Are Cheerios Vegan | 2023 Ingredients List Update
The cereal aisle at the grocery store is filled with a wide variety of options, but for those following a vegan lifestyle, it cannot be easy to know which cereals are suitable for their dietary needs. To date, I have scrutinized the vegan status of various kinds of cereal, such as Fruity Pebbles, Reese’s Puffs, Captain Crunch, Lucky Charms, and Fruit loops, and curated a list of vegan-friendly cereals available in the market.
But the list continues further as new products come onto the market every now and then, and so continuing my hunt for vegan-friendly snacks today, we will question the vegan status of Cheerios. In this article, we will examine the ingredients in Cheerios and answer the question, “Are Cheerios vegan?”.
What Are Cheerios?
Originated in America, cheerios are quite popular breakfast cereals across the world. The distinct O shape of these breakfast cereals comes from whole grain oats that are pulverized and shaped like a torus. Earlier days, the classic cheerios with no added flavor were called ‘CheeriOats’, owing to the bland taste of oats. Today, a lot of varieties have been added ranging from fruity to chocolaty, making them one of the most favorite breakfast snacks among children.
Is Cheerios Vegan?
Yes, cheerios are vegan except for the fact that it is fortified with Vitamin D3. D3 is generally sourced from cholecalciferol, a derivative of lanolin (extracted from lamb’s wool). Apart from this animal derivative, all the other ingredients are vegan in the original cheerios. Some flavored Cheerios are not vegan since these include additional animal-derived ingredients like honey and chocolate.
Cheerios Ingredients
The ingredients list includes whole grain, corn starch, sugar, salt, preservatives, vitamins, and minerals. There are vegan ingredients as well as non-vegan ingredients in a pack of cheerios.
Vegan Ingredients
There is several vegan as well as non vegan ingredients present in a pack of Cheerios. Have a look at both kinds of ingredients.
Some vitamins present are vitamin A, B1, B6, B12, A B, C, and E mentioned in the pack of cheerios. Minerals like calcium carbonate, iron, and zinc are also mentioned.
Potential Non-Vegan Ingredients
The following ingredients are debatable of its vegan status as some vegans consider them non-vegan while some consider them vegan.
- Sugar
- Vitamin D3
Sugar
Sugar is a controversial food for the vegans. Though it does not contain any animal-derived ingredient, it is processed with bone char.
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D3 is a potential non-vegan ingredient in cheerios since it is processed from lanolin which is derived from sheep wool. While it may be debated that this very addition should discard the product from being counted as ‘Vegan’, there isn’t any other means of including this nutrient in breakfast cereals.
Well, can’t the manufacturers skip it entirely? Not really. The FDA directs manufacturers to necessarily fortify cereals, meal replacements and baby formulas with certain nutrients including vitamin D3. In my view, the ideals of veganism can only be applied in our lives to a certain extent. There is no 100% vegan living on this planet. We, as humans, require certain nutrients in some values. Our best bet as dedicated vegans is trying our hardest to sources them from anywhere apart from animals. But then, we’re only free to explore until our options are exhausted.
Flavored Cheerios Ingredients
The flavored cheerios contain many ingredients that enhance the taste, making it delicious. Honey, peanut butter, chocolate, nut, apple, cinnamon, strawberries are some of the ingredients you will find in flavored cheerios. Many of these ingredients are not vegan. So, you must check the pack’s ingredients before purchasing the product.
Are Multigrain Cheerios Vegan?
Yes, Multigrain Cheerios are vegan since its ingredients list doesn’t include Vitamin D. It includes whole grain oats, whole grain corn, sugar, corn starch, corn bran, whole grain rice, whole grain sorghum, whole grain millet, brown sugar syrup, salt, Vitamin E, Colour and preservatives. According to the label, multigrain cheerios are vegan.
However, as we have mentioned earlier, many strict vegans do not prefer to eat sugar as it is processed with bone char. Multigrain cheerios contain sugar and they don’t mention whether the sugar they use is organically processed.
Are Honey Nut Cheerios Vegan?
No, vegan honey nut cheerios sound like an oxymoron. And you do not even have to check the ingredient list to find out why. Honey, the main source of its flavor is an animal-derived ingredient. The vegans are aware of the fact that collecting honey from bees is nothing but exploitation. Therefore, most of the vegans exclude honey from their diet. If you avoid honey as it is not vegan, you will avoid honey nut cheerios for the same reason.
So, Are Cheerios Vegan Friendly? – Yes, Cheerios are vegan friendly except for sugar and vitamin D ingredients that are present in every pack.
Conclusion
For most of the vegans, Cheerios is a vegan brand while it is not for some. So, it is completely on your disposal whether you would like to continue with the cereal or not. Multigrain Cheerios are completely vegan. To accompany your multigrain cheerios, soy milk and slices of fruits are some great options. To break the monotony, you can also try a variety of recipes with the multigrain cheerios that are available online.
My life literally revolves around optimum health and sustainable living by being a devotional vegan. My mission is to create a community of like minded vegans to go forth in creating a better and brighter world for humans, animals and the planet. Just like Gandhi once said: “The greatness of a nation and it’s moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” – Gandhi
