Mornings are busy! Between trying to get ready for work, walking the dog and getting kids out the door, making a home cooked is near impossible some days. When you’re pressed for time, but want a nutritious meal, many turn to instant oatmeal. While it seems like a healthy option, several brands are loaded with sugar, artificial flavors and rival junk food.
According to the American Heart Association, men should not consume more than 9 teaspoons (36 grams or 150 calories) of added sugar daily, while women should not consume more than 6 teaspoons (25 grams or 100 calories) daily, and with several instant oatmeal brands you’ll consume half of the amount the AHA suggests in just one sitting.
If you think you’re starting your day off with a healthy bowl of oatmeal, you might want to double-check that nutrition label. To help guide you through the slew of choices, here are 10 of the unhealthiest instant oatmeals you’ll find on grocery store shelves ranked from bad to worst.
O Organics Instant Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal
Nutrition: per serving 1 packet
Calories: 150
Fat: 2g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 170mg
Carbs: 31g (Fiber: 3g , Sugar: 12g)
Protein: 4g
There are worse options than O Organics Instant Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal. However, the 12 grams of added sugar is a healthy start to the day. In addition it only has three grams of fiber and the American Heart Association suggests 28 grams of fiber a day. You’ll be hungry shortly after, which can lead to binge eating or reaching for unhealthy snacks.
Signature Select Brown Sugar Oatmeal
Nutrition: per serving 1 packet
Calories: 160
Fat: 2g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 260mg
Carbs: 32g (Fiber: 3g , Sugar: 12g)
Protein: 4g
Signature Select Brown Sugar Oatmeal contains high sugar, 11% of the daily recommended sodium amount and has problematic ingredients. The oatmeal is marketed as “no artificial flavors,” but check out the ingredients list and you’ll see calcium carbonate, which is found in chalk and limestone and is not considered a natural flavoring for food. Instead it’s a firming agent.
Quaker Raisins & Spice Instant Oats
Nutrition: per serving 1 packet
Calories: 150
Fat: 2g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 210mg
Carbs: 32g (Fiber: 3g , Sugar: 14g)
Protein: 4g
Quaker Raisins & Spice Instant Oats only contains three grams of fiber, which won’t keep you full long. It’s also really high in sugar.
Nature’s Path Organic Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Nutrition: per serving 1 packet
Calories: 210
Fat: 2.5g (Saturated fat: g)
Sodium: 100mg
Carbs: 40g (Fiber: 4g , Sugar: 14g)
Protein: 5g
Organic doesn’t always mean healthier. The Nature’s Path Organic Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal is tasty, but full of sugar. For one packet there’s 14 grams, which isn’t a good way to kick off the day.
Stonewall Kitchen Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal
Nutrition: per serving 1/3 dry mix
Calories: 190
Fat: 2.5g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 125mg
Carbs: 38g (Fiber: 3g , Sugar: 14g)
Protein: 5g
Stonewall Kitchen Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal looks like a healthy choice, but it’s full of sugar. In just ⅓ of the dry mix there’s 14 grams of sugar.
Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal – Summer Berry
Nutrition: per serving 1 package
Calories: 240
Fat: 1g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 240mg
Carbs: 50g (Fiber: 6g , Sugar: 14g)
Protein: 8g
Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal – Summer Berry is bursting with a fruity flavor, but also sugar. In one packet there’s 14 grams. Plus, it’s higher in salt and calories.
Share Good Foods Blueberry Cobbler Oatmeal
Nutrition: per serving 88 grams
Calories: 300
Fat: 3.5g (Saturated fat: .5g)
Sodium: 280mg
Carbs: 51g (Fiber: 7g , Sugar: 18g)
Protein: 9g
Share Good Foods Blueberry Cobbler Oatmeal tastes like a cobbler, but also has the sugar content of a dessert. It’s also higher in calories and salt.
McCann’s® Vanilla Honey Microwaveable Cup
Nutrition: per serving 1 cup
Calories: 200
Fat: 1g (Saturated fat: 0g)
Sodium: 240mg
Carbs: 44g (Fiber: 3g , Sugar: 17g)
Protein: 4g
McCann’s® Vanilla Honey Microwaveable Cup is advertised as “high quality Irish oats,” but one cup has 17 grams of sugar, 240 grams of salt and 200 calories, which isn’t the healthiest start to the day. Plus, the front label states it’s naturally flavored, but the oatmeal contains calcium carbonate, which you now know is not a natural flavoring for food, but rather a firming agent.
Modern Oats Apple Walnut Oatmeal
Nutrition: per serving 1 container
Calories: 310
Fat: 7g (Saturated fat: 1g)
Sodium: 0mg
Carbs: 52g (Fiber: 7g , Sugar: 17g)
Protein: 9g
While Modern Oats Apple Walnut Oatmeal blends apples and walnuts, which are both healthy foods, that’s where the nutrition ends. The oatmeal is full of sugar and calories.
Quaker Real Medleys Apple Walnut Oatmeal Cup
Nutrition: per serving 1 packet
Calories: 290
Fat: 7g (Saturated fat: 1g)
Sodium: 250mg
Carbs: 54g (Fiber: 5g , Sugar: 22g)
Protein: 6g
The top spot goes to Quaker Real Medleys Apple Walnut Oatmeal Cup. It’s a total sugar bomb and is more like dessert than breakfast. While it has apples and walnuts, which are nutrient-dense, it’s also got 17 grams of added sugar and 22 grams in total. It’s also loaded with sodium and high in calories.
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