“Good things come in bunches,” and the Honey Bunch of Oats is a great thing. It is a very popular, heart-healthy cereal that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But unfortunately, it is not vegan-friendly.
It contains honey, which is derived from honey bees, and whey, which is a milk derivative. These ingredients make this cereal unfit for a vegan diet. No worries, because you can make vegan-friendly Honey Bunches of Oats at home by tweaking the original recipe.
We will discuss the ingredients that make Honey Bunch of Oats non-vegan, the alternative sweeteners you can use to make vegan cereal at home, and the health concerns about this particular brand. So, stay tuned till the end!
Why Are Honey Bunch of Oats Not Vegan?
Honey Bunch of Oats is a cereal produced by a subsidiary of Post Holdings. As its name suggests, it contains honey. It is made from baking honey-coated oat clusters and corn flakes. Over the years, there have been a lot of arguments about whether honey is vegan or not.
The answer is pretty simple. Veganism stands against the exploitation of all animals to produce goods for human consumption, including bees. This is why vegans do not consume honey derived from bees. Instead, they use alternate vegan sweeteners.
Honey Bunch of Oats has also listed that they use artificial flavors in their cereals. Now, according to the FDA, artificial flavors cannot be sourced from meat, poultry, fish, or dairy products. But there is skepticism about this since there could be animal testing involved in the development of said flavors. And vegans have always been against animal cruelty.
Honey Bunch of Oats is also not GMO-free. Foodchain ID excludes all GMO products from the vegan and vegetarian food standards they have set.
Recipe Of Vegan Honey Bunches of Oats
As promised, here is a recipe for vegan Honey Bunch of Oats. We switched honey with agave nectar, and voila! We have got a vegan-friendly cereal for all to enjoy.
Ingredients
Here is the list of ingredients you will need:
One-third cup of agave nectar or sweetener of your choice.
Sliced almonds (you can exclude these if you have a nut allergy)
Let’s Get Cooking!
Set your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and start preheating it. Now follow these steps to assemble the cereal.
#1 Making The Syrup
Take a small pan and pour the agave nectar, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and water into it. Let it cook over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Take it off the heat once it’s dissolved. Add vanilla extract and keep it aside.
#2 Making Two Batches of Dry Cereal
Take one mixing bowl and place 2 cups of oats in it.
Take another mixing bowl in which you will combine the remaining half cup of oats with cornflakes and thinly sliced almonds.
#3 Mixing The Syrup With The Dry Ingredients
Take half of the agave nectar and sugar mixture and pour it over the 2 cups of oats you set aside earlier. Stir them properly. The sugar will make the oats clump together to form delicious clusters.
Then, pour the remaining sweetener over the bowl of cornflakes, oats, and almonds. Stir it with a spoon and make sure that all of the ingredients are properly coated with agave and sugar syrup.
#4 Time to Bake!
Take a baking tray and cover it with parchment paper. Combine the contents of both bowls and spread them evenly on the tray.
Bake for 30 minutes. Check to see if there is a need to stir them, in case they start burning.
#5 Enjoy Vegan Honey Bunch of Oats
Once it cools down, top it with the milk and fruit of your choice and start munching!
Is It Healthy?
Cereal for breakfast is a staple in many households. Many children have it before school every day. But does it have enough nutritional value? Is it healthy to consume it every day? Keep reading to find out!
Benefits
Honey Bunch of Oats are made from whole grains, including corn and whole oats. Whole wheat is the first item listed in the list of ingredients on the product label. They are certified gluten-free.
Whole grains in themselves have various nutrients of daily value. Here is the nutritional content available in one bowl (42 g) of Honey Bunch of Oats with almonds. The following are in daily value percentage.
Vitamin A- 40%
Vitamin B6- 40%
Vitamin B12- 100%
Vitamin D2- 10%
Folate- 400 mcg
Magnesium- 6%
Zinc- 10%
The protein and vitamin content rise even more when you add milk and fruits of your choice when having a bowl of cereal. This will ensure better nutrition.
The iron and folic acid present in this cereal help boost the RBC count and neurological functions. And with the increased milk consumption comes a higher intake of calcium and vitamin B2.
Drawbacks
Honey Bunch of Oats, like many other kinds of cereal on the market, has a high content of added sugars and refined carbs and is low in fiber and protein.
The amount of added sugar is considered to be much more than what is required by the body and can lead to serious health issues. It can be the reason for type 2 diabetes, obesity, or heart problems. It is not healthy for children to consume high sugar content from early on in life.
This cereal is also low in fiber. It only has 2 g of fiber per serving. Fiber lasts longer in your body, keeping you full for a long time. Sugary cereals, on the other hand, make you hungry only after a couple of hours.
High fiber cereals are digested at a slower rate, which aids in the control of your food intake and weight.
People Also Ask
In this section, you will find the answers to the most commonly asked questions about Honey Bunch of Oats.
What Are Some Vegan Alternatives Of Honey?
Instead of using honey as a sweetener, vegans can use bee-free honey, which is completely organic. Some other alternatives are maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, brown rice syrup, and date syrup.
What Are Honey Bunches of Oats Made Of?
The ingredients of Honey Bunch Oats include corn, granulated sugar, brown sugar, whole grain, whole oats, canola oil, honey, malted barley flour, corn syrup, molasses, annatto extract, natural and artificial flavor.
Final Thoughts
Honey Bunch of Oats is not a vegan cereal, however, you can easily make a vegan-friendly version of them at home in a few simple steps.
The store-bought cereal is high in sugar and low in fiber. However, you can make a healthy bowl by adding the milk of your choice and topping it with fruits to increase the vitamins and proteins.
Hi, my name is Brett White, and I have a passion for cooking, and following a raw diet. Eating raw has completely changed how I view food, and has led me down a much healthier and happier path in life over the last three years.
Through Addicted To Veggies, I want to share with you my favorite raw recipes. From brownie recipes, to recipes containing pumpkin, my site is full of delicious and wonderful options to consider.
