Great grains is a popular breakfast cereal widely consumed among cereal enthusiasts. It is known for it’s hearty and wholesome ingredients, including whole grains, nuts, and fruits.
It comes in various delicious flavors such as Raisins & dates, cranberries, banana clusters and more.
However, is Great grains cereal healthy?
Short answer: Great grains cereal can be considered healthy as it is made from whole grains, contains a moderate amount of protein and fiber, and is high in vitamins and minerals. In addition, it is free from artificial additives. However, it is high in sugar and contain some processed ingredients. Therefore, should be consumed in moderation.
Read on to find out more about Great grains cereal including it’s ingredients, sugar, protein, fiber content and more.
So let’s start.
Also read: Is Total Cereal Healthy? The Truth About This Breakfast
What are the ingredients in Great grains cereal?
Great grains cereal comes in various flavors. Therefore, the exact ingredients can vary depending on the flavor.
In general, Great grains cereal is made up of whole grains such as wheat flour, rolled oats and malted barley.
Other common ingredients that you would find across each flavor include:
Cane sugar: It is a sugar produced from sugar cane juice. It is less processed and is considered better than regular sugar.
Expeller pressed Canola oil: It is a vegetable oil derived from the seeds of the canola plant without the use of any chemicals or solvents. It is better than regular canola oil as it retains more natural flavor and nutrients.
Rice syrup: It is a sugar produced from rice. It is often used as a sweetener in breakfast cereals or other foods.
Salt: It adds flavor to the cereal and preserve the freshness.
Molasses: It is a dark thick syrup by-product of the sugar refining process. It is often used as a sweetener in food products.
BHT: It is an ingredient used to preserve the freshness of food. It prevents the growth of mold and other spoilage organisms.
Although some studies have linked it to cancer, it is only when consumed in large quantities.
Natural flavor: Great grains cereal uses natural flavors. However, what and how many flavors are used is not disclosed.
In terms of ingredients, Great grains cereal is quite good. It does not include any major red flags such as artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
Moreover, it is also fortified with various vitamins and minerals such as vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, iron, zinc, etc.
How much sugar is in Great grains cereal?
Great grains cereal is high in sugar providing 8 to 16g per serving, depending on the flavor.
The Crunchy Pecan flavor has the lowest sugar(8g per serving), while the Blueberry Nut Crunch flavor has the highest sugar(16g per serving).
The sugar in Great grains cereal comes from both natural and added sugars like cane sugar, rice syrup, and molasses. Though, majority of sugar is added sugar.
According to American Heart Association, the daily sugar limit for men is 36g, while for women is 24g.
Consuming a single serving of Great grains cereal provides 22 to 44% for the daily sugar limit for men and 33 to 66% for women, depending on the flavor.
That’s significant amount of daily sugar.
Here is a table showing the sugar content of all Great grains cereal flavors.
| Flavors | Added sugar(g) | Total sugar(g) |
|---|---|---|
| Raisins, dates & pecans | 4 | 13 |
| Red berry almond crunch | 13 | 14 |
| Cranberry almond crunch | 12 | 12 |
| Crunchy pecan | 5 | 8 |
| Banana nut crunch | 9 | 10 |
| Blueberry nut crunch | 13 | 16 |
How much fiber is in Great grains cereal?
The Great grains cereal is a moderate source of fiber providing 3 to 5g per serving, depending on the flavor.
The Blueberry Nut crunch flavor has the lowest fiber(3g per serving), while the Crunchy Pecan and Banana Nut crunch flavor has the highest fiber(5g per serving).
Fiber is an essential part of a the breakfast as it promotes feelings of fullness. Therefore, people who eat cereal for breakfast typically expect it to be high in fiber.
Also read: Is Vector Cereal Healthy? The Truth About This Breakfast
Although Great Grains cereal is not extremely high in fiber, it can be considered decent.
If compared, Great grains cereal has more fiber than popular breakfast cereals like Rice Krispies, Special K, Corn Flakes, Life cereal, and Cheerios.
Here is a table showing the fiber content of all Great grains cereal flavor.
| Flavors | Fiber(g) |
|---|---|
| Raisins, dates & pecans | 4 |
| Red berry almond crunch | 4 |
| Cranberry almond crunch | 4 |
| Crunchy pecan | 5 |
| Banana nut crunch | 5 |
| Blueberry nut crunch | 3 |
How much protein is in Great grains cereal?
Great grains cereal is a moderate source of protein providing 3 to 6g per serving, depending on the flavor.
Banana nut crunch is the flavor with the highest protein(6g per serving).
All the protein in Great Grains cereal comes from grains. There is no added protein sources.
However, that’s not all.
Cereals are supposed to be consumed with milk, which enhances their overall protein content.
Which means, a single serving of Banana Nut crunch flavor paired with 250ml of cow milk could provide 15.2g of total protein, which is decent.
If compared, Great grains cereal has more protein than popular cereals like Rice chex, Reese puffs, Cinnamon toast crunch, Cheerios (honey nut), and Kellogg’s rice krispies.
Here is a table showing the protein content of all Great grains cereal flavors.
| Flavors | Protein(g) |
|---|---|
| Raisins, dates & pecans | 4 |
| Red berry almond crunch | 4 |
| Cranberry almond crunch | 5 |
| Crunchy pecan | 5 |
| Banana nut crunch | 6 |
| Blueberry nut crunch | 4 |
How much sodium is in Great grains cereal?
Great grains cereal is a low to moderate source of sodium providing 140 to 240mg per serving, depending on the flavor.
Raisins, dates & pecans is the flavor with the least sodium, while Banana nut crunch has the highest sodium.
As per the American Heart Association, the ideal daily sodium intake limit for adults is 1500mg.
Consuming a single serving of Great grains cereal provides 9 to 16% of this daily sodium limit.
If you follow a low-sodium diet, Great grains cereal can be a good option in moderation.
Here is a table showing the sodium content of all Great grains cereal flavors.
| Flavors | Sodium(mg) |
|---|---|
| Raisins, dates & pecans | 140 |
| Red berry almond crunch | 210 |
| Cranberry almond crunch | 200 |
| Crunchy pecan | 160 |
| Banana nut crunch | 240 |
| Blueberry nut crunch | 200 |
Is Great grains cereal a good source of iron?
Great grains cereal is an excellent source of iron with most flavors containing over 10mg of Iron per serving.
Banana nut crunch flavor is the highest, with 16.5mg of iron per serving. That’s equivalent to 200% of the daily recommended iron for men and 100% for women.
Also read: Are Coco Pops Healthy? The Truth About This Breakfast Cereal
Here is a table showing the iron content of all the Great grains cereal flavors.
| Flavors | Iron(mg) |
|---|---|
| Raisins, dates & pecans | 10.8 |
| Red berry almond crunch | 2.7 |
| Cranberry almond crunch | 4.5 |
| Crunchy pecan | 16.2 |
| Banana nut crunch | 16.5 |
| Blueberry nut crunch | 2.7 |
Is Great grains cereal good for weight loss?
Great grains cereal is not the good food for weight loss because it is high in sugar.
However, due to its moderate protein and fiber content, it can be consumed in moderation on a weight loss diet.
When it comes to calories, great grains cereal is not very high. A single serving contain anywhere 200-230 calories.
However, when combined with 250ml of skim milk, the overall calorie count increases to around 350, which is significant for those seeking to lose weight.
If you want to incorporate Great grains cereal into your weight loss diet, the best flavor is Crunchy Pecans. It contains the least sugar (8g) and 5g of protein and fiber.
Remember that weight loss doesn’t depend on only one food but on your overall diet and lifestyle.
Is Great grains cereal processed food?
Great grains cereal is a processed food as it includes processed ingredients like cane sugar, salt, rice syrup, and molasses.
However, it is not highly processed as other breakfast cereals that contain ingredients like High fructose corn syrup(HFCS), maltodextrin, artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavors.
Great grains cereal has numerous vitamins and minerals, which makes it a nutritious cereal option despite being processed.
Is Great grains cereal vegan?
Great grains cereal is not vegan-friendly as it contains cane sugar and vitamin D3.
While cane sugar itself is vegan, strict vegans avoid it because of the way it is processed. Cane sugar is filtered through bone char made from the bones of animals.
In addition, cane sugar in Great grains cereal is not labelled as organic or unrefined, which adds to the uncertainty of its vegan status.
Moreover, Great grains cereal contains added vitamin D3, which is usually sourced from animals. However, it can also be derived from lichen, a type of algae that is vegan-friendly.
But because the source of vitamin D3 in Great Grains cereal is not specified, it is likely, not vegan-friendly.
Is Great grains cereal gluten-free?
Great grains cereal is made up of whole wheat as the primary ingredient and, therefore, is not gluten-free.
Is Great grains cereal better than other Cereals?
With so many other cereal options available, it can be hard to decide if Great grains cereal is worth the choice.
Let’s compare it to some of the popular cereal brands.
Great grains cereal vs Total cereal: Great grains cereal contains more protein and fiber, whereas Total cereal contains slightly less sugar and a higher level of vitamins.
Choosing one here entirely depend on personal preferences.
Great grains cereal vs Cheerios (original): While Great Grains cereal contains more fiber, it is less healthier than Cheerios because Cheerios contain less sugar and more calcium.
Great grains cereal vs Special K(original): Great Grains cereal has more fiber, while Special K has slightly more protein.
However, Special K has less sugar and fewer calories, making it healthier than Great grains cereal.
Great grains cereal vs Shredded wheat(original): Great grains cereal is less healthier than Shredded wheat.
Shredded wheat contains more fiber and protein and has no sugar and sodium.
Great grains cereal vs Raisin bran(original): Great grains cereal is healthier than Raisin bran as it contains slightly less sugar and more fiber.
Note that whichever cereal options you choose, always check the nutrition and ingredient labels.
Final words
After looking at the ingredients and nutrition value of Great Grains cereal, it can be considered a healthy breakfast option.
There are various reasons for this such as:
- It is made with whole grains and nuts.
- It is low to moderate in sodium.
- It is a moderate source of protein and fiber.
- It is a good source of various vitamins and minerals.
- It is free from artificial additives.
However, it is important to consume it in moderation as it is high in sugar and contain some processed ingredients.
Still, it is better than many other breakfast cereals and can be a part of a breakfast in moderation.
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