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General Mills Honey Nut cheerios
Photo: Open Food Facts contributors (CC BY-SA)

Extruded cereals

General Mills Honey Nut cheerios

3 lb

Bad out of 100 Medium confidence
  • Ultra-processed
  • High in sugar
  • Contains added sugars
  • Contains seed oils
  • Contains whole grains
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Why it scores 15

General Mills Honey Nut cheerios scores 15 out of 100 (Bad) under GoodSwap’s published rules. What moved the score most:

  1. Sugar: An added sugar. Strong
  2. Honey: An added sugar. Strong
  3. 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

The same kind of product, at least 10 points higher, sold in the US. Never paid placements.

The Receipt

Honey Nut cheerios

START100

Ingredients

  • Sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Honey
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
  • Brown sugar
    Strong An added sugar. [1][2][3]
subtotal−50

Processing

  • Ultra-processed (NOVA 4)
    Strong Classified NOVA 4: made with industrial ingredients and additives. [4]
subtotal−18

Nutrition per 100 g

  • Sugars 32.1 g / 100 g
    Strong Very high in sugar. [1]
  • Salt 1.4 g / 100 g
    Strong High in salt. [5]
  • Energy 393 kcal / 100 g
    Info Energy-dense for its weight. [2]
  • Fiber 7.1 g / 100 g
    Strong A good source of fiber. [2]
subtotal−17
TOTAL 15Bad

100 − 85 = 15

Can’t score above 79. Contains sugar, an ingredient of high concern. [1][2][3]

Can’t score above 79. High in sugars (above the front-of-pack "high" level). [6]

GTIN 00016000486652 · 2026-03-04

score v1.3.0 · kb 2026.10.11

Medium confidence

Same product, same score. Every time.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy393 kcal
Fat5.4 g
Saturated fat0 g
Trans fat0 g
Carbohydrates78.6 g
Sugars32.1 g
Added sugars32.4 g
Fiber7.1 g
Protein7.1 g
Salt1.4 g

Serving: 1 serving (37 g)

Ingredients

High Moderate Not recognized Tap an ingredient for its evidence and rules.
Label text, as published

WHOLE GRAIN OATS, SUGAR, OAT BRAN, CORN STARCH, HONEY, BROWN SUGAR SYRUP, SALT, TRIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, CANOLA OIL, NATURAL ALMOND FLAVOR. VITAMIN E (MIXED TOCOPHEROLS) ADDED TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS. VITAMINS AND MINERALS: CALCIUM CARBONATE, ZINC AND IRON (MINERAL NUTRIENTS), VITAMIN C (SODIUM ASCORBATE), A B VITAMIN (NIACINAMIDE), VITAMIN B6 (PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE), VITAMIN B2 (RIBOFLAVIN), VITAMIN B1 (THIAMIN MONONITRATE), VITAMIN A (PALMITATE), A B VITAMIN (FOLIC ACID), VITAMIN B12, VITAMIN D3.

Allergens and diets

Contains: Gluten

  • Not vegan
  • Not gluten-free
  • Palm-oil-free

Always check the package: recipes change.

Healthiest extruded cereals in the US

More from General Mills

Sources

  1. Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children

    World Health Organization · Mar 4, 2015 · Agency assessment

    “In both adults and children, WHO recommends reducing the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake”

    who.int

  2. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture · January 2026 · Regulator

    “Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”

    cdn.realfood.gov

  3. Added and free sugars should be as low as possible

    European Food Safety Authority · Feb 28, 2022 · Agency assessment

    “Sugar consumption is a known cause of dental caries.”

    efsa.europa.eu

  4. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them

    Public Health Nutrition · April 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  5. Sodium reduction (fact sheet)

    World Health Organization · May 11, 2026 · Agency assessment

    “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

  6. Guide to creating a front of pack (FoP) nutrition label for pre-packed products sold through retail outlets

    Department of Health and Social Care / Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK) · Nov 8, 2016 · Regulator

    “Table 3: Criteria for drinks (per 100ml)”

    assets.publishing.service.gov.uk

  7. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses

    BMJ · Feb 28, 2024 · Peer-reviewed

    “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

  8. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake

    Cell Metabolism · July 2019 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  9. Re-evaluation of the traditional diet-heart hypothesis: analysis of recovered data from Minnesota Coronary Experiment (1968-73)

    BMJ · Apr 12, 2016 · Peer-reviewed

    “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

  10. Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association

    Circulation · Jul 18, 2017 · Peer-reviewed

    doi.org

  11. Dietary Linoleic Acid and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

    Circulation · Oct 28, 2014 · Peer-reviewed

    “These data provide support for current recommendations to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat for primary prevention of CHD.”

    doi.org