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The 12 Best Low-Sugar Cereals, So You Can Enjoy Your Fave Breakfast Without an Energy Crash

Ready your milk, folks

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low-sugar cereals: person holding a white bowl of cereal with a spoon
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When you want to snooze your alarm a few extra times without losing the opportunity to fill up before starting your day, cereal is a lifesaver. That said, the market is flooded with sugar-bomb breakfast cereals. Yep, they might be fortified—but with twelve grams of sugar per bowl, those Froot Loops aren’t doing you any favors. Here, we rounded up the healthiest and tastiest low-sugar cereals around, so you can phone it in at breakfast without spiking your blood sugar. Our list includes favorites like Cheerios, Kix, Magic Spoon and more.

31 Low-Sugar Snacks That Will Satisfy Your Cravings


How Much Sugar Should You Aim for in a Day?

If you’re wondering what the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) is for sugar, we’re sorry to report that, well, there isn’t one. Indeed, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to how much sugar you should consume in a day. That said, experts agree that added sugar (i.e., sugar that doesn’t occur naturally in food) should be kept to a bare minimum, while natural sugars are fair game, an important distinction to keep in mind when assessing your own diet.

According to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, no more than 10 percent of your daily caloric intake should come from added sugars (so, 200 calories or 50 grams of sugar per day on a 2,000 calorie per day diet). The American Heart Association has more conservative guidelines, recommending an upper limit of 100 calories or 24 grams of added sugar per day for most women.

1. General Mills Cheerios

  • Grams of Sugar Per Serving: 2g
  • Why We Love It: kid-friendly, gluten free, high in whole grains

Plain Cheerios are one of the lowest sugar breakfast cereals on our list. This earthy, whole-grain cereal is also a particularly heart-healthy choice in that it’s cholesterol-free and low in fat. Pair it with fresh fruit (like strawberries and bananas) to sweeten your bowl without adding refined sugar.

2. General Mills Kix

  • Grams of Sugar Per Serving: 3g
  • Why We Love It: kid-friendly, cholesterol-free, tasty with or without milk

One bowl of these cholesterol-free corn puffs provides 3 grams of dietary fiber and sugar each. Despite the low sugar content, this classic cereal has a pleasantly sweet taste that’s parent- and kid-approved. Plus, Kix has a light, airy texture that’s ideal for dry snacking.

3. Nature’s Path Heritage Flakes

  • Grams of Sugar Per Serving: 5g
  • Why We Love It: long-lasting crunch, high in protein and fiber, made with quality ingredients

Nature’s Path Heritage Flakes—a lightly sweetened blend of wheat, barley, quinoa and other ancient grains—gets rave reviews for flavor and texture alike. In fact, word on the street is that this cereal never gets stale, takes ages to get soggy in milk and tastes delicious. The nutrition label doesn’t disappoint either: This healthy option has five grams of protein, seven grams of dietary fiber and a mere five grams of sugar. Color us impressed.

4. Post Grape Nuts

  • Grams of Sugar Per Serving: 5g
  • Why We Love It: high in fiber, high in iron, simple ingredients

Here, a low-sugar cereal that you’ll either love, hate or simply tolerate for its health benefits. Grape Nuts aren’t exactly the tastiest of the bunch, but it’s worth noting that their nutty, hearty flavor can be vastly improved with fresh fruit. Indeed, the most compelling reason to give Grape Nuts a try—aside from the fact they only have five grams of sugar per serving—is that they’re an excellent source of both fiber and iron (a whopping 90 percent of your daily recommended per serving), which means one bowl will get your bowels moving and give you an energy boost to boot.

5. Weetabix

  • Grams of Sugar Per Serving: 2g
  • Why We Love It: very low in sugar, neutral flavor, whole-grain cereal

This classic low-sugar cereal hails from the other side of the pond, so it’s hard to come by in stateside grocery stores. Fortunately, you can score a box (or several) online and enjoy a bowlful of what one reviewer describes as “dry, flaky biscuits'” with a “faint nuttiness…and very mild flavor.” OK, that might not be the best selling point—unless you’re into a neutral-tasting brekkie—so consider this: Weetabix has only two grams of sugar per serving, and its very loyal following suggests there’s more to love about this whole-grain cereal.

6. Three Wishes Unsweetened

  • Grams of Sugar Per Serving: 0g
  • Why We Love It: gluten-free, sugar-free, popular brand

When it comes to low-sugar cereal, Three Wishes unsweetened cereal can’t be beat, namely because it contains no sugar at all. It’s also grain-free and high in protein (eight grams per serving, to be exact), which makes it a keto dieter’s dream come true. That said, if you’re looking for flavor, this very neutral-tasting cereal probably won’t float your boat.

7. Magic Spoon Grain-Free Cereal

  • Grams of Sugar Per Serving: 0g
  • Why We Love It: nostalgic flavors, keto-friendly, low-carb, gluten-free, high protein

Here, another grain-free choice for the keto crowd. This low-carb cereal has an impressive 11 grams of protein per serving and no sugar. There’s also some wizardry at work here, because folks report that, against all odds, these flavored cereals are not only filling, but actually tasty. In other words, you really can have it all.

8. Barbara’s Bakery Original Puffins

  • Grams of Sugar Per Serving: 6g
  • Why We Love It: vegan, whole-grain cereal, kid-friendly, high fiber

A host of five-star reviews confirm that Barbara’s Puffins are big on flavor and a hit with adults and kids alike. These extra crunchy oat and corn pillows are sweetened with molasses to great effect. Better yet, each serving contains 6 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.

9. Quaker Life

  • Grams of Sugar Per Serving: 6g
  • Why We Love It: kid-friendly, whole-grain cereal, crispy texture

Much to our chagrin, the oh-so delicious Cinnamon Life cereal doesn’t make the low-sugar list. The original, however, is fair game. With only six grams of sugar per serving, this mildly sweet cereal boasts plenty of flavor and a satisfyingly light, crisp texture. Just keep in mind that it gets soggy fast, so you best make short work of eating it.

10. General Mills Total

  • Grams of Sugar Per Serving: 5g
  • Why We Love It: whole-grain cereal, packed with vitamins and minerals, simple ingredients

You can forget about supplements, friends, 'cause one bowl of this low-sugar cereal provides 100 percent of your daily value of 11 different vitamins and minerals. (Seriously, it's right there on the box.) Plus, it won't spike your blood sugar and gets high marks for flavor, too. Dare we say it's the total package?

11. Post Honey Bunches Of Oats

  • Grams of Sugar Per Serving: 6g
  • Why We Love It: cholesterol-free, kid-friendly, high in iron

This crowd-pleasing breakfast boasts a combination of crunchy oat and granola clusters and a slightly sweet taste that won’t cause you to feel snoozy 30 minutes after you eat it. Best of all, Honey Bunches of Oats is fortified with ten different essential vitamins and minerals, and a single serving provides 60 percent of your daily recommended intake of iron. It’s also low in fat and free of cholesterol, making it a diet-friendly choice to boot.

12. Fiber One Original Breakfast Cereal

  • Grams of Sugar Per Serving: 0g
  • Why We Love It: sugar-free, high in fiber, contains 3 grams of protein per serving

Not only is this nutritional powerhouse sugar-free, it’s beyond filling, thanks to its high fiber content (one serving contains a whopping 65 percent of your daily recommended amount). Three grams of protein per bowl makes it even more satiating. It’s also very low in calories and fat.


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Food Editor

Taryn Pire is PureWow’s food editor and has been writing about all things delicious since 2016. She’s developed recipes, reviewed restaurants and investigated food trends at...