Extruded cereals
Cheerios Chocolate peanut butter cheerios
18 oz
Score
- Ultra-processed
- High in sugar
- High in salt
- Contains added sugars
- Contains emulsifiers studied for gut effects
- Contains seed oils
- No synthetic dyes
- Contains whole grains
Why it scores 11
Cheerios Chocolate peanut butter cheerios scores 11 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:
- minus 20 points Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 20 points Dextrose: An added sugar. Strong
- minus 18 points Ultra-processed (NOVA 4): Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. Strong
Every line of the math is on The Receipt below, with its evidence tier and sources.
Better breakfast cereals
-
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Cereal Catalina Crunch · 9 oz (255 g) Less sugar · Less salt Score 59 out of 100 , 48 points higher -
Peanut Butter Panda Puffs Nature's Path EnviroKidz Organic · 10.6 oz Not ultra-processed · Less salt Score 55 out of 100 , 44 points higher -
Puffins Peanut Butter Cereal Puffins · 11 oz Not ultra-processed · No gut-studied emulsifiers Score 51 out of 100 , 40 points higher -
Organics Peanut Butter Dots Cereal H-E-B Organics · 10 oz Not ultra-processed · No gut-studied emulsifiers Score 59 out of 100 , 48 points higher -
Peanut butter panda puffs Nature's Path Organic · 25.6 oz Not ultra-processed · Less sugar Score 60 out of 100 , 49 points higher
The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.
The Receipt
Chocolate peanut butter cheerios
Ingredients
- Sugar minus 20 points
- Dextrose minus 20 points
- Corn syrup minus 10 points
Processing
- Ultra-processed (NOVA 4) minus 18 points
- 4 kinds of ultra-processing markers minus 4.5 points
Nutrition per 100 g
- Sugars 24.5 g / 100 g minus 11 points
- Saturated fat 2.1 g / 100 g minus 3 points
- Salt 1.5 g / 100 g minus 5 points
- Energy 410 kcal / 100 g minus 2 points
- Fiber 8.2 g / 100 g plus 4 points
100 − 89.5 = 10.5 → 11
Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3][7][8][9][10]
Can’t score above 79. High in sugars and salt (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [11]
Nutrition per 100 g
| Energy | 410 kcal |
|---|---|
| Fat | 11.3 g |
| Saturated fat | 2.1 g |
| Trans fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 71.6 g |
| Sugars | 24.5 g |
| Added sugars | 23.6 g |
| Fiber | 8.2 g |
| Protein | 10.9 g |
| Salt | 1.5 g |
Serving: 1 cup (36g)
Ingredients
- Whole Grain Oats
- Sugar (high concern)
- Peanut Butter (peanuts, sugar, monoglycerides, salt)
- Dextrose (high concern)
- Corn Starch
- Corn Syrup (high concern)
- Canola
- Sunflower Oil
- Salt
- Cocoa Processed with Alkali
- Caramel Color (high concern)
- Tripotassium Phosphate
- Natural Flavor
- Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols) Added to Preserve Freshness.Vitamins and Minerals: Calcium Carbonate
- Vitamin C (sodium ascorbate)
- Iron and Zinc (mineral nutrients)
- A B Vitamin (niacinamide)
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride)
- Vitamin B1 (thiamin mononitrate)
- Vitamin A (palmitate)
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
- A B Vitamin (folic acid)
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin D3
Label text, as published
Ingredients: Whole Grain Oats, Sugar, Peanut Butter (peanuts, sugar, monoglycerides, salt), Dextrose, Corn Starch, Corn Syrup, Canola and/or Sunflower Oil, Salt, Cocoa Processed with Alkali, Caramel Color, Tripotassium Phosphate, Natural Flavor. Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols) Added to Preserve Freshness.Vitamins and Minerals: Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin C (sodium ascorbate), Iron and Zinc (mineral nutrients), A B Vitamin (niacinamide), Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), Vitamin B1 (thiamin mononitrate), Vitamin A (palmitate), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), A B Vitamin (folic acid), Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3.
Allergens and diets
Contains: Peanuts, Gluten
- Not gluten-free
- Palm-oil-free
Always check the package: recipes change.
More extruded cereals on GoodSwap
-
Cheerios General Mills · 8.9 oz Contains added sugarsContains whole grains Score 65 out of 100 Good -
Honey Nut Cheerios General Mills · 10.8 oz Ultra-processedHigh in sugarContains added sugarsContains seed oils Score 17 out of 100 Bad -
Shredded Wheat Post · 18 oz Contains whole grains Score 100 out of 100 Excellent -
Post fruity pebbles cereal Fruity Pebbles · 15 oz Dye with an EU warning labelContains synthetic dyesUltra-processedHigh in sugar Score 10 out of 100 Bad -
Organic Berry Vanilla Puffs Cascadian Farm · 10.25 oz Ultra-processedHigh in sugarContains added sugarsContains seed oils Score 43 out of 100 Okay -
Original balance multigrain cereal Millville · 368 g Ultra-processedContains added sugarsNo synthetic dyesContains whole grains Score 46 out of 100 Okay
More from Cheerios
-
Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal Cheerios · 2 × 1 lb 4.35 oz (20.35 oz) (576 g) Score 65 out of 100 Good -
Multi Grain Cheerios Cheerios · 510 g Score 20 out of 100 Poor -
Cheerios Veggie Blends Blueberry Banana Cheerios · 10.6 oz Score 20 out of 100 Poor -
Strawberry Banana Cheerios Cheerios · 14.9 oz Score 13 out of 100 Bad
Sources
-
Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children
“In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”
who.int
-
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030
“Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”
cdn.realfood.gov
-
Added and free sugars should be as low as possible
“Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”
efsa.europa.eu
-
Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline
“WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).”
who.int
-
“For adults, WHO recommends less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to less than 5 g/day salt), or just under a teaspoon.”
who.int
-
Questions & Answers About 4-MEI
“Based on current science, the FDA has no reason to believe that there are any immediate or short-term health risks presented by 4-MEI at the levels expected in food.”
fda.gov
-
Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)
monographs.iarc.who.int
-
Proposition 65 List of Chemicals Known to the State to Cause Cancer or Reproductive Toxicity
“The date refers to the initial appearance of the chemical on the list.”
oehha.ca.gov
-
“Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
-
“Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and mortality outcomes.”
doi.org
-
Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome
“carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80, induced low-grade inflammation and obesity/metabolic syndrome in wild-type hosts and promoted robust colitis in mice predisposed to this disorder.”
doi.org
-
“Relative to control subjects, CMC consumption modestly increased postprandial abdominal discomfort and perturbed gut microbiota composition in a way that reduced its diversity.”
doi.org
-
“This study found positive associations between risk of CVD and intake of five individual and two groups of food additive emulsifiers widely used in industrial foods.”
doi.org
-
“replacement of saturated fat in the diet with linoleic acid effectively lowers serum cholesterol but does not support the hypothesis that this translates to a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease or all causes.”
doi.org
-
“These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”
doi.org