Are Cheerios Vegan?
Wondering if your favorite breakfast cereals fit into your plant-based or vegan diet? Cheerios are made with mostly plant-based ingredients, however they do contain a few ingredients that may not be acceptable for strict vegans. Keep reading to discover the questionable ingredients or animal products found in Cheerios!
What Are Cheerios Made Of?
First, we'll take a look at Original Cheerios, which are the simplest of all varieties. They are made simply out of whole grain oats, corn starch, refined sugar, salt, tripotassium phosphate, and vitamin E (to preserve freshness).
Cheerios are also fortified with a variety of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B6 and vitamin D3. This is an issue for many vegans because supplemental vitamin D3 almost always comes from sheep wool grease. And while supplemental B6 is usually vegan, it can be derived from animal sources, too.
Additionally, the refined sugar may have been processed using bone char from animal bones. That said, in most cases we have no way of knowing where the sugar in processed foods comes from. So, while this popular breakfast cereal may be considered suitable for non-vegan plant-based eaters, ethical vegans may want to opt for a safer pick if possible.
Questionable Ingredients in Cheerios
While Original Cheerios contain likely animal-derived ingredients like D3 and possibly non-vegan ingredients like B6 and white sugar (processed with animal bone char), some Cheerios are definitely not vegan-friendly.
These varieties of Cheerios contain animal-based ingredients like honey and mysterious natural flavors (which may include animal products), in addition to the aforementioned ingredients from animal sources. Another common ingredients Cheerios may contain are artificial colors, which are very frequently tested on animals.
Types of Cheerios and Their Vegan Status
Now that we know what types of ingredients you may find in your Cheerios, let's find out which contain these questionable ingredients.
Are Honey Nut Cheerios Vegan?
As mentioned in the name itself, Honey Nut Cheerios are in fact made with real honey. While this may speak highly of the quality of the product, it's sad news for plant-based eaters. Learn more about how bees are treated in industrial apiculture here.
Other possibly non-vegan ingredients in Honey Nut Cheerios include refined sugar, vitamin B6, and vitamin D3.
Are Multigrain Cheerios Vegan?
Multigrain Cheerios are similar to Original Cheerios in that they don't explicitly contain any animal-derived ingredients. However, the vitamin D3 in both types of Cheerios almost always comes from sheep wool grease. This cereal also contains refined sugar and vitamin B6, which could be animal-derived. And finally, they contain caramel color, which is often tested on animals to prove its safety for human consumption. These ingredients would qualify Multigrain Cheerios as most likely non-vegan.
Are Maple Cheerios Vegan?
If you'd ruled out Honey Nut Cheerios and then came across Maple Cheerios, you may've considered this option as a viable alternative. However, just like Original and Multigrain Cheerios, Maple Cheerios do contain a few questionable ingredients. These include refined sugar, vitamin B6, and vitamin D3. So, this cereal is likely unsuitable for the vegan diet.
Are Frosted Cheerios Vegan?
Frosted Cheerios contain the same questionable ingredients as Multigrain and Original Cheerios: vitamin B6, vitamin D3, and refined sugar. However, they also contain natural flavors, which may be derived from plant and/or animal ingredients. Frosted Cheerios are likely not vegan-friendly.
Are Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios Vegan?
The non-vegan, or potentially non-vegan ingredients in Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios are the same as those in Frosted Cheerios: vitamin B6, vitamin D3, natural flavors, and refined sugar. However, they also contain caramel color, which is frequently tested on animals to prove its safety for human consumption.
Are Chocolate Cheerios Vegan?
Chocolate Cheerios ingredients include refined sugar, caramel color, natural flavor, and vitamins D3 and B6, which may be derived from animal sources. According to most vegans, Chocolate Cheerios would not be considered suitable for the vegan diet.
Are Apple Cinnamon Cheerios Vegan?
This cereal also contains possibly non-vegan vitamin B6, refined sugar, and likely non-vegan vitamin D3. Apple Cinnamon Cheerios are probably not vegan-friendly.
Should I Rule Out All Cheerios As a Vegan?
Having listed all of the questionable ingredients in Cheerios, keep in mind that being vegan is not about following a set of rules, but instead doing what you can to help exploited animals.
In addition, it's important to note that the most significant way to help animals stuck in the industrial animal agriculture system is by keeping meat, dairy, fish, seafood, and eggs off your plate. Consuming animal byproducts does contribute to animal exploitation, but these ingredients could not exist without the main animal products the majority of the world consumes on a daily basis.
So, if you have no other viable options, and could not fathom the idea of skipping your favorite morning Cheerios, we would encourage you to keep them and avoid all other animal products you can. Doing what is practical and possible for you is always better than doing things 'perfectly' for a few weeks before giving up entirely.
Aim to cut out all of the non-vegan products you can, and keep up the great work you're doing for the animals!
Popular Vegan Cereals to Try Today!
If you are willing to trade in your morning Cheerios for a more vegan-friendly option, here are some brands we highly recommend:
