Cereal Sans Sugar Overload: The Next Gen Breakfast

This week I tried three cereals from U.S. Mills and put them to the test for criteria such as flavor, sweetness, crunchiness, chewiness, and sogginess.  All three cereals contain low to moderate amounts of sweetener and are Kosher, Vegan Suitable, and contain no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

Aztec Crunchy Corn & Amaranth Cereal

(Organic, Gluten Free) – from Erewhon line of cereals

If you grew up on Cap’n Crunch, you’ll have to tune down your expectation for sugar. Take a bite of Aztec Crunchy Corn & Amaranth Cereal and you will taste natural corn and amaranth flavor rather than a full blast of sugar. This cereal holds a crispy and crunchy chew. It is so crunchy that you can hear the loud crunch resounding in your head when you chew. It has a long chew texture, meaning that the crunch turns into chew and continues on for a good duration before breaking down completely. The cereal comes in puffy triangular pieces and the texture is akin to a hardened cheese puff. Kudos to a cereal with a super low sugar content of 1g per cup (30g) of cereal, only fruit juice sweetened, giving it a faint hint of sweetness. Compare that to the almost 16g of sugar per cup of Cap’n Crunch.  After letting the cereal soak in milk for five minutes, the exterior became “wet” but there was still a very strong crunch. With snacks for kids in mind, I also tried the cereal dry, without milk. The corn and amaranth flavor came through stronger, not being diluted by milk.

Serving Size: 1 cup (30g), 110 Cal, 0g Total Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 70mg Sodium, 26g Total Carb, 1g Sugars, 2g Protein

Strawberry Crisp Brown Rice & Corn Cereal with Real Strawberries

(Made with Organic Grains, Gluten Free) – from Erewhon line of cereals

This brown rice and corn flake cereal with strawberries strikes a delightful balance on the palate. The crispy flakes, tasty rice and corn flavor, bright strawberry flavor and touch of sugar all meld together into a good mouthful of flavor, texture, and chew. The flavor of the strawberry pairs well with that of the corn and brown rice flakes. The dehydrated strawberry pieces vary in size and there are some nice large chunks. After the five minute milk soak test, the brown rice and corn flakes were much softer but still held a slight crisp. Total thumbs up on Strawberry Crisp Brown Rice & Corn Cereal with Real Strawberries.

Serving Size: 3/4 cup (32g), 120 Cal, 0.5g Total Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 125mg Sodium, 28g Total Carb, 6g Sugars, 2g Protein

Uncle Sam Toasted Whole-Wheat Flakes & Flaxseed with Real Mixed Berries

(100% Whole Grain, Omega-3 Fatty Acids from Flaxseed)

The flakes in Uncle Sam are small, about the size of oatmeal, but they are packed with a smoky toasted wheat flavor and a hearty crunch.  Of the freeze dried berries, the raspberries can be quite tart.  The strong flavor of the whole wheat flakes seem to dominate the strawberries and blueberries, giving way to occasional tart raspberry highlights.  Loose flaxseeds in the mix ensure that you get a dose of ALA Omega-3 fatty acids.  Uncle Sam contains barley malt as a sweetener rather than cane sugar.  This cereal is a hearty and wholesome choice for those seeking high fiber content and avoiding sugar and refined ingredients.

Serving Size: 1 cup (55g), 190 Cal, 4.5g Total Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 130mg Sodium, 250mg Potassium, 39g Total Carb, 10g Dietary Fiber, 2g Sugars, 7g Protein

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