It ranks among the top five best-selling cereals in the country, by some sources. Here's the scoop on this classic's modern makeover.
Some research has suggested that 49% of Americans grab a bowl of cereal for breakfast. For those who are also mindful to start the day with some protein, long-known cereal maker Post just made it a little easier.
Wednesday, a representative for Post Consumer Brands announced via email that Honey Bunches of Oats is out with two new protein-packed varieties: Protein Honey Almond, and Protein Cinnamon. The rep also shared nutrition info, revealing that a one-cup serving of each contains nine grams of protein. That’s a 200% increase over the three grams per one-cup serving of Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds.
A look at the new ingredients lists suggests pea and wheat are the protein sources.
Dietary fiber also gets notched up slightly in the two new launches, with three grams of fiber versus the classic version’s two.
On the other hand, sugar- and calorie-conscious consumers might notice a bump: added sugars in the new Protein releases jump from eight grams to nine (in Protein Honey Almond) and to 11 grams (in Protein Cinnamon). Do the math, knowing four grams is equivalent to one teaspoon of sugar—but also consider that according to the Protein versions’ ingredients list, sugars are coming from honey, cocoa, and stevia. (Corn syrup and sugar are listed on both the previous Honey Bunches of Oats side panel, as well as the new versions’. That said, these two refined sources appear farther down on the ingredients list, which can suggest they’re not as prominent to the recipe formulation in the new releases.)
Calorie count also jumps from 170 to 250—but arguably, macronutrient calculations would likely indicate that more calories are coming from higher nutrition. Fat content also doubles, but only one gram counts as saturated fat in the Protein launches.
So, do two Honey Bunches of Oats Protein products make for a healthier meal? Most experts would probably say it depends on your diet goals and how committed you are to your bowl of Bunches. Famed rock guitarist Bruce Kulick launched a pandemic-era food blog and has done research to suggest Honey Bunches of Oats is the fourth highest-selling cereal in the country at around 111 million boxes sold per year. In March 2021, exactly a year into the pandemic, Post Chief Growth Officer Tom Dixon told CNN that sales for “adult-focused” cereal brands had “dramatically jumped” when Americans were on lockdown. Honey Bunches of Oats were mentioned as one of those brands, with the almond and honey-roasted flavors reportedly leading the pack. Perhaps those trends at least partially inspired this up-leveled take on the brand.
If you were among those buyers, the Post rep told us the two new releases are currently available online, and hitting supermarket shelves January 1.
Grape Nuts was another Post product that saw so much movement during the pandemic that some customers discovered it was sold out—itself a low-sugar, high-fiber, high-protein alternative to sugary icons. We’re also fans of Trader Joe’s High Fiber Cereal, whose three grams of added sugar come from cane sugar. Add some fresh or dried fruit to either of these with milk, and expect an appetite and blood sugar that will feel stable for several hours.
For daily wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:
- 27 High-Protein Breakfast Ideas to Kickstart Your Mornings
- An Investigation Just Found Some Protein Powders Contain High Lead Levels—Here Are 7 Brands That Got the Safest Scores
- Eat This One Breakfast To Lose Weight and Lower Your Blood Sugar, New Study Says
- A Popular Dairy Brand Just Recalled Milk Gallons in 2 States, Reports the FDA
