Breakfast Cereal Taste Test

Not all healthy cereals disappoint your taste buds.

ByABC News
March 16, 2009, 10:30 AM

March 16, 2009— -- As with most foods, when it comes to cereal, finding one that satisfies the palate and boosts your body is a challenge. Some taste good but aren't that good for you. Others are nutritious but taste like crap. So which bowls made our staff snap, crackle and pop? We tried all the major healthy brands, then asked Elizabeth Ward, a registerd dietitian and Men's Fitness nutrition adviser, to assess their true nutritional value. We picked the tastiest; Ward selected the healthiest. But which earned a spot on both lists?

Watch "Good Morning America Health" every weekday at 2 p.m. ET on ABC News Now for the latest health and wellness news.

Post Grape Nuts Flakes

110 calories, 3 g protein, 24 g carbs, 1 g fat, 3 g fiber

Despite being super tiny, these flakes had a delicious wheat flavor -- nutty enough to seem healthy without being so overwhelming they screamed "health food." Be forewarned, though: The flakes dissolve quickly, leaving a sort of whole-wheat mush on your tongue.

OUR EXPERT: "The cereal claims to contain whole-grain wheat with barley, but there's nothing on the packaging or food label to show that it's actually much better for you than regular cereals. On the plus side, each serving does provide a decent dose of iron, B vitamins and vitamin D."

TASTIEST: Honey Bunches of Oats With Real Strawberries

120 calories, 2 g protein, 26 g carbs, 1.5 g fat, 2 g fiber

Delicious. Staffers loved the variety of differently sized and flavored flakes, plus the ample freeze-dried strawberry slices and large chunks of granola. There were definite seconds. And thirds.

OUR EXPERT: "Like your cereal sweet and highly processed? Pick this one. You'll get the equivalent of two teaspoons of sugar in every three-quarters cup of cereal and very little fiber or protein."

Health Valley Granola Raisin Cinnamon

190 calories, 5 g protein, 42 g carbs,2 g fat, 5 g fiber

HV packs its raisins separately from the cereal, which we found weird. Even weirder? The speck-size pieces of granola, which looked like sand. Surprisingly, appearances to the contrary, the cereal itself was good, like an oatmeal cookie or perhaps the topping on a fruit cobbler, thanks to ample amounts of spices, including nutmeg and cinnamon.