It’s a fact; we live in a diet-conscious world. It seems every new year; there’s a new fad diet to solve all of your resolutions. Sometimes the original method is the best, and that is simply watching your caloric intake. The cerealverse solution is low-calorie cereals.
I know what you are thinking. Low-calorie cereal means no sugary cereals and no morning enjoyment. Believe it or not, some of the cerealverse’s OGs (Original Giants) are also kings of the low-calorie cereal aisle. So, yes, we are talking low sugar and high fiber cereal that is based on whole grains, but we are also talking about eating a great bowl of cereal as well.
So, what is your favorite low-calorie cereal? Here’s our list, but feel free to comment your own.
Sections
General Mills Corn Chex
You may be surprised at how many OGs make our list. Let’s start with one. Chex! Chex has a fandom all its own, and for good reason. In all its varieties, it’s a great low-calorie cereal. Oh, you didn’t know?
This OG comes in at 150 calories per serving, but that serving size is 1 AND a quarter cups large! So, come for an enjoyable taste of corn but stay for the healthy breakfast bowl that is gluten-free, high fructose corn syrup free, and full of whole-grain goodness.
Kellogg’s All-Bran Complete Wheat Flakes
Is there a list that Kellogg’s doesn’t make? No…no, there isn’t. In the cerealverse, there are a few natural laws:
- Save the cereal flavored milk for your final enjoyment
- Sliced banana is all real cereal lovers add
- Kellogg’s is the Superman of the cerealverse
Kellogg’s has a few OGs that are among the lowest-calorie cereals in the cereal aisle, and here’s the first. All-Bran is only 120 calories per cup, and since the sugar and dietary fiber both come in at 6 grams, they cancel each other out (at least that’s how we see it). So, what’s that leave? Well, 4 grams of protein and virtually fat-free enjoyment.
General Mills Rice Chex
Ok, General Mills is coming in strong with another Chex. Do you know why America loves Chex? Because Chex goes big, that’s why! Rice Chex has 10 more calories per serving than its corn brethren, but this is a 1 AND one-third-cup serving here!
You know that feeling when you pick up a large box of cereal and see it’s only “about 8 servings”? Yea, we know. On the feelings list, it’s above marriage and the birth of a child. Chex is as big of an OG as you will find in the cereal aisle, and we’re beginning to see why its fandom is some of the fittest in the cerealverse.
Kellogg’s Special K® Original Cereal
All hail Special K! A founding father of all things cereal, Special K is an OG in many ways, including healthy cereals. Special K has always been synonymous with foods that a good for weight loss and health. They even make a version based on soy protein.
Let’s be honest, can whole grain wheat and rice flakes ever be greater than they are as Special K? Special K can brag about being the origins of a nutritious cereal. For a 1 AND a quarter cup serving:
- 7 grams of protein
- 5 grams of sugar
Nature’s Path Flax Plus Multi-Bran Flakes
For being a new kid on the block, Nature’s Path is a seismic event in the cerealverse. This is all about the nutrition label. Double digits on the whole grain oats and wheat (16 grams) which also produces 7 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein (plant protein).
But apparently, Millenials have smaller stomachs than the OG cereal lovers. This serving is only 1 cup, but still 150 calories.
General Mills Fiber One™ Original Bran
Well, this makes the trifecta for General Mills. Fiber One wears a special crown in the cerealverse. It’s not only the lowest-calorie cereal. It’s not only one of the best healthy cereals. It’s actually both!
Are you sitting down? Well, get up lazy and cheer! We’re talking 90 calories a serving here! Think, eat yourself to weight loss. And, did we mention 18 grams of fiber paired with absolutely no refined sugar. We’re not talking low sugar; we’re talking no sugar.
If you want to make it slightly sweet, just add some maple syrup or some dried fruit. There are no unhealthy fats here, so let your imagination run wild.
One Degree Sprouted O’s
We will admit that they should have invested more into researching the name, but here we are. If you want a low-calorie cereal and gluten-free, then oat flour is the way to go.
Whole oats and brown rice, along with garbanzo beans, are a winning combination for protein, fiber, healthy fats (no saturated fat here), and calories. No added sugar, but there are 3 grams of sugar naturally for just a slight bit of sweetness.
General Mills Cheerios
The grand slam for General Mills, and they could not have gone bigger for the win. Honey Nut Cheerios is one of those OGs that created its own genre, like Frosted Mini-Wheats or Raisin Bran. Yea, Frosted Mini-Wheats are shredded wheat, but not all shredded wheat is Frosted Mini-Wheats. They just wish they were.
Cheerios is so iconic that as soon as you see a cereal call itself Oaty O’s, you know what’s going on. And like Cheerios, the clones may be a healthy cereal that will help you lose weight, but can they do it as a 100% whole-grain cereal that is gluten-free with real honey and has only 2 grams of added sugar?
Honey Nut Cheerios is 140 calories in one AND a half cup intervals of enjoyment that is easily accessible at grocery stores everywhere in the world.
Barbara’s Bakery Original Puffins
Speaking of the clone wars, remember Corn Chex? Well, here’s a 21st-century take on it. And, using cerealverse calculus, the 6 grams of sugar and 6 grams of fiber cancel each other out, so, yea a healthy cereal.
This means, if you want, you can add some maple syrup as your own added sugar to take it to the next level. Or not, it’s good as-is too.
Kellogg’s Corn Flakes
As if inventing whole wheat and rice flakes with Special K was not enough, Kellogg’s also invented Corn Flakes. Look, we’re talking about cereals that have their own websites. Do you have your own website? Exactly. Recognize! They put a cock on the cover of the box and made millions.
Corn Flakes is one AND one half a cup of weight loss indulgence. There are only 4 grams of added sugar and zero saturated fat in its 150 calories. You know, if you aren’t big on bran, you can add raisins to Corn Flakes for your own version of Raisin Bran. Did you know that? It’s not illegal. By the way, Kellogg’s also invented Raisin Bran.
Forager Project Grain & Gluten-Free Vegan Breakfast Cereal
Organic grain-free O’s 110 calorie cup serving hits all the diets:
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Soy-free
- GMO-free
- Vegan
- Keto (potentially)
FAQs
Should you eat cereal on a low-calorie diet?
Even though breakfast cereal is notoriously high in sugar, it is also typically low in fat, cholesterol, and salt. Also, it tends to be a lower-calorie choice when compared to many other common breakfast food options. So, it comes down to the specific cereal you choose, but generally speaking, Yes, cereal is OK on a low-calorie diet.
What are the benefits of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes?
Corn Flakes has long been marketed as a healthy cereal choice, and it does have some benefits. These benefits include:
- Good for digestion
- Low in cholesterol
- Rich in proteins
- Good for vision
- Helps with weight loss
- Nutrient-rich
- Heart-healthy
- Good for lung health
Where is Barbara’s Bakery Original Puffins cereal made?
Babara’s Bakery is actually a subsidiary of the United Kingdom-based brand, Weetabix Ltd. That may sound familiar to many cereal lovers and roamers throughout the cerealverse due to the cereal Weetbix. But, Barbara’s Bakery is a US-based company. It is located in Petaluma, California.
How many calories are in 2 bowls of Cheerios?
Cheerios is one of the OGs of the cerealverse. It is also one of the OGs of healthy cereals. Cheerios were gluten-free before being gluten-free was a thing. As well as low in sugar. One serving of Cheerios is 39 grams or 1 ½ cups. A double serving contains 280 calories.
Final Thoughts
Remember when cereal was fun, and we didn’t have to worry about our figures? Oh yeah, that was breakfast this morning. Cereal is still fun, even when it’s low-calorie cereal. This is nothing new to the cerealverse. It’s been doing it since the Big Bowl Theory occurred. But, we are curious. What is your favorite bowl of low-calorie cereal enjoyment?