8 No Sugar Added Cereals Ranked Worst To Best

If you're like me, cereal isn't relegated to breakfast. I'd rather have a cozy bowl of cereal after dinner — as a crunchy, milky dessert — than at sunrise. Sadly, many cereals are crammed with a lot of sugar, averaging 10 grams of sugar per serving, or 2.5 teaspoons. And since America consumes more sugar than the rest of the world, we need to reevaluate our cereal choices. That's not a race we need to win. Here's why that number is staggering: Women should consume no more than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) of sugar per day, and men should cap sugar at 36 grams, or 9 teaspoons. If one serving of cereal delivers 10 grams of sugar, that's almost half (or one third) of the daily max in a single bowl. And let's be honest, who eats one serving of cereal, especially when the portion size is 30 to 45 grams, or about 6 tablespoons?

Thankfully, cereal manufacturers have taken note and crafted varieties with no added sugar. And as a nutritionist, I'm damn thankful. Some of the cereals are incredibly tasty too, and so sweet you'll be checking the box to make certain sugar wasn't slinked in. For this ranking, I sampled eight brands of no-sugar-added cereals and ranked them from worst to best. I judged each cereal's taste and texture, as well as my desire to go back for more. Note, they were all yummy, but there were definitive winners in the category.

I'll admit, when I first sampled Kellogg's Special K Zero Strawberry Crème, I was charmed. The strawberry-flavored puffs were light and airy, perfectly crunchy, and had a distinct fruity taste. I also appreciated that one serving of the cereal contains 18 grams of protein, which comes from the addition of soy, pea, and lentil protein. I thought the cereal tasted like candy, so I was surprised by the hefty amount of protein and lack of sugar — zero grams of sugar to be exact. I was also pleased to learn that the inflated balls of cereal were pink from beets, not artificial food coloring. 

So where did this cereal go wrong? For me, where this cereal excelled in texture, it failed in flavor. My first impression was that the cereal tasted fruity, but that flavor quickly transformed into an artificial, synthetic experience on my palate. I'm also not a fan of products with butylated hydroxytoluene, or BHT. While considered safe for consumption in the U.S., BHT is a synthesized chemical added to food to prolong shelf life. Since BHT's safety is controversial, I try to avoid it. But that's me. I ranked this cereal worst because of its lingering, fake flavor. Plus, there were plenty of other delicious options to rank higher.

Post Original Shredded Wheat is no stranger to the no-sugar-added genre. In reality, original shredded wheat has been around for over 100 years, and it's never contained sugar. The cereal boasts whole grain wheat that's pressed into tiny, thread-like strips. Once shredded, the wheat is shaped into bite-sized squares that easily fit on a spoon. I grew up with shredded wheat, so sampling this cereal brought back great memories — especially since the bundles of wheat soak up whatever beverage you add (I've been known to eat cereal with orange juice). If you're seeking a non-GMO cereal, this is a great option. 

With all these accolades, why did I rank this cereal seventh? Two reasons. First, as mentioned above, I try to avoid products with BHT. This cereal has two ingredients: whole grain wheat and BHT. I'm an admirer of the wheat, not the chemical additive. Second, this cereal simply couldn't compete with the more flavorful cereals in the no-sugar-added category. Post has been delivering no sugar cereal for over a century, but in my opinion, others are currently doing it better. 

Alpen Muesli is a Swiss-style cereal that contains a nutritious blend of non-GMO whole grain oats, whole grain wheat, raisins, almonds, and hazelnuts. If you haven't tried muesli, note that it's got its own unique texture — it can be somewhat crumbly and dry, and more chewy than crunchy. But that's to be expected since the cereal doesn't promise to dispense fruity loops. I thoroughly enjoyed this cereal. The rolled oats were chewy, the wheat flakes were crisp, the nuts were toasty and crunchy, and the raisins provided a nice juicy/chewy contrast to the drier elements. And thanks to the raisins, the cereal was sweet without the need for added sugar. 

I couldn't rank it higher because it was a tad too powdery for me. It was as if the rolled oats coated everything with their chalky oat dust. That said, I will certainly sprinkle this muesli over yogurt, frozen yogurt, and ice cream. And I will consider using it as a topping for classic apple crisp and easy peach crisp. 

I ate Fiber One cereal every single day as a young adult. In fact, I kept a box at work so I could start my morning (at my desk) with a filling bowl of Fiber One, milk, and sliced banana. And I say "filling" because the whole grain wheat and bran cereal delivers 18 grams of gut-friendly fiber per serving. That much fiber (65% of the daily recommendation) is guaranteed to keep you satisfied for hours. My hack was to combine the cereal and milk and let them get acquainted for a few minutes. The inchworm-shaped pieces of cereal would absorb the milk and soften into an oatmeal-like texture, which I loved. 

But this walk down memory lane wasn't quite what I expected. The cereal seemed much sweeter than I remembered. Fiber One is sweetened with the artificial sweetener sucralose, a food additive that's 600 times sweeter than table sugar, and perhaps too sweet for this cereal. I loved the crunchy little nuggets, but over time, the sweetness was overpowering. And as I mentioned, even when food additives are considered safe for consumption, if there's any research linking them to adverse health effects, I prefer to avoid them. While I preferred this cereal over the previous ones, it was just too sweet for me. 

When traveling in Switzerland, Familia Swiss Müesli was served every morning, at every hotel, and I enjoyed it daily. I mean, when in the Alps. The cereal contains non-GMO whole grain rolled oats, whole grain wheat flakes, and other types of cereals, including rye, barley, and millet. It's sweetened with date pulp, apple puree, and banana puree, and gets extra sweetness from plump raisins. There's also added crunch from roasted hazelnuts, wheat germ, and roasted almonds. All that flavor and texture in one mouthful is pure decadence. Each serving (½ cup) contains 7 grams of sugar, but that's from the fruit, not the addition of cane sugar. This cereal is decidedly sweet, but not exceedingly sugary. 

I adored this cereal and how it balanced the toasted, nutty flavor of oats, wheat, and nuts with the sweetness of the fruit. And the texture was on point as well, since each spoonful was an explosion of textural contrasts. I ranked Familia fourth for one reason — I couldn't see myself racing hand over fist to eat more. But maybe that's a good thing; ½ cup should suffice, especially when partnered with milk or yogurt. There's no doubt I'll keep a box of this müesli in my pantry at all times.

When I sampled Catalina Crunch Cinnamon Toast cereal, I was instantly reminded of another cereal that boasts crunchy, cinnamon-y squares. But here's the thing — Catalina Crunch contains zero grams of sugar, and that "other" cereal has 12 grams of added sugar. The sugary brand also has 2 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber per serving (1 cup) versus Catalina Crunch's whopping 11 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber per serving (½ cup). 

These non-GMO cinnamon-laced squares were decidedly crisp, and thanks to the cinnamon, they were warm and comforting. Sweetened with stevia and monk fruit extracts, the cereal is also pleasantly sweet without being overtly sugary. It just goes to show that sugar isn't needed to create a deliciously sweet cereal. My only negative comment is this — I find monk fruit to leave an unpleasant aftertaste. The cinnamon helped overcome that sensation, but I tasted it all the same. This brand made it to the top three because it's fabulous, healthy, and devoid of sugar. It's not in the top two because I enjoyed those brands a bit more.

It was difficult to give Cascadian Farm Organic Mixed Berry Cereal the silver medal because I relished everything about this cereal. The whole grain wheat flakes were sizable and crisp, and I believe they are extra crunchy thanks to the addition of rice. The cereal is sweetened with date powder, so it was sweet but not too sweet, and didn't leave a funky aftertaste. The dried blueberries and dried strawberries added color, sweetness, and crunch, and the hint of sea salt complemented and elevated the sweeter ingredients. I also detected a smidge of coconut, which rounded out the flavor spectrum with its milky, nutty undertones. I also appreciated that the ingredients were all organic and non-GMO, so if that's important to you, this cereal reigns supreme. 

I could eat this cereal straight out of the box, and since that's something I value, I ranked accordingly for that. Again, it was hard not to rank this cereal first in the category, but I honestly liked the winner the absolute best. 

I made an audible gasp when I took my first bite of Magic Spoon Fruity Protein Cereal. I raced to the box to read the label, hoping it would reveal what on earth was delivering such great flavor and color; these vibrant gems are brimming with both. Scented with natural flavors and sweetened with monk fruit and allulose (a naturally occurring sweetener found in plants and fruit), this cereal is delightfully fruity and perfectly sweet, not cloyingly sugary or fake-tasting. And, unlike the Catalina Crunch cereal, the monk fruit didn't leave a medicinal aftertaste. 

Now let's talk about those vibrant colors — all natural, thank you very much. The yellow comes from turmeric, the green from spirulina, and the orange-ish hue is from vegetable juice. This cereal is also keto-friendly, gluten-free, and grain-free, making it suitable for a wide variety of dietary needs/desires.

Imagine being able to enjoy everything you crave in a fruity O-shaped cereal, but with a blast of protein (13 grams), zero sugar, and nothing artificial. There's so much to love about this cereal, and my pantry will never be without it moving forward. Not only will I grab handfuls directly from the box, I plan to fill little baggies with the cereal so I have a healthy, flavor-packed snack for road trips and long flights. It's my new favorite cereal, and I can feel good about eating it. 

For this ranking, I purchased eight no-sugar-added cereals and judged them based on flavor and texture. If the cereal delivered a nice texture — whether crunchy or chewy — and enjoyable flavor, I ranked it higher. I also considered additives because that's an important element for me. That said, some of the brands with additives ranked higher than brands without them because I enjoyed the cereal's flavor and texture more. I sampled each cereal dry (without liquid) for consistency, but they would all be fantastic with milk, yogurt, and their dairy-free counterparts. 

As mentioned, I love to eat cereal for dessert, and I believe I'm not alone. I took that into consideration when ranking these brands. Would I eat this as a late-night snack? If the answer was "yes," I ranked the cereal higher. And since ranking eight cereals alone can be a daunting task, I brought in family and friends to help. In fact, my young adult son practically lives on cereal, so I strongly valued his opinion. We all agree that this is a fair ranking. And while you can't go wrong with any of these brands, especially because they contain no added sugar and most are super nutritious, a few were unquestionably better than the rest.