Cocoa puffs are easily one of the most nostalgic snacks over the last decade, but the recipe isn’t all accessible. After the massive amount of restructuring that cereal companies faced during the health revelations of the 2000s, cereal mills upped their use of grains to keep the same sugar flavor without as much actual sugar. Coming from the cereal brand General Mills, it acts as a cocoa-flavored kix in its ingredients. It contains very high amounts of additives and sugar. Despite the health benefit craze of the 2000s, cocoa puffs haven’t attempted to make their cereal accessible to plant-based eaters, children with celiac disease, and more.
Cocoa Puffs are not gluten-free as this cereal contains a variety of wheat products. There is no indication of a change in this anytime soon. However, there are many alternatives to cocoa puffs that are safe for people who don’t eat gluten. The best gluten-free alternative to Cocoa Puffs are Annie’s Choco Chimps and Love Grown Comet Crispies.
In this article, we’ll discuss the nutritional value of Cocoa Puffs, as well as healthier gluten-free alternatives. Let’s dig in!
Contents
Why Aren’t Cocoa Puffs Gluten-Free?
Cocoa puffs are made with a variety of wheat products that make them not gluten-free. As well as being made with wheat products, there is a pretty significant amount of refined sugar, carbohydrates, and corn syrups that can also upset your diet or affect the reason that you can’t eat this particular cereal.
Nutrition Facts:
With a serving size being 1 cup, and about 15 servings per container, cocoa puffs contains:
- 150 Calories
- 2g Total Fat
- 0g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans fat
- 0.5g Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1g Monounsaturated Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 120mg Sodium
- 30g Total Carbohydrates
- 2g Dietary Fiber
- 12g Sugars
- 2g Proteins
Ingredients:
- Whole Grain Corn
- Sugar
- Corn Meal
- Corn Syrup
- Cocoa Processed with Alkali
- Canola Oil
- Caramel Color
- Fructose
- Salt
- Refiner’s Syrup
- Baking Soda
- Natural Flavor
- Vitamins and Minerals
- Tricalcium Phosphate
- Calcium Carbonate
Are Cocoa Puffs Healthy?
Not at all. cocoa puffs may have added vitamins and minerals, but there are additives and sugar contents that put you at risk if consumed regularly over a long period of time. However, cocoa puffs don’t take the cake for the most unhealthy cereal. That title goes to Kellog’s Froot Loops, because of the insanely high amount of refined sugar.
What Grains Are Gluten-Free?
If you’re looking for a way to meet a carbohydrate count while being low gluten or gluten-free, there are many ways that you can substitute areas such as bread and complex carbohydrates by looking to gluten-free grains. Often, these are similar in texture similar to rice and can be used in similar ways. Most of these make great additions to hearty winter soups, adding a more filling component to that particular dish.
Gluten-Free Grains
These grains and “pseudocereals” make a great addition to a low or gluten-free diet. Many of these pair well with protein and spices, giving you plenty of options to get creative with your food.
- Amaranth: Amaranth is a tiny grain known for its slightly nutty flavor. Usually toasted, amaranth is often topped with fruit and honey for a healthy start to the day.
- Rice: Rice is a staple for the world economy, and multiple countries depend on its export for a substantial part of the countries income. The different varieties of rice give a lot of versatility to the person cooking the food, and wild rice makes an earthy addition to soups and stews.
- Buckwheat: While the name does imply that this has wheat in it, buckwheat is botanically in the rhubarb family. Buckwheat is slightly nutty and bitter but contains a myriad of B vitamins and iron, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, and zinc. Buckwheat can also be made into flour to make different types of grain products without the use of wheat.
- Millet: Millet is an ingredient in birdseed, but the tiny grain is jam-packed with nutrients that will give you wings all day long. Its protein counts are much higher than that of corn and rice, and the fluffy texture would pair extremely well with other proteins such as chicken.
- Grits: Grits are a form of cornmeal, made from actual corn. Grits are an extremely versatile breakfast dish in the south, with additions varying from fruits and honey to the spiciest of hot sauces.
- Gluten-Free Oats: when oats are certified gluten-free, you’re getting a guarantee about the gluten content of the oats. With less than 10ppm of gluten, these make a great addition to the classic American breakfast.
- Sorghum: Sorghum is a botanical powerhouse, with antioxidants that many grains and pseudocereals don’t usually have. Their antioxidant profile can most closely be related to blueberries and contains other nutrients such as fiber, B vitamins, iron, and potassium.
- Teff: This tiny grain is rife with nutrients such as protein, calcium, iron, copper, and zinc. This is versatile in a similar manner to buckwheat due to the ability to be used as a grain and as flour.
What is Cross-Contamination?
People with celiacs disease need to take extra care that the gluten-free products above aren’t prepared with products that aren’t gluten-free, as cross-contamination is absolutely possible. A great tip for avoiding cross-contamination is to prepare gluten-free items first and to use utensils made of steel or plastic instead of hard-to-wash materials such as wood.
How Do Gluten-Free Products Become Cross-Contaminated?
Also called cross-contact. contact between gluten-free and foods with gluten can be extremely dangerous to people with celiac disease. Some of the more obvious sources of contact exist in the home, but some forms of cross-contamination can exist in appliances such as toasters.
What Are Some Gluten-Free Alternatives to Cocoa Puffs?
Annie’s Choco Chimps
Annie’s cocoa chimps are the perfect blend of sustainable and healthy, having the same chocolatey flavor using better ingredients than its competitions. Its also vegan and gluten-free, which has a lot of benefits for families that are looking to make better choices for their families. The pro-animal message is important for kids to learn, as environmentalism is a dying breed of value.
Nutrition Facts:
For 3/4ths of a cup of cereal, Annie’s cocoa bunnies contain:
- 110 Calories
- 15 Calories from Fat
- 1.5g Total Fat
- 0g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 120mg Sodium
- 22g Total Carbohydrates
- Dietary Fiber 2g
- Sugars 8g
- 2g Protein
Ingredients:
- Whole Grain Oats
- Whole Grain Corn Meal
- Cane Sugar
- Rice Flour
- Cocoa Powder
- Tapioca Syrup
- Invert Cane Syrup
- Sunflower Oil
- Sea Salt
- Calcium Phosphate
- Baking Soda
- Sugar Syrup
- Vanilla Extract
- Natural Flavor
- Vitamin E
Cocoa Pebbles
Cocoa pebbles is a popular cereal and a direct competition to cocoa puffs, but they have the upper hand when it comes to accessibility and health. Cocoa pebbles and fruity pebbles chose to go gluten-free during the health craze of the 2000s, and have an extremely similar chocolatey flavor to cocoa puffs.
Nutrition Facts:
Fir 3/4ths of a cup, cocoa pebbles contain:
- 115 Calories
- 1.22g Total Fat
- 1.073g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 157mg Sodium
- 25.49g Total Carbohydrates
- 0,5g Dietary Fiber
- 12.76g Sugars
- 1.02g Protein
Ingredients:
- Rice
- Sugar
- Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
- Coconut and Palm Kernel Oils
- Cocoa
- Salt
- Caramel Color
- Natural and Artificial Flavor
- Vitamins and Minerals
Love Grown Comet Crispies
Love-Grown Comet Crispies are all accessible in a preservative-free, plant-based replacement option with gluten-free, vegan, and whole-food benefits. They have made multiple pacts to contribute to food security in their communities while also being packed with fiber and a chocolatey taste that will have you reaching for seconds.
Nutrition Facts:
For a 1 cup serving of Love Grown Comet Crispies, this cereal contains:
- 133.3 Calories
- 2g Total Fat
- 0g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 66.7mg Sodium
- 25.3g Total Carbohydrates
- 4g Dietary Fiber
- 9.3g Sugars
- 4g Protein
Ingredients:
- Bean Blend
- Brown Rice
- Dried Cane Syrup
- Cocoa
- Sunflower Oil
- Natural Flavor
- Salt
- Sunflower Lecithin
- Vitamin E
Chocolate Cheerios
Surprisingly, cheerios have made the step to sustainability by focusing on making their brand vegan and gluten-free. Many cheerio’s flavors lack refined sugar and lanolin, the components that regularly make cereals miss the mark with vegan consumers. Luckily, the chocolate cheerios brand is an amazing and healthier alternative to the cocoa puffs brand.
Nutrition Facts:
For a serving size of 3/4th of a cup, chocolate cheerios contain:
- 100 Calories
- 1.5g Total Fat
- 0.5g Monounsaturated Fat
- 0.5g Polyunsaturated Fat
- 170mg Sodium
- 75mg Potassium
- 22g Carbohydrates
- 20g Net Carbs
- 2g Fiber
- 9g Glucose
- 1g Protein
Ingredients:
- Whole Grain Oats
- Sugar
- Corn Syrup
- Corn Starch
- Cocoa Processed with Alkali
- Salt
- Caramel Color
- Canola and/or Sunflower Oil
- Unsweetened Chocolate
- Tripotassium Phosphate
- Natural Flavor
- Vitamin E
Related Questions
What Cereals are Similar to Cocoa Puffs?
Cocoa Puffs are extremely similar to Trix and Kix, with similar ingredients. It’s been speculated as to whether Cocoa Puffs and Trix are simply flavored versions. It’s made with real Hershey’s cocoa and is made by the cereal producer general mills. All of them have the same general ingredients, with one or two ingredients differing away from the original brand, Kix.
Are Cocoa Puffs Vegan?
No. Cocoa puffs contain a type of animal product called lanolin, which comes from the space between a sheep’s wool and skin. When the sheep are sheared, lanolin is separated from the wool and made into food-grade and construction-grade products. Lanolin is not unethically harvested, however, as sheep need to be sheared.