Raisin Bran Cereals are full of whole grain fiber and robust raisins that deliver juicy sweetness and crunchy texture in every bite. Usually consumed for the high fiber content, Raisin Bran is ranked in the top 10 most sold cereals in the US. Though a fan favorite, is Raisin Bran actually vegan?
Yes, certain types of Raisin Bran Cereals are vegan. Kellogg’s Raisin Bran is in fact vegan, as it does not contain any animal derivatives. However, Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Crunch is not considered vegan. It contains ingredients such as D3, honey, and palm oil which are non-vegan. The best vegan alternative is Cascadian Farms Organic Raisin Bran.
In this article, we will discuss Kellogg’s Raisin Bran cereal nutritional value, as well as some vegan alternatives. Let’s dig in!
Contents
Non-Vegan Ingredients
1. Vitamin D and D3
The vitamin D supplements are added to many brands of cereals. The basic D3 vitamin additive used most widely is derived from sheep’s wool or lanolin. Strict Vegans avoid this supplemental ingredient as it comes from an animal source. Even though the animal is not harmed when shaving the sheep. Or the lanolin is extracted without harm. An animal source is an animal source. Most brands of Raisin Bran include vitamin D3. Vitamin D food additive is not vegan.
2. Refined Sugar
Some sugar is vegan. Those that use a bone char process are not considered to be ethically vegan. Bone char is a process of using charcoal made from animal bones to make sugar white. Beet and coconut sugars do not use a bone char process and therefore are vegan. If sugarcane granules or powder is bright white this indicates that a bone char process was used in the making of it. This means that almost all white cane sugar is not vegan.
3. Honey
There are many opinions about whether or not honey is vegan. Some say that because honey is made from plant nectars that this makes it a vegan product. Others say that removing honey harms the bees by creating stress of food scarcity. Many vegans do not consider honey to be vegan because it is removing the bee’s product without their consent. Honey is not vegan.
4. Palm Oil
There are some sustainably and ethically sourced palm oils on the market. And more and more companies are looking to source this version. However, most palm oil is harvested in deep plantations that are home to orangutans. The deforestation of palm plantations does displace orangutans from their homes. Technically, palm oil is vegan because it contains no animal by product and is considered a vegetable oil. Palm oil is the second most consumed oil worldwide and is second only to Soybean Oil. Unless the palm oil is sustainably sourced, it is not vegan.
5. Natural Flavor
Natural Flavor is a broad term used on food labeling. Natural Flavor can be made from fruits, vegetables, wood, or eggs, poultry, and meats. Natural Flavors are produced by extracting the proteins and hydrolysate that contain the most flavor from the source. Again, the source of the flavor can be made from an animal product. It is hard to know. Unless the label says it is a vegan product, you may want to avoid this “natural” ingredient.
Vegan Raisin Bran
Kellogg’s Raisin Bran
On the surface Kellogg’s Raisin Bran does not contain dairy, milk, or lactose which makes it a good candidate for vegans.
Here is a list Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Ingredients:
- Whole Grain Wheat
- Raisins
- Wheat Bran
- Sugar
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Salt
- Malt Flavoring
- Invert Sugar
- Niacinamide (B3)
- Iron
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6)
- Zinc Oxide
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- Thiamin Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1)
- Vitamin A Palmitate
- Folic Acid
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin B12
Nutrition Information:
- Calories 190
- Fat 1g
- Carbs 47g
- Protein 5g
There are 190 calories in 1 cup (59 g) of Kellogg’s Raisin Bran. Calorie breakdown: 4% fat, 87% carbs, 9% protein.
Kellogg’s Raisin Bran has a whopping 17 grams of sugar per 1 cup serving. And it is no wonder with the 3 types of sweeteners this cereal contains; sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and inverted sugar. The label says Vitamin D, not D3. Since most vegan products do not contain any D vitamin it is probably safe to say that the vitamin D additive is animal derived as well as the D3 in other products.
Non-Vegan Raisin Bran Cereals
Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Crunch
Another favorite Raisin Bran by Kellogg’s is their Raisin Bran Crunch. However, it is not vegan. The Raisin Bran Crunch variety has the addition of honey, palm oil, and natural flavor. Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Crunch also contains glycerin. Glycerin is basically sugar alcohol and is used for sweetness and to help control moisture levels in a product. Glycerin can be a synthetic product, can be plant based, or can be animal based.
Here is a list Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Crunch Ingredients:
- Whole Grain Wheat
- Sugar
- Raisins
- Rice
- Wheat Bran
- Whole Grain Oats
- Brown Sugar Syrup
- Glycerin
- Corn Syrup
- Salt
- Malt Flavor
- Modified Corn Starch
- Molasses
- Palm Oil
- Cinnamon
- Honey
- Natural and Artificial Flavor
- BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene)
- Niacinamide
- Iron
- Vitamin C
- Zinc Oxide
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (B6)
- Vitamin A Palmitate
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin Hydrochloride)
- Folic Acid
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin B12
Nutrition Information:
- Calories 190
- Fat 1g
- Carbs 46g
- Protein 4g
There are 190 calories in 1 cup (55 g) of Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Crunch Original. Calorie breakdown: 4% fat, 88% carbs, 8% protein.
Post Raisin Bran
Here is the ingredient list for the Post brand of Raisin Bran:
- Whole Grain Wheat
- Raisins
- Wheat Bran
- Sugar
- Wheat Flour
- Malted Barley Flour
- Salt
- Iron
- Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
- Zinc Oxide
- Vitamin A Palmitate
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6)
- Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1)
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- Folic Acid
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin D3
Nutrition Information:
- Calories 178
- Fat 4g
- Carbs 03g
- Protein 22g
There are 178 calories in 1 cup of Post Raisin Bran Cereal. Calorie breakdown: 6% fat, 84% carbs, 10% protein.
Post’s Raisin Bran ingredient list is not all that bad. This brand of Raisin Bran carries 15 grams of sugar per 1 cup serving. Nutritionally comparable to Cascadian Farm’s brand with 6 grams of fiber and 1.5 grams of fat per 1 cup serving. The added vitamin D3 and the unknown sugar sourcing are issues. Making Post Raisin Bran not vegan friendly.
Total Raisin Bran
This General Mills brand of Raisin Bran is considered a vegan food. We know that the addition of the D3 and the possibility of bone char in the sugar and brown sugar syrup are issues.
Total Raisin Bran Ingredients:
- Whole Grain Wheat
- Raisins
- Sugar
- Corn Bran
- Corn Syrup
- Brown Sugar Syrup
- Salt
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E Acetate
- Iron
- Zinc
- B Vitamin (Niacinamide)
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride)
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin Mononitrate)
- Folic Acid
- Vitamin A (Palmitate)
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin D3
Nutrition Information:
- Calories 160
- Fat 1g
- Carbs 40g
- Protein 3g
There are 160 calories in 1 cup (53 g) of General Mills Total Raisin Bran Cereal. Calorie breakdown: 5% fat, 88% carbs, 7% protein.
What about Total Raisin Bran on a nutritional level? Ranking the lowest in fiber per 1 cup serving at 5 grams. Total Raisin Bran also has 17 grams of sugar per 1 cup serving. One of the sweetest of the raisin bran varieties. We still think Cascadian is a better choice if you must have your bowl of Raisin Bran.
Kroger Raisin Bran
Kroger, Safeway, Vons, and Pavilions are all the same company. Any version of these store’s brand of Raisin Bran will have the same ingredients as they come from the same factory source.
- Whole Grain Wheat
- Raisins
- Wheat Bran
- Sugar
- Wheat Flour
- Malted Barley Flour
- Salt
- Iron
- Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
- Zinc Oxide
- Vitamin A Palmitate
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6)
- Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1)
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- Folic Acid
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin D3
Nutrition Information:
- Calories 190
- Fat 1g
- Carbs 48g
- Protein 5g
There are 190 calories in 1 1/4 cups (61 g) of Kroger Raisin Bran Cereal. Calorie breakdown: 4% fat, 87% carbs, 9% protein.
A simple enough ingredient list compared to some others here. The D3 vitamin addition makes this not vegan friendly. The serving size on the box is deceiving. As most varieties host a 1 cup serving. The Kroger Raisin Bran suggests a 1.25-cup serving. For the 190 calories of cereal, you get 9 grams of fiber and 20 grams of sugar.
Vegan Alternatives to Kellogg’s Raisin Bran
Cascadian Farms Organic Raisin Bran
This cereal is completely vegan! It does not contain D3 supplement, added natural flavors or palm oil. Also, Cascadian Farms also an unbleached organic sugar in this cereal.
- Whole Grain Wheat
- Wheat Bran
- Raisins
- Sugar
- Oat Fiber
- Sea Salt
- Malted Barley Extract
- Vitamin E
Nutrition Information:
- Calories 210
- Fat 5g
- Carbs 50g
- Protein 5g
There are 210 calories in 1 1/4 cups (64 g) of Cascadian Farm Raisin Bran Cereal. Calorie breakdown: 6% fat, 86% carbs, 9% protein.
One of the healthiest brands for Raisin Bran is the Organic Cascadian Farm variety. Cascadian Farm Organic Raisin Bran contains 6 grams of fiber per 1 cup serving. As you will read on, this brand has the shortest and most straight forward ingredient list here.
Final Thoughts
If you are adhering to a strictly vegan diet, look for an ingredient list that does not contain added vitamin D, honey, palm oil, natural flavorings, glycerin, or bleached cane sugar. Cascadian Farms Organic Raisin Bran is the best choice for a vegan Raisin Bran cereal. And we get it, you like cereal. Cereal is comforting and filling!
Raisin Bran is seen as a high fiber cereal option. And many use this as a way to help lose weight. A high fiber and low-fat diet can be supported by eating a healthy cereal option. Choose your Raisin Bran wisely.
Related Questions
Is Raisin Bran gluten free?
None of the Raisin Bran cereals listed are gluten free. Ingredients such as malt flavoring (made from barley), wheat bran, whole grain wheat, and wheat flour render raisin bran not gluten free. Steer clear of any cereal labeled “Bran” as this will surely mean it contains wheat bran which is not gluten free.
Which kind of Raisin Bran has the lowest sugar content?
Cascadian Farms Organic Raisin Bran, Post Raisin Bran, and Kroger Raisin Bran.
Where can I buy Cascadian Farms Organic Products?
You can easily locate their products through their store locator. Additionally, they can be shipped via iherb.com