 100g
• Low in fat: No more than 3g of saturated fat or less per 100g
• Low in salt: No more than 0.3g of salt per 100g.

Low-sugar cereal options

Any Muesli or granola lovers in the house? While these can be delicious – especially the luxury varieties with oats and wheat flakes blended with an abundance of dried tropical fruits, or muddled together with lashings of honey – Ibitoye warns that they can be seriously high in sugar.

‘Once fruits are dried it becomes a concentrated source of sugar and calories,’ she explains. ‘So, it’s worth considering having plain breakfast cereals topped with fresh fruits as an option rather than having breakfast cereals with dried fruits in the pack.’

So, with muesli, it’s actually the simpler recipes – that focus on grains, nuts and small amounts of fruit – that are a better shout from a nutritional point of view.

What is the right portion of cereal?

Now you’ve got to grips with what nutrients belong in the best cereal you can have in your bowl and why low-sugar cereals are important, let’s turn to the topic of serving sizes.

Lambert’s top breakfast picks are wholewheat cereal biscuits, shredded wholegrain pillows (supermarket own-brand varieties are just as good as the leading brand) and, of course, porridge oats.

‘But be mindful of the portion sizes as it’s so easy to overdo the cereal,’ she says (especially when added sugar, salt and fat make those morning morsels ever so moreish).

While cereal portions for an adult sit between 30-50g, Lambert emphasises that it's important not to get too hung up on the minutiae of the numbers. (But, if you're looking to lose weight, err on the lower side.)

'Everyone is different – those are only a guideline,’ she adds. ‘Also, every cereal has a different shape, volume and therefore density, so the portions may vary from one product to another.’

Wise words. Now hop in, we're going shopping.

23 healthiest cereals to add to your morning routine

If you're a granola fan who wants a legitimately healthy version of your favourite golden, crunchy breakfast cereal, you need Bio&Me on your radar. This wonder-stuff — created by King's College gut health researcher and registered dietician Dr Megan Rossi — is packed with seeds, nuts and grains, totalling 15 plant-based prebiotics (which feed the good bacteria in your gut.) Oh, and we have it on good authority that this is Davina McCall's best cereal. Sold.

We know this isn't the cheapest cereal on the cereal aisle, but with no added sugar, no added preservatives or artificial colours, this organic muesli is packed with dried fruit and nuts.

Another one from Dr Megan Rossi: this gluten-free granola has been formulated to be suitable for those on a low FODMAP diet (often prescribed by dieticians to people struggling with IBS). It's made with 16 plant-based foods and fibres to help your mighty microbes thrive: from quinoa, buckwheat, linseeds and millet to carrots, dates, oats and banana.

If you're after an extra high fibre cereal then this amped-up porridge from healthy food heavyweights Rude Health deserves a place on your cupboard shelves. Inside the box is a medley of porridge oats, oatmeal, barley flakes, rye flakes, buckwheat flakes, quinoa flakes, golden linseeds - which give a gently nutty flavour - pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and poppy seeds. As well as packing in tonnes of essential fatty acids and plant-based protein, this makes more a chunky porridge with a satisfying bit of bite.

Also by Lizi's, we're big fans of their High Protein granola here at WH. Why? Well, with an impressive 27 g of protein per 100g, once paired with Greek yoghurt and your favourite fruit, it actually keeps you full until lunchtime (and does what it says on the packet).

Chocolate for breakfast is always going to score points with us, no longer just for kids thanks to this super-powered cereal. Each serving has zero sugar and packs in a huge 13g of plant-based protein. For a quick morning protein-hit, serve this cereal with milk and you're good to go.