Are Honey Bunches of Oats Healthy?
In this short article, we will answer the question, “Are Honey Bunches of Oats Healthy?” with an in-depth analysis of Honey Bunches of Oats, their downside, nutritional content, and some healthy alternatives.
Are Honey Bunches of Oats Healthy?
No, honey bunches of sugar are not a very healthy breakfast option. They contain considerable amounts of added sugars, refined carbohydrates as well as artificial colors and flavors.
Which makes them unhealthy despite the presence of vitamins and minerals that are added by fortification. Fortification is the process of adding nutrients to food during processing.
What Are Honey Bunches Of Sugar?
Cereals are a great option for a quick easy to prepare breakfast. Honey bunches of oats have been a go-to option for a lot of people in the past several years. Despite the controversy regarding the effects of eating breakfast cereals on health, they are still popular as an option for breakfast.
Whole grains such as corn, oats, and wheat are used to make honey bunches of oats. So they are a mix of three different kinds of whole grains. Although whole grains are a healthy choice for breakfast, honey bunches of oats contain added sugar which makes them a dessert rather than a complete breakfast cereal.
Why Are Honey Bunches Of Oats Bad?
Honey bunches of oats are unhealthy because they contain:
High levels of added sugars:
Breakfast cereals contain loads of added sugar, honey bunches of oats are no exception. A high intake of sugar combined with refined carbs is no better than poison. They act as a slow poison increasing your risk of overweight and obesity, diabetes type 2, and heart disease.
They are not only a risk factor for adults but children are also fed on added sugars from an early age. This develops their preference for sugars and sweets. These eating preferences continue till the later ages eventually leading them towards the development of chronic health conditions.
Low levels of fiber and protein:
Although honey bunches of oats contain whole grains, yet they are not considered healthy high-fiber cereal. Because the levels of fiber that are required to label a cereal healthy are not present in the recommended range.
If a product contains a minimum of 5 g of fiber per serving, it is considered a high fiber product. And a product that provides a minimum of 3 g fiber in each serving is a good source of fiber. But one serving of honey bunches of oat provides just 2 grams of fiber. Which makes it a poor source of fiber.
According to study people who ate high fiber breakfast cereal stayed full for up to 4 hours than those who were given a low fiber breakfast. High fiber and protein also prevent unhealthy snacking and reduce overall food intake.
Low amounts of protein:
The protein content of honey bunches of oats is also quite low. One serving of honey bunches of oats provides 2 gr of protein. Which is fairly low. Fiber and protein play an important role in controlling appetite by making you feel full for a longer duration.
This is very important in regulating food intake and maintenance of body weight. In another study was carried out for 12 weeks in 55 teenagers. The adolescents that consumed 35 g of protein in breakfast had a lower calorie intake, reduced appetite, and a low rate of fat gain.
The other group that was given 13 g of protein in breakfast had a greater fat gain.
The Nutritional Content Of Honey Bunches Of Oats:
Honey bunches of oats are made with refined carbs which lower their fiber content. They have fairly low amounts of protein and fat. Let’s have a look at the nutrient profile of a 30 g serving of packaged honey bunches of oats. 30 g equals around 3/4th cup.
| Nutrients | Amounts |
| Carbohydrates | 23 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Fats | 2.5 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Added Sugar | 16 g |
| Vitamin A | 16% of the daily requirement |
| Iron | 60% of the daily requirement |
| Calories | 120 |
Other than these nutrients, packaged honey bunches of oats also provide folic acid, Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, and B12. When milk is added nutrient profile changes further.
Regardless of the presence of all the healthy vitamins, they are still not an ideal option for breakfast due to the presence of refined carbs, low fiber, and high sugar content. They fail to provide a balanced amount of nutrients.
Alternative Option:
Overnight oats are one of the easiest no-cook breakfast options that will leave you with a healthy grab-and-go breakfast. All you have to do is stir a few ingredients together in a jar and keep them in the fridge and enjoy it the next morning.
Just five simple ingredients are needed to make overnight oats. Mix rolled oats, your milk of choice, chia seeds, yogurt, and maple syrup. To make an individual batch of overnight oats
Conclusion:
Cereals aren’t always a bad option for breakfast if they meet the recommended intake of nutrients. But you don’t always have to go for cereals there are other healthy and balanced breakfast options.
