It All Starts With Oats
Cheerios have always been made of oats, which are naturally gluten free. However, conventional farming practices as well as common grain handling procedures allow chances for gluten containing grains to co-mingle with our gluten free oats. To make Cheerios gluten-free, we have to separate the oats from grains that contain gluten, which are different sizes and shapes. Our cleaning house can sort 3.5 million pounds of oats every day.
How I Determined If A Cereal Is Gluten Free
To determine if a cereal is gluten free, I looked at the following criteria:
Are Reeses Puffs Gluten Free
Reeses Puffs cereal is made of sweet and crunchy corn puffs coated with peanut butter. Obviously if you have a peanut allergy, you should avoid this cereal.
The cereal box isnt marked gluten free, however, the ingredient list, which includes whole grain corn, sugar, Reeses peanut butter, dextrose, corn meal, corn syrup, oil and artificial flavors, does not include any gluten-y ingredients.
I tested Reeses Puffs for hidden gluten with my Nima Sensor, and Nima came back with a smile .
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Are Honey Nut Cheerios Treats Bars Gluten
While Honey Nut Cheerios Treats Bars dont contain any obvious sources of wheat or gluten, this product doesnt have a gluten-free label on its packaging.
This means that the Cheerios brand either 1) knows there is gluten in this product from cross contamination, or 2) doesnt test this product for the presence of gluten.
Either way, if you follow a gluten-free diet, youll want to use your own discretion as to whether or not you eat this product. Use your best judgement based on what you know about your body and your own level of sensitivity to gluten to help you decide.
If you choose to skip Honey Nut Cheerios Treats bars, you can always make your own at home using Honey Nut Cheerios and a gluten-free rice krispie treats recipe.
Are Cheerios Gluten Free
Im often asked if Cheerios are gluten free because there is a lot of confusion about the brand. A lot of people with celiac disease refuse to eat it.
Cheerios are not only labeled gluten free, but also each packaging also displays, Proud sponsor of the Celiac Disease Foundation. As you know, when the Celiac Disease Foundation accepts money from Cheerios, it is clearly endorsing the product as safe for people with celiac disease.
On top of the gluten-free label and the endorsement from the Celiac Disease Foundation, I independently tested Cheerios for hidden gluten. The Nima Sensor did not detect any gluten .
Still, some people in the celiac disease community are wary of Cheerios. I have been skeptical myself, although I think that feeling is waning. To be honest with you, I believe everyone should be able to make their own decision about the safety of Cheerios without being judged or shamed.
The reason many people in the celiac disease community are skeptical of Cheerios is because General Mills uses commodity oats to make its cereal. Oats, while naturally gluten free, are often cross contaminated with gluten throughout the harvesting and manufacturing processes. You can read more about it in this article, Are Oats Gluten Free?
General Mills, like other companies, optically or mechanically sorts its commodity oats to remove the oat grain from any potential gluten grains that might have contaminated the crop.
- Apple Cinnamon Cheerios
Also Check: Are Rolled Oats Gluten Free
Are Cheerios Oat Crunch Almond Gluten
There is no gluten-free label on this cereal box or anywhere on the Cheerios website. As with the other Cheerios Oat Crunch varieties, Id assume there is cross contamination with gluten grains during processing.
If you follow a gluten-free diet and are sensitive to trace amounts of gluten, Id steer clear of this variety and choose another flavor of gluten-free Cheerios instead.
Why Is The Cca Concerned
Oats are a naturally gluten-free grain however, it has been documented that oats are frequently cross contaminated with gluten-containing grains, especially barley and wheat. Health Canada scientists have tested commercial oat samples and found high levels of gluten contamination . Cross contamination can occur because oats often are grown in rotation with other crops, harvested and transported with equipment that is also used for gluten-containing grains.
We know the following:
1. Oats are an extremely high risk grain and even gluten-free oats are at high risk for gluten contamination.
2. It is very difficult to remove gluten-containing grains from oats using optical and mechanical technology alone because barley and wheat are similar in size, shape and color as oats. Broken kernels present in the grain also add to the sorting challenge.
3. General Mills is using a cleaning system that they developed based on mechanical sorting to remove barley and wheat from regular commercial oats.
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Are Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch Gluten
The Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch has Honey Nut Cheerios, crispy flakes, and crunchy clusters. This flavor of cereal takes your normal Honey Nut Cheerios and gives it some more crunch and texture.
The Cheerios website and the packaging for this product shows that this product contains wheat ingredients, so this is not going to be a good choice for a gluten-free diet.
Instead of this flavor, you can choose to enjoy regular Honey Nut Cheerios which are gluten-free.
What Chips Are Gluten
- The Good Crisp Company Aged White Cheddar Potato Crisps.
- Kettle Brand Sea Salt Potato Chips.
- Deep River Snacks Original Sea Salt Kettle Chips.
- Good Health Avocado Oil Sea Salt Kettle Chips.
- UTZ Honey Barbeque Potato Chips.
- Cape Cod Original Sea Salt Kettle Cooked Potato Chips.
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Are Cheerios Oat Crunch Gluten
Cheerios Oat Crunch are not considered gluten-free by the General Mills company. Youll want to steer clear of this flavor as well as Cheerios Oat Crunch Oats N Honey if youre following a gluten-free diet.
There may not be specific ingredients that contain gluten in the ingredient list, but the brand does not state it is gluten-free, meaning they likely share equipment and machinery that also processes gluten containing grains.
Gluten Free Watchdogs Updated Position Statement On Cheerios
This position statement may not be reposted without the express written permission of Gluten Free Watchdog, LLC.
***Note: What follows is the opinion of Gluten Free Watchdog. Whether or not you choose to eat Cheerios is your personal decision and you do not owe anyone an explanation. Please make decisions based on the totality of information available to you, including the position of Gluten Free Watchdog, the statement at the end of this post from General Mills, and Gluten Free Watchdogs updated position statement on oats.***
BOTTOM LINE
General Mills has always been transparent with Gluten Free Watchdog about the protocols used for gluten-free Cheerios. And for this, we are truly appreciative. However, Gluten Free Watchdog cannot in good conscience recommend gluten-free Cheerios. This is due largely to the testing protocol followed by General Mills versus our recent test results. Because General Mills uses sorted oats*, testing protocols take on added importance as a benchmark of oat safety. We truly wish General Mills would adopt a testing protocol similar to the one followed by Quaker Oats, another manufacturer also using sorted oats in labeled gluten-free foods.
*Sorted oats are traditionally grown oats that undergo a mechanical and or optical screening at the mill to remove gluten-containing grain based on a variety of grain properties .
THE DETAILS
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Are Honey Nut Cheerios Too Sugary
It actually has about nine times as much sugar as plain Cheerios, per serving. An Environmental Working Group analysis of a number of popular cereals a report that linked sugary cereals to the nation’s childhood obesity epidemic put Honey Nut Cheerios’s sugar content second only to Fruity Pebbles.
Dulce De Leche Toast Crunch
MINNEAPOLIS Five new cereals are joining the General Mills, Inc. family this month three of which are permanent additions.
New Apple Cinnamon Chex features apple-cinnamon-flavored, sweetened rice cereal squares that are gluten-free. Each 1-cup serving contains 180 calories and 10 grams of sugar. A family-size box retails for $5, and a mid-size box retails for $3.79.
Cheerios Oat Crunch Almond combines whole grain oats, almond slices and multi-grain Cheerios made with whole grain oats, sorghum, millet, corn and rice. Each 1-cup serving contains 220 calories, 29 grams of whole grains and 15 grams of sugar. A family-size box retails for $4.99, and a large size box retails for $4.79.
Dulce de Leche Toast Crunch features caramel and cinnamon flavored sweetened wheat and rice cereal squares. Each 1-cup serving contains 170 calories and 12 grams of sugar. A family-size box retails for $4.99, and a mid-size box retails for $3.99.
New limited-edition Galactic Lucky Charms feature three new marshmallows two planets and a rocket mixed with the traditional heart, star, horseshoe, clover, blue moon, unicorn, rainbow and balloon marshmallows. The frosted toasted oat cereal is gluten-free and contains 140 calories and 12 grams of sugar per 1-cup serving. A family-size box retails for $4.99, and a mid-size box retails for $3.99.
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Are Cheerios Good For A Gluten
While the number one ingredient in Cheerios is whole grain oats, which do not contain gluten, Cheerios are not currently safe for celiacs as small amounts of gluten-containing grains such as wheat, rye and barley can be introduced at farms where oats are grown, or when they are transported, creating a cross …
What Is Gluten Sensitivity And Intolerance
The word gluten is derived from the English word glue. It is one of the 30 proteins found in most of the grain group foods. Gluten sensitivity means that the body cannot digest the gluten in grains.
People with celiac disease are born with the inability to digest this grain group from birth. In addition to that, there may be those who do not have celiac disease and do not have wheat or grain allergy but show the symptoms of these disorders. These people react to the proteins in the grains and in this case, gluten intolerance is suspected.
Some symptoms are predominantly seen in individuals with gluten intolerance, which prevents the digestive system from working in a healthy way. Anemia and excessive weight loss are among the most common symptoms. Abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, edema and bloating, and even depression are among the symptoms of gluten intolerance.
What Kind Of Foods Contain Gluten?
- Pasta, couscous, etc⦠grain products,
- Wheat, rye, barley
- In foods such as cakes and cookies
- In instant soups, processed meat, and bouillons
- In ready-made sauces and some legumes
- Chinese salt, soy sauce, lecithin
- Modified food starch
What Are Gluten-Free Foods?
If you want to choose gluten-free flour in your diet, you can also consume coconut flour, almond flour, hazelnut flour, or brown rice flour. Starch-containing gluten-free foods include rice, soy, potatoes, beans, quinoa, arrowroot, amaranth, teff, flaxseed, and chia seeds.
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What Breakfast Cereals Are Gluten
Gluten-free breakfast cereals
- GOFREE Rice Pops. The crispy puffs of rice in our GOFREE Rice Pops and your favourite milk drink make the perfect combination. …
- GOFREE Corn Flakes. These golden corn flakes are ready to make your mornings delightful in just a few spoonfuls. …
- GOFREE Coco Rice. …
- GOFREE Honey Flakes.
Cheerios Pie Crust Tips
In addition to using any flavor of Cheerios you choose. Here are few other recipe tips.
The Sugar Use brown sugar or white granulated sugar in this recipe.
The Amount of Cheerios Adjust the amount of Cheerios used depending on the desired crust thickness.
Butter Amount Adjust the butter amount a little up or down if you find the mixture does not stick together or is too sticky when mixed.
Crushing Cheerios If you dont own a food processor, use a large resalable bag and rolling pin, meat mallet, or heavy sauté pan to crush the Cheerios.
For those of you that eat Cheerios as part of your gluten free lifestyle, I hope you make Cheerios Pie Crust and give it a try. Its that graham cracker crust texture without the graham crackers.
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Current Research On Oats
There have been a number of research studies performed to evaluate the safety of oat consumption. Many of them report that components in oat proteins cause inflammation and elicit damage in patients with gluten sensitivity. Most recently, a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition found that some forms of oat protein triggered and antibody reaction. Another study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology found two varieties of oat proteins were responsible for increased intraepithelial T-cell density and IFN- production .
In 2012 a research study was published identifying a
direct correlation of the immunogenicity of the different oat varieties with the toxicity of peptides present in their avenin sequences.
In plain English please Proteins in oat cereal stimulated an immune response similar to what is seen from wheat.
The studies above were all published after Jan. of 2011. In medicine, it can take 20-30 years for new information to become common knowledge among doctors. So I dont expect that many physicians will be talking about the potential for oat to be a problem for those with gluten sensitivity. That being said, lets take a look at a comprehensive review of the medical literature that was published in 2011 compiling 75 studies published on the topic since 1953. The summary from the authors are quoted below:
Resources:
Are Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios Gluten
Yes, chocolate peanut butter flavored Cheerios have no gluten-containing ingredients. However, they may contain gluten as a result of cross contamination since they do not have a gluten-free label on their packaging.
Use your own discretion based on what you know about your level of sensitivity to gluten.
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What If I Eat Cheerios And Have A Problem
We realize that some people with celiac disease will decide to eat Cheerios. The CCA recommends that if you experience a reaction to the cereal, you should notify the Canadian Food Inspection Agency , General Mills Canada, the store that sold you the package and the CCA.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/information-for-consumers/report-a-concern/contactus/eng/1390269985112/1390346078752
MAPAQ http://www.mapaq.gouv.qc.ca/fr/Restauration/Qualitedesaliments/Pages/plaintes.aspx
General Mills Customer Service http://consumercontacts.generalmills.com/ConsolidatedContact.aspx?page=http://www.lifemadedelicious.ca& js=True& language=en
Canadian Celiac Association: Email or Facebook
Please keep the remainder of the cereal package and any unopened boxes purchased at the same time until it is clear whether CFIA is interested in testing the package for gluten.
Ancient Harvest Quinoa Flakes
Price: $$$
Although usually served as a lunch or dinner item, quinoa can also be used to make a comforting, nutritious, and hearty hot breakfast cereal.
Much like oatmeal, Ancient Harvests quinoa flakes are shelf stable and cook quickly, but theyre made exclusively from organic white quinoa.
A 1/2-cup serving provides approximately 5 grams of fiber, 9 grams of protein, and 0 grams of added sugar.
Note the manufacturer recommends a serving size of 1/3 cup . Ancient Harvests quinoa flakes are labeled gluten-free but not certified gluten-free by a third-party organization.
Price: $
One major drawback of most breakfast cereals is their relatively low protein content.
If youre looking for a convenient cereal that contains higher than average amounts of protein, Erin Bakers Ultra Protein Granola is worth a try.
It packs 10 grams of plant-based protein in each 1/2-cup serving, alongside 4 grams of fiber and just 7 grams of sugar.
Made from a combination of oats, peanut butter, and pea protein, its sweetened with brown rice syrup and molasses.
This product is not certified gluten-free by a third-party organization, but Erin Bakers independently tests its products to ensure compliance with the FDAs gluten-free labeling requirements.
Recommended Reading: Celiac Disease Gluten Free Diet
Are Honey Nut Cheerios Gluten
Find out if Honey Nut Cheerios are gluten-free and fit into a gluten-free diet. Plus find out if theyre dairy-free and vegan.
Note: I am a proud Amazon, Chomps, MunkPack, and Thrive Market affiliate and am happy to recommend their service and products to you. Please know that as an affiliate, I may receive a small commission on the products you purchase after clicking through my links. For more info, please see my disclosure policy here.
Are you a big fan of Honey Nut Cheerios and love to grab a quick bowl of cereal in the morning to get out the door? This sweetened version of Original Cheerios is popular among kids and adults alike.
With a sweet and nutty flavor, Honey Nut Cheerios are one of the Cheerios brands most popular products.
If you follow a gluten-free diet, you know that you need to be careful about what foods and ingredients you add to your diet. So in this post, were going to talk about this flavor of Cheerios and find out if its gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.
Well also talk about which of the Honey Nut Cheerios spin-off products, their Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch and Honey Nut Cheerios Treats Bars are gluten-free.
