Heritage Flakes is a nutritious breakfast cereal from Nature’s Path, the same brand that has given us many more breakfasts, such as love crunch, Mesa Sunrise and many more.
This breakfast cereal is popular for using ancient grains, which have been cultivated for generations.
These grains include whole wheat, Oat, Barley, Millet, Spelt and Quinoa.
While it tastes crunchy, crispy and delicious, is Heritage Flakes healthy?
Short answer: Heritage Flakes is healthy as it is made from six ancient grains, is low in sugar and sodium, and high in fiber. It also has moderate protein content and is free from artificial flavors, colors and preservatives.
Read on to find out more about Heritage flakes, including its ingredients, sugar, protein, fiber, sodium content and more.
I’ll also compare Heritage Flakes to the most popular breakfast cereals to see how it stacks against them.
So let’s start.
Read also: Is Rice Chex Healthy? The Truth About This Cereal
What is Heritage Flakes made up of?
Heritage Flakes is made from nutritious ingredients such as Khorasan wheat flour, Wheat bran, Whole wheat meal, Whole oat flour, Spelt flour, Barley flour, Whole millet, Barley malt extract and Quinoa.
It also includes other ingredients such as Cane sugar, Sea salt and Honey to provide flavor to the cereal.
Let’s know a little about each of these ingredients.
1. Khorasan Wheat Flour: Also known as Kamut, it is an ancient grain cherished for centuries. Many people consider it to be healthier than regular wheat.
2. Wheat Bran: It is the outer layer of the wheat kernel, packed with fiber and essential nutrients.
3. Whole Wheat Meal: It comes from grinding the wheat kernel, including the bran and germ, making it a great source of fiber and minerals.
4. Cane Sugar: It is a sugar used to add a touch of sweetness to the Heritage cereal.
5. Whole Oat Flour: Oats are known for their high fiber content and contribute to the wholesome goodness of Heritage Flakes.
6. Spelt Flour: It is flour made from the Spelt grain, a wheat species.
7. Barley Flour: It is flour prepared from barley(an ancient grain). This grain is known for its high fiber content and versatility.
8. Whole Millet: It is a gluten-free grain packed with nutrients, adding a delightful texture to each flake.
9. Barley Malt Extract: It is a natural sweetener derived from sprouted barley that enhances the flavor profile of Heritage Flakes
10. Quinoa: Quinoa brings protein-rich goodness to the cereal, making it even more nutritious.
11. Sea Salt: A little sea salt is added to elevate the overall flavor.
12. Honey: Besides cane sugar and barley malt extract, honey is added to provide sweetness.
Overall, ingredients-wise, Heritage Flakes is healthy. In fact, it is one of the best among many cereals.
There is no use of any concerning ingredients such as HFCS, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
How much sugar is in Heritage Flakes?
Heritage Flakes is low in sugar, with 5g per serving(40g).
That’s about 13% of the daily sugar limit for men and 20% for women set by the American Heart Association.
All of the sugar in Heritage Flakes is added coming from cane sugar and honey.
Unlike highly processed sugars, cane sugar is considered less refined, and honey has many health benefits.
It can be said that Heritage Flakes has a good kind of sugar that doesn’t raise higher risks, similar to other sugars.
Moreover, it also includes barley malt extract as a natural sweetener.
If compared, Heritage Flakes has
- 44% less sugar than Reese’s Puffs.
- 70% less sugar than Kellogg’s raisin bran.
- 58% less sugar than Cheerios(honey nut), Frosted Flakes and Cinnamon toast crunch.
So, if you are controlling your sugar intake, Heritage Flakes is a good option.
Here is a table comparing the Heritages Flakes cereal sugar content to popular breakfast cereals.
| Cereal brand | Sugar(g) |
|---|---|
| Heritage Flakes | 5 |
| Cheerios (honey nut) | 12 |
| Reese’s puffs | 9 |
| Kellogg’s raisin bran | 17 |
| Frosted flakes | 12 |
| Cinnamon toast crunch | 12 |
| Premier protein cereal | 5 |
| Mesa sunrise cereal | 5 |
| Cornflakes | 4 |
| Golden grahams | 9 |
How much protein is in Heritage Flakes?
Heritage Flakes is a moderate source of protein, providing 5g per serving(40g).
All the protein in Heritage Flakes is plant-based, coming from multiple grains.
But that’s not all.
Cereals are typically consumed with milk, which increases the overall protein content.
A single serving of Heritage flakes with one cup of cow milk can provide roughly 12 to 14g of protein, which is decent.
If compared, Heritage Flakes cereal has more protein than Golden Grahams, Frosted Flakes, Cinnamon toast crunch and Reese’s Puffs.
If you want high-protein cereal, go for premier protein cereal. It contains 20g of protein per serving (without milk).
Here is a table comparing the Heritage Flakes protein content to popular breakfast cereals.
| Cereal brand | Protein(g) |
|---|---|
| Heritage Flakes | 5 |
| Cheerios (honey nut) | 3 |
| Reese’s puffs | 2 |
| Kellogg’s raisin bran | 5 |
| Frosted flakes | 2 |
| Cinnamon toast crunch | 2 |
| Premier protein cereal | 20 |
| Mesa sunrise cereal | 4 |
| Cornflakes | 3 |
| Golden grahams | 2 |
How much fiber is in Heritage Flakes?
Heritage Flakes is high in fiber, providing 7g per serving(40g).
That’s about 28% of the daily recommended fiber(25g) for adults.
The credit for fiber goes to the ancient grains.
Fiber is an essential part of the diet as it helps you feel satisfied, promotes healthy digestion, and regulates blood sugar levels.
This means that a serving of Heritage flakes will be sufficient to satisfy you, reducing the need for frequent snacking.
If compared, Heritage Flakes has more than double the fiber of Reese’s Puffs, Frosted Flakes, Cinnamon toast crunch, and Golden Grahams.
Here is a table comparing the Heritage Flakes fiber content to popular breakfast cereals.
| Cereal brand | Fiber(g) |
|---|---|
| Heritage Flakes | 7 |
| Cheerios (honey nut) | 3 |
| Reese’s puffs | 1 |
| Kellogg’s raisin bran | 7 |
| Frosted flakes | 1 |
| Cinnamon toast crunch | 2 |
| Premier protein cereal | 2 |
| Mesa sunrise cereal | 4 |
| Cornflakes | 1 |
| Golden grahams | 1 |
Is Heritage Flakes high in sodium?
Heritages flakes is low in sodium, providing 200mg per serving(40g).
That’s about 13% of the daily ideal sodium limit(1500mg) set by the American Heart Association.
As a rule of thumb, cereals with no more than 200mg of sodium per serving are considered good.
Sodium is expected in cereal and is an important part of the diet. However, too much of it can result in heart-related issues.
With Heritage Flakes, you don’t need to worry about excess sodium intake.
This is good for those controlling their sodium intake.
Here is a table comparing the Heritage Flakes sodium content to popular breakfast cereals.
| Cereal brand | Sodium(mg) |
|---|---|
| Heritage Flakes | 170 |
| Cheerios (honey nut) | 210 |
| Reese’s puffs | 160 |
| Kellogg’s raisin bran | 200 |
| Frosted flakes | 190 |
| Cinnamon toast crunch | 230 |
| Premier protein cereal | 250-260 |
| Mesa sunrise cereal | 170 |
| Cornflakes | 300 |
| Golden grahams | 230 |
Is Heritage Flakes Good for weight loss?
Heritage Flakes is good for weight loss as it is low in sugar and high in fiber.
It is also low in calories, with just 160 per serving(without milk).
What’s even better is that most of these calories come from healthy carbs(grains), protein and fiber.
Note that weight loss depends not only on one food but overall diet and lifestyle.
Is Heritage Flakes gluten-free?
Heritage Flakes is not gluten-free as it contains a blend of whole grains, including wheat, spelt, and barley, which all contain gluten.
It is also worth noting that this cereal is produced in a facility that uses soy, peanuts and tree nuts.
This may concern individuals with allergies or sensitivities to these ingredients.
Is Heritage Flakes vegan?
Whether Heritage Flakes is vegan or not depends on individual preferences.
Heritage flakes contain organic cane sugar and honey.
Organic cane sugar is completely plant-based. However, the Vegan community is divided on the subject of honey.
Honey is derived from bees, and some vegans choose to avoid it due to ethical concerns.
Ultimately, the decision to include Heritage Flakes in a vegan diet is personal.
Final words
Heritage Flakes is a healthy cereal option for so many reasons, such as:
- It is made from multiple nutritious grains.
- It is low in sugar.
- It is a moderate source of protein.
- It is high in fiber.
- It is good source of Iron.
- It is low in sodium.
- It has no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
So, whether you’re starting your day or looking for a nutritious midday snack, Heritage Flakes checks most of the boxes for a healthy choice.
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