Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but is cold cereal like Cheerios vs Oatmeal better for breakfast?
Both have a common ingredient – oats. They are great for a gluten-free diet and oats can also lower cholesterol, making them heart healthy.
This post explores the most common types of cheerios and oatmeal. Furthermore, differences between cheerios vs oatmeal are investigated to let you decide which is better than the other.
Top Takeaways
- Oatmeal vs. Cheerios Nutrition: Oatmeal is generally considered healthier than Cheerios for breakfast. Oatmeal contains more dietary fiber, less sugar, and fewer calories compared to most Cheerios varieties, making it a heart-healthy choice.
- Health Benefits: Both oatmeal and Cheerios have health benefits. Oatmeal is known to lower cholesterol levels and regulate blood sugar due to its high fiber content. Cheerios, being a whole-grain cereal, can also contribute to heart health and help manage blood sugar.
- Taste and Variety: Oatmeal has a nutty, earthy taste and can be customized with fruits, nuts, and spices for added flavor. Cheerios, while also made from oats, taste sweeter and come in various flavors, offering a different taste experience.
- Cost and Environmental Considerations: Oatmeal is generally more affordable than Cheerios. Both products use plastic and cardboard packaging, contributing to environmental concerns, so there’s a need for more sustainable packaging options in the industry.
- Top Takeaways
- What is Oatmeal?
- Different Types of Oats
- What are Cheerios?
- Different Types of Cheerios
- Differences Between Cheerios vs Oatmeal
- 1. Nutrition
- 2. Health Effects
- 3. Taste
- 4. Cost/Price
- 5. How They Are Made
- 6. Packaging and Their Environmental Implications
- Frequently Asked Questions About Cheerios vs Oatmeal
- Final Thoughts
What is Oatmeal?
Oatmeal is made up of whole grain oats. These oats are processed in various methods to create different types of oat-based products such as instant oats, rolled oats and steel cut oats. These products also vary in cooking time, usage, and appearance.
Oatmeal is widely known for its health benefits, hence why oatmeal is one of the most common staples in many nutritious diets. There are 3 different types of oatmeal. They are instant oats, rolled oats, and steel-cut oats.
Different Types of Oats
Here are the most common types of oatmeal explained in more detail.
Instant Oats
Instant oats are the most processed out of all of the oats. They undergo a similar process as rolled oats, but they are further cooked, dried, and rolled. This results in thinner oat flakes which allows for quicker cooking time. Hence, it is named “instant” oats.
They are used to make a quick breakfast meal. They could be added to smoothies for texture and additional nutritional value, or baking.
Many manufacturers produce and sell instant oats with different flavors. This variety may indicate added ingredients such as sugar or salt which may decrease its nutritional value.
Rolled Oats
Rolled oats, or old-fashioned oats, are made from oat groats that are initially cooked and rolled into flakes. It is less processed compared to instant oats and thus cooks more quickly than steel-cut oats.
Similarly, these types of oats could be prepared as a breakfast dish like with this low sodium oatmeal recipe. Rolled oats can also be used in baking and as a coating to fry foods. Another way to prepare these oats would be to make fresh oat milk or oat water.
Since it is more unrefined than instant oats, rolled oats retain more of its nutrients such as fiber. This makes them more nutritionally beneficial than instant oats. This article explains the difference between oat fiber vs oat flour vs oat bran and oatmeal in more detail. And check out these oat bran recipes that lower cholesterol, which includes my favorite recipe overnight oat bran.
Steel Cut Oats
Lastly, steel cut oats, also known as Irish or pinhead oats, are the least processed compared to the previous types of oatmeal discussed. They are whole oat groats cut into smaller pieces. They are not rolled or cooked. As a result, they preserve its natural earthy flavor and nutritional value.
Since they are the least processed oatmeal, they have the longest cooking time. Steel cut oats can be made into a breakfast meal like this Mediterranean Diet Oatmeal. Moreover, they could also be used to make savory dishes like risotto and sweet desserts for added texture and nutty flavor like this steel cut oat granola.
Being the most unrefined type of oatmeal allows for maintenance of its nutrients which can be beneficial for health.
What are Cheerios?
Cheerios is one of the most popular ready-to-eat cereals that is made of whole-grain oats. This cereal is produced by General Mills. This cereal is easy to make for quick breakfasts.
This cereal consists of whole grain oats, which are harvested and shipped to the processing plants where they are grinded into flour. Then, these by-products are transported to the factories where they are manufactured to make the cereal. Like instant oatmeal, Cheerios come in different flavors which creates more variety of breakfast cereals to choose from.
Different Types of Cheerios
The most common types of cheerios are regular, multigrain, and honey nut Cheerios. They mostly consist of whole grain oats with added vitamins and minerals which makes it an ideal option for a heart-healthy breakfast.
The micronutrients included are calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E. Sugar, salt, and cornstarch are also some of their common top ingredients. They are also considered kosher, cholesterol-free, and gluten-free.
Regular Cheerios or Original Cheerios
Regular Cheerios is the most widely known type of Cheerios. Its top ingredients include whole grain oats, corn starch, sugar, salt, and tripotassium phosphate (water-soluble salt). Furthermore, it does not contain any allergens.
Compared to the other types of Cheerios, this contains a low amount of saturated fat (the type of fat that raises LDL cholesterol). It does not have added artificial flavors or colors and it has the least amount of ingredients (1).
Multigrain Cheerios
Multigrain Cheerios contains the most whole grain ingredients out of all the other types. It consists of whole grain oats, whole grain corn, whole grain rice, and whole grain sorghum. It also has added colors and brown sugar syrup which differentiates it from the other types of Cheerios (2).
It has 9 essential vitamins and minerals. It does not contain saturated fat, but it contains more sugar than regular cheerios. Like Regular Cheerios, Multigrain Cheerios does not contain any allergens (2).
Honey Nut Cheerios
Honey Nut Cheerios contains the same amount of ingredients as Multigrain Cheerios. Its ingredients include honey, canola and/or sunflower oil, and almond flavor. These components provide this Cheerios its signature taste and flavor (3).
It includes 12 essential vitamins and minerals. It does not have saturated fat, but like multigrain cheerios, it contains more sugar than the regular version. It also contains nuts which may not be safe for consumption for those with nut allergies (3).
Other Cheerios
Cheerios has a variety of flavors that children and, even, adults can choose from and try. They are:
· apple cinnamon cheerios
· frosted cheerios
· fruity cheerios
· oat crunch cinnamon cheerios
· strawberry cheerios
· very berry cheerios
· chocolate cheerios
· multi-grain dark chocolate crunch cheerios
· chocolate peanut butter cheerios
· protein cheerios
· ancient grain cheerios
· frosted lemon cheerios
· vanilla spice cheerios
· oat crunch berry cheerios
· strawberry banana cheerios
· honey vanilla cheerios
· pumpkin spice cheerios
· honey nut cheerios medley crunch
· cinnamon cheerios
· chocolate cheerios
· oat crunch, oats n’ honey cheerios
· blueberry cheerios
· oat crunch almond cheerios
These are several of the Cheerios flavors available online and in retail stores. Next, we are going to investigate the differences between oatmeal vs cheerios products to help us determine if Cheerios is as healthy as oatmeal.
Differences Between Cheerios vs Oatmeal
1. Nutrition
Calories
| Calories (kcal) (serving size: 40g) | Average Calories (Oatmeal vs. Cheerios) | |
| Oatmeal | ||
| Instant Oats | 144 | 150 |
| Rolled Oats | 153 | |
| Steel Cut Oats | 152 | |
| Cheerios | ||
| Regular Cheerios | 144 | 152 |
| Multigrain Cheerios | 154 | |
| Honey Nut Cheerios | 158 |
Table 1: Caloric differences between oatmeal and Cheerios for serving size of 40 g (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
Honey nut Cheerios has the highest calories among the other products. Added ingredients such as honey and canola and/or sunflower oil contributed to the caloric content of the food.
Meanwhile, regular cheerios and instant oats have the lowest calories.
Steel cut and rolled oats contain similar caloric content per serving size of 40g. Instant oats have less calories because it is the most processed type of oats, losing its nutrient contents through its more laborious production process.
All in all, Cheerios has the most calories than oatmeal.
Saturated Fat
| Saturated fat (g) (serving size: 40g) | Average Saturated Fat (Oatmeal vs. Cheerios) | |
| Oatmeal | ||
| Instant Oats | 0.5 to 0.7 | 0.5 to 0.6 |
| Rolled Oats | 0.4 to 0.5 | |
| Steel Cut Oats | 0.5 | |
| Cheerios | ||
| Regular Cheerios | 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Multigrain Cheerios | 0 | |
| Honey Nut Cheerios | 0 |
Table 2: Saturated fat content of oatmeal and Cheerios for a serving size of 40 g (1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11).
Multigrain and Honey Nut Cheerios do not contain saturated fat while instant oats have the greatest amount of this nutrient.
It is important to consider that some products may have 0 grams of certain nutrients. This usually indicates that the nutrient is present in extremely small amounts and that its real quantity is below the limit for labeling purposes.
Instant oats contain a range of approximately 0.5 to 0.7 grams of saturated fat. This oatmeal is the most processed type of oatmeal. Also, instant oats are available in different flavors which could indicate added ingredients that have contributed to its saturated fat content.
On average, oatmeal has more saturated fat content than Cheerios
Protein
| Protein (g) (serving size = 40g) | Average Protein (g) (Oatmeal vs. Cheerios) | |
| Oatmeal | ||
| Instant Oats | 5 | 5 |
| Rolled Oats | 5 | |
| Steel Cut Oats | 5 | |
| Cheerios | ||
| Regular Cheerios | 5 | 4 |
| Multigrain Cheerios | 3 | |
| Honey Nut Cheerios | 4 |
Table 3: Amount of protein in oatmeal and Cheerios for a serving size of 40 g (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
Multigrain Cheerios has the lowest protein amount while steel cut oats, rolled oats, and instant oats have the highest content of protein.
Multigrain Cheerios contains more refined grains. Its grain ingredients (whole grain oats, whole grain corn, whole grain rice, and whole grain sorghum) are toasted, losing their protein quality. Therefore, this Cheerios has the least amount of protein.
The three oatmeal products approximately have the highest protein content, because they have the least steps in the manufacturing process and contain more of the original protein content from the whole grain oats compared to the Cheerios products.
Therefore, oatmeal has the highest amount of protein than Cheerios.
Carbohydrate
| Carbohydrate (g) (serving size: 40g) | Average Carbohydrate (g) (Oatmeal vs. Cheerios) | |
| Oatmeal | ||
| Instant Oats | 28 | 28 |
| Rolled Oats | 27 | |
| Steel Cut Oats | 28 | |
| Cheerios | ||
| Regular Cheerios | 30 | 32 |
| Multigrain Cheerios | 33 | |
| Honey Nut Cheerios | 32 |
Table 4: Carbohydrate content of oatmeal and Cheerios for a serving size of 40 g (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
Multigrain Cheerios has the greatest content of Carbohydrates, while rolled oats has the least amount of this macronutrient.
Multigrain Cheerios has the most Carbohydrates because of the additional whole grain ingredients and sugar added to the product. They consist of whole grain corn, whole grain rice, and whole grain sorghum. Furthermore, added sweet elements such as brown sugar syrup and sugar have also contributed to this Carbohydrate content (2).
Rolled oats has the least amount of Carbohydrates compared to the other two types of oatmeal. Most of the carbohydrates in steel cut oats come from the starch and fiber content of the food. Meanwhile, instant oats’ Carbohydrates mostly came from the amount of sugar in the product. Meanwhile, rolled oats has less Carbohydrates due to having lower amounts of dietary fiber and sugar than the two oatmeal products.
Overall, oatmeal has less amount of Carbohydrates than Cheerios.
Sugar
| Sugar (g) (serving size: 40g) | Average Sugar (g) (Oatmeal vs. Cheerios) | |
| Oatmeal | ||
| Instant Oats | 0.4 to 11.9 (average: 6.2) | 0.7 to 4.5 |
| Rolled Oats | 0.8 | |
| Steel Cut Oats | 0.9 | |
| Cheerios | ||
| Regular Cheerios | 2.1 | 7.2 |
| Multigrain Cheerios | 8.2 | |
| Honey Nut Cheerios | 11.2 |
Table 5: Amount of sugar in oatmeal and Cheerios for a serving size of 40 g (1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 12).
Honey Nut Cheerios has the highest sugar content while rolled oats has the lowest amount.
Honey Nut Cheerios contains sugar, honey, and brown sugar syrup which are ingredients that were added to the cereal for its signature flavor. However, they are high in sugar. As a result, Honey Nut Cheerios contains the highest amount of total sugar compared to the other products (3).
Like Cheerios, instant oats can come in different flavors. These unique flavors are due to the ingredients added to the oatmeal. Common ingredients that are added are often high in sugar, making instant oatmeal sweeter than the other types of oatmeal.
In the end, Cheerios has approximately a higher amount of sugar than oatmeal.
Fiber
| Fiber (g) (serving size: 40g) | Average Fiber (g) (Oatmeal vs. Cheerios) | |
| Oatmeal | ||
| Instant Oats | 4 | 4.3 |
| Rolled Oats | 4.2 | |
| Steel Cut Oats | 4.8 | |
| Cheerios | ||
| Regular Cheerios | 4.1 | 3.3 |
| Multigrain Cheerios | 3.1 | |
| Honey Nut Cheerios | 2.8 |
Table 6: Fiber content in oatmeal and Cheerios for a serving size of 40 g (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
Honey Nut Cheerios contains the least amount of fiber while steel cut oats have the highest fiber content.
Steel cut oats contain the most dietary fiber of about 4.8 grams for a serving size of 40 grams. It is the least processed compared to all the other products. Therefore, it retained more of its original fiber content from the oat groats.
Overall, oatmeal has more dietary fiber than Cheerios.
Sodium
| Sodium (mg) (serving size: 40g) | Average Sodium (mg) (Oatmeal vs. Cheerios) | |
| Oatmeal | ||
| Instant Oats | 88 | 29.8 |
| Rolled Oats | 0.4 | |
| Steel Cut Oats | <1 | |
| Cheerios | ||
| Regular Cheerios | 194.9 | 159.6 |
| Multigrain Cheerios | 153.8 | |
| Honey Nut Cheerios | 130.2 |
Table 7: Amount of sodium in oatmeal and Cheerios for a serving size of 40 g or 40000 mg (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
Regular Cheerios has the highest amount of sodium while steel cut oats and rolled oats contain the least sodium out of all the products.
Regular Cheerios has salt as one of its top ingredients. Other less known salt ingredients included in this cereal are tripotassium phosphate, calcium carbonate, sodium ascorbate, pyroxidine hydrochloride, and palmitate, thiamin mononitrate.
Rolled oats and steel cut oats are made up of a single ingredient which is oat groats. These oats are processed based on the type of oatmeal being made.
All in all, Cheerios contains more sodium than oatmeal on average.
Vitamins and Minerals
Oatmeal and Cheerios provide various vitamins and minerals which are naturally found in the food or added during the manufacturing process. Each nutrient has significant health benefits to assist in the optimal functioning of the body.
Oatmeal has more naturally occurring micronutrients than Cheerios. Collectively, the three types of oatmeal have vitamins A, B (thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), B6, pantothenic acid, and folate), E, and K. It also has minerals which are calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium (4, 5, 6).
On the other hand, most of Cheerios’s micronutrients are added because most of them were lost during the processing of the cereal. The vitamins found in Cheerios are Vitamins A, B (B1, B2, B3, B6, folic acid, and B12 (most of them are added in salt-forms)), C, D3, and E. Cheerios’s minerals include calcium, iron, and zinc (1, 2, 3).
In a nutshell, both products contain essential vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for our health. However, most of the micronutrients in oatmeal are not added and originally came from the oat grains. On the flip side, Cheerios has added vitamins and minerals to compensate for the nutrients that were lost during the production of the cereal.
Antioxidants
Cheerios and oatmeal are also sources of antioxidants and can be anti-inflammatory. These significant compounds are important in protecting the body from free radicals which contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer.
Oatmeal is made up of oats which are abundant in antioxidants. Specifically, it contains phenolic compounds which have antioxidant properties. These compounds help regulate breakdown of carbohydrates and glucose (sugar) uptake into the blood (13).
Since Cheerios are also composed of oats, they have similar antioxidant capacities as oatmeal. It has Vitamins D3 and E which are also antioxidant compounds. One study also showed that whole grain oat cereals, like Cheerios, have higher or equal amounts of antioxidants as most vegetables and fruits (14).
Although Cheerios are more highly processed than oatmeal, they still contain essential compounds which could help combat chronic diseases and improve health.
Whole Grains
Oatmeal and Cheerios’s main common ingredient is whole grain oats. However, they differ in certain whole grain components and how they are produced.
Oatmeal is produced by using a single ingredient called oat groats which are whole grain oats. The manufacturing processes differ based on the type of oatmeal being made. Steel cut oats are made by chopping oat groats into small pieces. These pieces are lightly processed and rolled to make rolled or old-fashioned oats. Lastly, instant oats are made through extended processing of the rolled oats.
All three types of Cheerios are mostly made up of whole grain oats. On the other hand, Multigrain Cheerios contains more whole grain ingredients (whole grain corn, whole grain rice, and whole grain sorghum). This cereal is made by grinding whole grain oats into oat flour which are then processed. Various ingredients are further added for flavor and to fortify the cereal.
Glycemic index
Glycemic index (GI) measures how the food quickly raises blood sugar levels after eating. A lower GI means that there is a slower digestion of food, resulting in a gradual increase of blood sugar levels. This measurement is very important in helping manage blood sugar levels, especially to those with diabetes.
| Glycemic Index | |
| Oatmeal | |
| Instant Oats | 67 |
| Rolled Oats | 55 |
| Steel Cut Oats | 52 |
| Cheerios | |
| Regular Cheerios | 74 |
| Multigrain Cheerios | |
| Honey Nut Cheerios |
Table 8: Glycemic indices of oatmeal and cheerios (15).
Table 8 shows the glycemic indices between the different types of oatmeal and the Cheerios products. Overall, Cheerios has a higher glycemic index compared to oatmeal. This breakfast cereal contains more ingredients that are higher in sugar than dietary fiber, which contribute to rapid spikes in blood sugar levels.
Particularly, steel cut oats have the lowest GI. The presence of high dietary fiber and antioxidants in this oatmeal slow down the breakdown of carbohydrates and the digestion of sugar. As a result, eating steel cut oats does help with managing blood sugar.
2. Health Effects
In this section, we are going to explore the factors that make cheerios and oatmeal different in terms of their health outcomes.
Cheerios vs oatmeal for lowering cholesterol and heart health
Oatmeal is considered a heart-healthy meal because of its high dietary soluble fiber, beta-glucan. This particular oat fiber helps lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. Also, it is considered one of the foods that could help decrease blood pressure. Furthermore, beta-glucan helps in maintaining a healthy weight, or weight loss which is a factor in helping prevent cardiovascular disease.
Check out these oatmeal recipes to lower cholesterol, or read further about how oats are good for blood pressure.
Cheerios, on the other hand, is considered one of the low sodium cereals. It could help reduce the risk of developing heart disease and could also assist in lowering blood pressure.
Research studies have shown that eating whole grain cereals (such as Cheerios) is linked to a lower risk of heart-related problems due to the fiber present in these products. Fiber aids in improving risk factors related to heart disease(s) such as blood pressure and inflammation (16).
Thus, when researching do cherrios vs oatmeal lower cholesterol, the answer is they both can.
Blood Sugar
Oatmeal’s beta-glucan also helps with regulating blood sugar levels. This soluble fiber slows down the digestion of sugar, preventing spikes of sugar levels in the blood after eating. This is particularly important to those with or at risk of diabetes.
Similarly, Cheerios, as a whole grain cereal, also contains fiber which slows down the absorption of sugar after meals. This fiber makes the digested food thicker to decrease the breakdown and absorption of nutrients from the food. This reduces the amount of insulin that is released to digest sugar (17).
Digestion
Both oatmeal and Cheerios have similar effects in the digestion of food. They contain dietary fiber which helps slow down the breakdown of food for nutrient absorption. This makes you feel fuller faster and prevents rapid spikes of blood sugar levels after meals.
Weight management
Eating oatmeal can also aid in weight management. Beta-glucan, soluble fiber in oatmeal, slows down the digestion of food. This helps manage your eating and, therefore, helps you maintain a healthy weight.
Consuming Cheerios can also help in satiety and weight control. Like oatmeal and as a whole grain cereal, they also have fiber which helps you eat less. It absorbs water, expanding the food in your stomach. This slows down the absorption of food and helps you feel full, preventing overeating and helping with management of weight (17).
This, overall, is associated with lowering the risk of obesity which is one of the risk factors of cardiovascular disease. All in all, eating oatmeal and Cheerios can help with weight management and, thus, the development of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
Other Benefits
Additionally, the fiber, beta-glucan, in oatmeal and Cheerios contributes to the health of our gut bacteria, which is associated with positive health outcomes. This includes improving our digestive and immune system, promoting overall health.
3. Taste
What Does Oatmeal Taste Like?
Oatmeal has a thick and creamy texture when cooked. When consumed, it has a nutty and earthy taste. It is also bland, depending on the type of oatmeal being eaten.
Typically, instant oats can taste differently compared to the other type of oats since it can come in a variety of flavors and sugar content.
How To Make Oatmeal Taste Good?
There are several ways to make your oatmeal taste good that can also provide additional cholesterol-lowering outcomes.
You can use unsweetened milk to cook the oatmeal. For a more colorful and flavorful breakfast meal, you can add fruits and/or nuts. These ingredients provide additional vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which can promote health.
Moreover, you can put spices and/or flavoring agents like cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla to improve the taste of the oatmeal. Try to avoid or reduce sugar and high-fat ingredients like cream, butter, or coconut milk.
If you are looking for recipes try this creamy oatmeal, cookie dough oats, protein baked oats or vegan oat brownies.
What Does Cheerios Taste Like?
Cheerios are little rings of delight that are grainy and crisp in texture. It has a mild nutty and earthy flavor since they are also made from oats. It also tastes sweeter than oatmeal. However, the overall taste can vary depending on the type of cheerios.
How To Make Cheerios Taste Good?
Cheerios can be eaten with a variety of ingredients just like oatmeal. These can make the breakfast cereal taste good and satisfying to eat in the morning.
You can try adding your milk of choice. Adding fruits would also help elevate the taste and look of the Cheerios. This adds more nutrients to the Cheerios. Nuts or seeds can also be put along with the fruits to increase compliance with the Mediterranean Diet, DASH diet, Portfolio diet, Post Stent Diet, PAD diet, low cholesterol diet and MIND Diet.
Other ways to eat Cheerios is by making a parfait which combines the cereal, yogurt, and fruits of your choice. You can also use it as toppings for yogurt, oatmeal, and/or smoothie bowls for added texture.
4. Cost/Price
The costs of oatmeal and Cheerios can vary depending on the brand and the amount being purchased.
| Oatmeal | Cost/Price ($USD) |
| Instant oats | $3.17 ($0.32/oz) |
| Rolled oats | $6.28 ($0.20/oz) |
| Steel Cut oats | $5.36 ($0.22/oz) |
| Cheerios | Cost/Price |
| Regular cheerios | $3.00 ($0.34/oz) |
| Multigrain cheerios | $3.68 ($0.41/oz) |
| Honey Nut cheerios | $3.00 ($0.28/oz) |
Tables 9 and 10 show the cost/price of oatmeal and Cheerios as of September 2023.
In comparison, oatmeal is less expensive than Cheerios. However, these costs may vary depending on the type of brand and where you purchase.
5. How They Are Made
Cheerios and oatmeal are both oat products and, therefore, came from the same ingredient which is whole oat grains.
Oatmeal is initially made from oat groats which are whole oat grains. These grains are harvested and cleaned before processed. Steel cut oats are oat groats that were cut into small pieces by steel blades.
Rolled oats are made from oat groats that were steamed, flattened or rolled, and dried. Lastly, instant oats are rolled oats which are cut into small flakes for faster cooking time.
On the other hand, Cheerios are processed differently. Whole grain oats are also harvested and shipped to mills, where they are cleaned and grinded into flour. Then, this by-product is shipped to the factories where they produce the breakfast cereal.
In the factories, they mix big batches of ingredients consisting of oat flour and wheat starch. Then, they are further mixed with salt and fortified minerals. The resulting dough is then cooked to form the o-shaped cereal pieces.
These pieces are dried to reach the ideal moisture and expanded to puff the cereals. Next, they are coated with concentrated syrup (a mix of sugar and water) and dried. The final steps in the process involve the packaging of the cereal and testing batches of the Cheerios for quality control (18).
6. Packaging and Their Environmental Implications
Cheerios, like common breakfast cereals, are packed in a plastic bag which is then inserted into a cardboard box packaging. Similarly, oatmeal is packaged like Cheerios. It could also be found in canister containers, single-serve packets, and resealable plastic bags.
They could also vary in sizes. Cheerios and oatmeal are available in smaller, regular, or giant/family sizes in various grocery and online stores.
The packaging for both products are mostly made up of plastic which can be harmful to the environment. On average, the packaging of cereals and other baked goods contributes 9.18% of gas emissions. Breakfast cereals, alone, release 19.68% while oatmeal products supply 6.02% of carbon dioxide into the air (19).
The high gas emissions released from packaging breakfast cereals are mostly due to the amount of energy used to produce the packaging materials. Therefore, it is important for companies to design more sustainable and environmentally friendly types of packaging to lessen the implications these products have on our environment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cheerios vs Oatmeal
Is cheerios better than oatmeal for cholesterol?
No, cheerios are not better than oatmeal for cholesterol. Oatmeal is better than Cheerios for unclogging arteries. On average, it contains more dietary fiber that could help decrease LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. As a result, this is a more heart-healthy meal than Cheerios.
Are cherrios as healthy as oatmeal?
Oatmeal is healthier than Cheerios as a breakfast meal. It contains the right amount of essential nutrients needed to start off the morning. This quick breakfast can also make you feel fuller throughout the day, helping you manage your eating.
Can cheerios lower cholesterol?
Cheerios can also lower cholesterol. They are low in saturated fat and cholesterol-free. They are also a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These components present in the breakfast cereal helps lower cholesterol and, thus, aid in heart health.
Can oatmeal lower cholesterol?
Yes, oatmeal can lower cholesterol. Oatmeal contains soluble fiber called beta-glucans, which can help lower cholesterol by binding to cholesterol-rich bile acids and removing them from the body.
Which is healthier oatmeal or cereal?
Considering the differences between the 2 products, oatmeal is healthier than cereal. Oatmeal is less processed than cereals on the market. As a result, oatmeal retained more high-quality nutrients that are heart-healthy and could result in positive health outcomes.
Are cheerios just oats?
Cheerios are made up of whole oat grains. Therefore, Cheerios is considered an oat-product just like oatmeal, but also contains other ingredients like sugar, salt and preservatives.
Final Thoughts
In this blog post, we explored cheerios vs oatmeal for lowering cholesterol and which one is better in terms of their health effects, tastes, prices, and how they were processed.
All things considered, oatmeal and Cheerios have significant and positive effects on our health. We learned that they could lower bad cholesterol levels and, as a result, are heart-healthy breakfast meals.
Let us know in the comments which one you prefer to have for breakfast: oatmeal or Cheerios?
This article was written by Larissa Bantegui, nutrition student Nutrition Student, and Veronica Rouse, MAN, RD, CDE.
