Are Cheerios Vegan?
If you have to name one American staple breakfast that’s easiest to make is cheerios. There is rarely anyone who has never had cheerios in their life.
Most people survived their student life with cheerios. You just need some milk and cheerio. What can go wrong with this?
If you have recently started to question your food then it may come to your mind are cheerios vegan or not? To help new people in veganism I am here. We are about to discuss if cheerios are vegan or not.
What is cheerios?
Cheerios are generally made of whole grain oats that have a shape like a torus. That too if you choose the healthy brand out of all the unhealthy options in the market.
Cheerios used to come without flavors. But nowadays it comes in lots of different flavors like honey nut, apple cinnamon, and chocolate.
The whole grain thing can impress you and make you feel like it’s a healthy breakfast. But the truth is its high sugar content makes it unhealthy. The flavored ones are unhealthier than the normal ones.
What are cheerios made of?
The nutritional profile of cheerios impresses the consumers into believing it’s healthy.
Here is the ingredient list that makes the delusion.
- Whole grains
- vitamin D3
- sugar
- calcium carbonate
- vitamin E
- modified corn starch
- vanillin
- canola oil
- natural flavors for the respected flavor of cheerios
Are cheerios vegan?
Sorry for breaking your bubbles. But cheerios are not vegan. To be vegan food has to be free from any animal derived product.
But cheerios contain refined sugar, honey, and vitamin D3. These are somehow an animal-derived product.
Why is honey not vegan?
Veganism does not just intend to stop the use of the direct animal-derived product. It also talks about animal rights vocally.
Having honey encourages the exploitation of bees and makes them exhausted. Bees start working double than before because of the missing honey.
Some claim that honey is the reason bees survive but it also causes death when they sting farmers.
Why is refined sugar not vegan?
It’s surprising to see that refined sugar is not vegan. Sugar does not contain any animal product then why is it not vegan?
Because some manufacturers use bone char to clean out impurities from the sugar. This makes refined sugar unfit as vegan food.
Why is vitamin D3 not vegan?
Vitamin D3 is known as a vitamin that only comes from an animal source. The lanoline of fish oil or sheep has vitamin D3.
The waxy substance of a sheep’s skin produces lanoline. Cheerios do not specify what kind of lanoline they use as vitamin D3 in it. So people do not notice and consider it to be vegan friendly.
Is there any Vegan alternative to cheerios?
Yes absolutely. There are alternatives to cheerios that are worth getting up from bed every morning.
You can try Cascadian Farms organic Purely O’s. It’s simple and does not come with a shocking amount of sugar.
If you want you can add sugar or alternatives according to your preference. It’s a little lightweight and porous so set your priority first and then buy it.
Another option is Grape Nuts. It’s made with wheat flour, barley flour, dried yeast, and salt. The ingredient list is very simple.
This cereal does not become soggy and mushy. If you ate sugary cheerios all your life then this may taste bland to you. Keep maple syrup near you for enjoying it more.
Final thoughts
So cheerios are not vegan. There are a wide range of vegan cereals on the market. However, this breakfast option is not healthy in any case. Make yourself a hearty breakfast in the morning.
It can be avocado toast, a bowl of oatmeal with chia seeds, and lots of fruits on the side. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So take it seriously and give yourself a treat every morning.
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