I eat just plain Special K....but I think I will be changing to a fiber rich cereal. My husband loves Corn Pops...he will be crushed! - 4/30/2013   3:02:37 PM

astounded that special K is a no-no! - 4/20/2013   5:43:11 PM

Kashi! Yeah! Love their cereals and trail mix bars. - 3/7/2013   12:24:56 PM

i love cheerios and kix. - 3/4/2013   11:16:59 PM

Steel cut oats are the best! But they do take about a half hour to cook. To cut that time down to about 10 minutes. Stir the oats into very hot water the night before you go to bed. Stir it and put the lid on. The next morning, turn on the heat, stir and cook, stirring often. - 3/3/2013   7:13:11 AM

For the celiacs in our midst... this wasn't the most helpful article .
But maybe it helped someone else.
- 2/25/2013   6:34:43 AM

Time to pull out the steel cut oatmeal again. I'll have to take the time to cook it. I now have Agave syrup and blueberries to add and I think I have a banana and pineapple too! - 2/12/2013   4:53:51 PM

These supposedly whole grain cereals are so processed that they do not contain any natural nutritional benefits at all.The vitamins,fiber and any other possible substance of value is added artificially. - 2/2/2013   11:49:19 PM

I've been wheat (gluten) free for 3 months now. I haven't changed the rest of my diet. I weighed 240.5, 3 month ago, and weigh 225.4 today. Apparently wheat which is in about 80% of foods, has been GM 100 times and stores in the body as fat that the body can't use. It also affects other organs. I feel full eating rice pasta, corn bread, potato bread crumbs, quinoa cereals like MESA, etc. I've been drinking soy milk for 12 years and only had 2 colds in that time. I used to eat oats but not any more. I've eaten all of the above wheat cereals but they don't apply anymore to me. We still have nutritionists pushing milk and dairy products. BTW, I'm trying to get my 16-pound house cat on gluten-free as well and am searching for foods for him. - 8/23/2012   6:40:43 PM

I agree that the 10 healthiest cereals are some of the most tasteless choices. Also keep in mind that carbs convert to sugar, but the total fiber count helps reduce the net carbs and brings it down. Also eating a cereal that has 50 grams of fiber is major overkill on your system. Most bodies are not meant to handle so much at one time. I personally like to use good ole fashioned oatmeal and add the fresh or thawed berries, along with nuts, flax meal and sometimes throw in some protein powder. That really helps me last longer since I have a very physical job and burn it up quickly. Also I say go ahead and splurg on some fruit loops once in awhile.(not for breakfast) Every thing in moderation :) - 6/19/2012   8:20:05 PM

Interesting - but more interesting is the feedback!

- 6/7/2012   3:14:03 PM

I don' eat cereal for breakfast because it doesn't take me trough the morning, hut i do eat it as a snack... I dont like sugary cereals they are too sweet for me I prefer cheerios so I can add the sugar I just need.... - 6/6/2012   6:26:54 PM

I'm glad I'm not the only one that commented about the taste of the "top best" cereals. It's one thing for them to be rated as the best nutritionally, but they need to taste good as well. I prefer Cheerios Multigrain over any other. I can eat it every day. It has vitamins, 110 cal. 1 g fat, 3 g fiber, 23 carbs and only 23 carbs. I add my fiber powder to it which adds 25 calories and 5 fiber. A great breakfast with 3/4 C skim milk. Ohhhh, and only 6 g of sugar!!! Most of the vitamins are 100% also.

rumbamel - 6/6/2012   9:56:32 AM

Thank you for taking the effort to give me a table I can easily copy to my phone. I'm going to refer to this while shopping. There is so much to remember while changing to a healthy lifestyle, you are simplifying for me at a time when I need it. - 6/6/2012   9:14:17 AM

eye opener - 6/6/2012   6:01:07 AM

good morning @ all,
the list is gr8, but not helpful for me because i have to follow a gluten free diet and am also diabetic.
is there somewhere a list for this special diet? i find it hard to find whole grain gluten free cerials or any other products made out of gluten free grains.
is there someone in this community i can exchange experience with?
i also write/read german...

- 6/6/2012   5:50:20 AM

My only problem with any cold cereal is it just doesn't have any staying power for me. I would rather have my Coach's Oats with dried cranberries, flax, and soy milk. I will eat Whole Grain Cheerios as a snack, but not as my breakfast - 6/3/2012   8:34:19 PM

I don't think you can take a list like this and say these are the best or the worse. So much depends on the individual's needs. Are you overweight? Underweigth? Are you diabetic? List goes on and on. The bottom line is that you need to know your body and what works for you. Use good judgement and eat everything in moderation. I good thing becomes a bad thing if you over do it. This goes for exercise too. And if you have been in a bad rut for a long time and no longer know what is good for you get the advise of a reputable professional. It doesn't necessary have to be someone with a degree behind their name. Just someone with good common sence. I am learning a lot on my own just by tracking and reading about food from Spark People. - 6/1/2012   6:38:10 PM

If the recommended rule is "Choose cereals with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving, and less than 5 grams of sugar," why do 4 of the 10 best cereals have less than 5g of fiber and 1 of those cereals have more than 5g of sugar? - 6/1/2012   2:59:49 PM

Thanks, Oobarboo. If it weren't for advances in agriculture we wouldn't even have enough cereal on the shelf to feed the 6 billion people on our planet. When is the last time that you ate a banana with a seed? Bananas were hybridized in the 1880's. Macintosh apples were created by a freak of nature and only exist because of grafting through human efforts. I know it's not genetically modified by human hands but... Part of the reason we have a weight problem in the developed world is because of our consistent access to processed food. Even my parents who were farm kids in the 30's lived with limited food and during the war years, rationing. GMO's exist because they meet the need of feeding the planet. We are too fortunate in North America that all of us who belong to the middle class and higher have never had to look hunger in the face since the end of WWII! We should be thankful to whatever god, economy and luck of birth landed us here with so much good (and highly processed fatty)food and that we even have the option of organic if that is where our conscience leads us.
Personally, I love shredded wheat with nuts, fruit and a tiny bit of brown sugar. It makes my morning rock! - 6/1/2012   12:41:52 PM

Heavy sigh of frustration as I read the comments regarding GMO crops...My family, also, has been in the farming "Agribusiness" for generations. I agree with Ma_Two_Five's comments and wholly support the use of foods derived from GMO commodities. It is true that GMO practices are nothing more than glorified hybridization. The foods that are produced are 100% safe, and no one has proven otherwise. And, FYI, Round-up becomes totally inert after application, there is no residue that gets absorbed into the plant or seed. Prior to the use of GMO "Round-up Ready" crops, fields were treated with much more dangerous chemicals that could leave residue which could be harmful if consumed. The use of GMO crops has led to SAFER foods for all of us. It is the misinformed opponents of GMO practices that need to get their facts straight. Look at the great strides science has made through the years by taking chances with modifying genetics. If there would have been such an outcry from people years ago, we would not have antibiotics to treat many once life-threatening diseases, we would not be able to produce antibiotics in mass quantities, and now, we would still be dousing our food crops with dangerous chemicals. Opponents to GMO have done an excellent job of instilling fear in the minds of the public. But this is one farm gal that doesn't buy into any of it. America still is producing the safest and least expensive food in the world. - 6/1/2012   10:59:39 AM

Really surprised that Kashi Good Friends didn't make this list. There's even a shop rite version of it, which is way cheaper than the name brand available. My mom's been eating it for years. - 6/1/2012   9:26:25 AM

Thanks alot for the list, but I was kind of surprised by the Special K I will have to find someone to give them to! - 5/31/2012   10:34:45 PM

I'm not particularly concerned about the involvement of Monsanto or GMOs in my cereal (although I totally respect the opinions of those who are), but I am REALLY interested in the taste of my cereal. And unfortunately I don't think any of the "ideal" cereals listed taste good at all without extreme modifications. Generally I just dodge the issue by not eating cereal, but I am disappointed that this article didn't try to strike a good balance between taste and nutrition or at least provide taste-enhancing suggestions for the approved cereals. As is, it's not going to make any impact on my food choices. - 5/31/2012   1:06:06 AM

Wish the poster attempting to burst the GM bubble was correct. The whole GMO issue is a far cry from hybridization--corporations like Monsanto are engineering between species, not other varieties. Genetic engineering is gene splicing between species, including plants and animals. Never before in the history of mankind has bacteria, viruses or genetic material from unrelated species been spliced together to make up new foods. Trans-genetic transfer--gene splicing--is hazardous, imprecise and unpredictable. One primary motive behind genetically engineered crops is the ability to patent them and claim ownership in perpetuity. Further, consider the push to engineer crops to withstand enormous amounts of glyphosate (round-up, an herbicide). The grower of the crop will profit enormously from drenching its crops in this toxic substance--but what will the effect be upon your children? Education on the truth of GM products is the first step, labeling GM products is the second. - 5/30/2012   6:28:36 PM

I eat Fibre 1 with a little bit of All Bran Buds and a handful of fresh blueberries every morning!! I also have a medium sized banana along with it. I don't feel any hunger for at least 2 1/2 hours. - 5/30/2012   3:26:49 PM

Has anyone heard of a brand of cereal called "Mom's Best Naturals"? They have several varieties of cereal, including 'Toasted Wheat Fulls' and a few others. Anyway, they tend to have very little sugar, a lot of whole grains, with fiber and protein. And it is much less expensive than Kashi and other brands. - 5/30/2012   3:22:03 PM

My favorite cold cereals for breakfast (or even for a snack) are Multigrain Cheerios, regular Cheerios and Special 'K' with Red Berries. I stick to the posted serving size and use 1% milk. - 5/30/2012   3:01:11 PM

I eat Post Raisin Bran, Grapenuts, and Fiber One Honey Clusters. - 5/30/2012   11:00:09 AM

I agree with Turtle1976. Life is too short to eat cardboard for breakfast. I like All Bran and Honey Nut Cherrios and Wheatees. None made the list. - 5/30/2012   10:59:20 AM

No offense, but I really can't stand any of the top ten cereals. Life is too short to eat cardboard with no flavor. I've found that if I eat something I really like, I eat less and am more satisfied. - 5/30/2012   10:12:56 AM

As a diabetic, I was told to check the carb content and to choose only those cereals with less than 30 carbs. - 5/30/2012   8:38:19 AM

Please consider paying attention to cereal's without any sugar at all as some use ASPARTAME instead. Personally, I try to avoid this chemical along with other preservatives. I thought Fiber One was an awesome healthy score and delicious until I read the ingredients. Shredded Wheat has no sugar or aspartame. - 5/30/2012   12:03:54 AM

I LIKE PUFFED WHOLE WHEAT CEREAL WITH SKIM MILK BERRIES OR HALF BANANA - 5/29/2012   11:55:39 PM

I'm wondering why Shredded Wheat N Bran didn't make the list..........it meets the criteria for "best cereals" ??? - 5/29/2012   7:33:25 PM

I'm a Dukanian.We all eat only oat bran everyday.I have lost 102 pounds since I started - 5/29/2012   5:57:10 PM

I'm a big fan of Grape Nuts. They're a bit high in sugar, but they have a lot of fiber and protein, 5 g of fiber, 6 of protein per serving,with a decent amount of whole grains. I like that a serving takes a long time to eat because of how crunchy it is. It's one of the few cereals that makes me feel very full for my entire day. - 5/29/2012   5:30:03 PM

The only cereals I eat are Kellogg's Raisin Bran, and old fashioned long cooking cereals like steel cut oats or large flake oatmeal. I also eat Red River cereal, which is a cooked whole grain cereal that contains a variety of grains and seeds in it. I generally skip adding any sugar to any of them, and I only use non-fat skim milk.

I think the thing that most amazes me, when it comes to cereal, is that people will complain about the fat and sugar in some of the boxed cereals, but when you watch them eat their cooked cereals, they load up on full fat milk (instead of skim milk) and brown sugar or honey. When it comes to calories, brown sugar and honey, are just as bad as refined sugar, and will stick to your arse just as firmly. - 5/29/2012   3:17:08 PM

VRCATON and SNOWFLAKE70 I happen to be in the grass roots farming biz, GMO is GMO, they are developing bug and drought resistant grains so we don't have to use chemicals to control them and to help us raise more grain to feed a starving world and the people who insist on a certain level of food quality. An by the way, the "Big Agri" business that you refer to should be changed to "Big Corporate" biz. The grass roots people get very little of that money, get your facts straight before you start forming opinions. - 5/29/2012   2:12:42 PM

Wake up and smell the money people! The cereals listed are all BIG AGRI business moneymakers ... Organic and locally made is the way to go. - 5/29/2012   2:00:43 PM

who knows what?? I'm a diabetic an nothing is good for you . Any one know what is the best cereal? I'm trying hard to do weight control also. Keeping done carbs and sugar ath the same time, so I gave up on cereal except for Red Mill raw oats, I put in flaxseed, and use some almond soy milk, I also add lots of fiber, I also found making my own muffins from the Red Mill Oat Bran recipe on the package is not only a good breakfast but is a healthy snak in evening if I want something sweet. I add cranberries, or dates,golden rasians to the recipe. Its load with fiber and I can make it sweat and leave out the brown sugar..use applesauce and add more fiber. I can do without the box cereal - 5/29/2012   1:46:59 PM

I eat 1 cup of Kroger Value Puffed wheat with a 1/3 cup of blueberries and 1/2 cup of fat free milk every day. This cereal has no sugar, no fat, only 60 cal per cup and best of all is it only 99 cents for a bag. It can only be purchased at Kroger stores (Fry's in AZ) - 5/29/2012   1:32:06 PM

Ma-to-five-GMO is not referring to naturally crossed breeding. It refers to seeds that have been changed and modified to poisen and deter bugs, withstand drought, and make a host of other "fixes." It can easily take over ALL strains of natural generations of plants-not to mention we have zero idea of what it could do to us eating it long-term. This is completely different than what you are talking about, and is quite new to our food chain. - 5/29/2012   1:27:54 PM

Sorry to burst some bubbles but you all need to get proper information about GMO's. The word hybrid means it is genetically modified, where do you think all of our different kinds of melons, apples, squash, tomatoes, etc. comes from, they have all been genetically crossed with other varieties, hence genetically modified. That rainbow of food that we are all trying to eat to stay healthy and ward off diseases, a veritable plethora of GMO's. The general public has the idea that GMO means chemical change which is so untrue. My suggestion is that you find a farmer that grows different varieties of grains, get a sample and take it to a laboratory of your choice and have them test it for proteins, chemical residue, etc. I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the results. GMO's have been around for decades, don't know why it has become such a big deal, of late. - 5/29/2012   12:33:21 PM

The cereal my husband and I eat almost every day is: 1/2 cup of Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Whole Grain flourless Golden Flax cereal by Food for Life. No sugar, high in fiber, and awesome in flavor. We top it with fruit, unsalted nuts unsalted seeds, with a bit of fat free milk. Yum! And it keeps you feeling full longer. - 5/29/2012   12:26:31 PM

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read. Processed breakfast cereals are not good for you no matter what they have in them. Fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and oatmeals/grains are best. Every day, I move farther and farther away from SP. And this is the reason why. It makes me sad. - 5/29/2012   11:41:19 AM

Very poorly written article. How about some reasons why the bad cereals are bad? You reference NPI, but don't clarify what the acronym stands for. The labels "good" and "bad" are arbitrary, since there are no guidelines laid out as to what makes a cereal good or bad. Your journalism professor would be displeased. Fail/incomplete. - 5/29/2012   11:37:12 AM

What size is a cup??? 30g? - 5/29/2012   11:10:52 AM

I agree with several people who recommend steel cut oats as a more nutritional cereal than any cereal listed. In the winter I love it hot with cinnamon andnutmeg. In the summer I recommend not cooking it but leaving a bowl of the oats in the frig over night layered with organic yogurt and fresh berries. The oats are softened for enjoying the next morning and very tasty. - 5/29/2012   11:10:48 AM

Ha! Fiber One original has a whole lot of chemicals including aspartame! - 5/29/2012   10:35:54 AM