Chocolate Breakfast Cereals Advertise Health Benefits. But Are They Really as Good as They Sound?

If you grew up loving Cocoa Puffs, you’ve probably noticed the growing number of chocolate-filled cereals aimed at adults. And the best part? They claim to be healthy!

Kellogg's Krave boasts being a great source of fiber and whole grains; Special K Chocolatey Delight offers fiber, whole grains, and iron, with only 120 calories and 2 grams of fat per serving. Even Cheerios, the beloved snack for toddlers, joined the chocolate trend with Chocolate Cheerios, claiming to be heart-healthy, cholesterol-free, and just 100 calories per serving.

But wait a minute. Are we really looking at solid nutritional facts, or is this all just clever marketing? How can a cereal packed with chocolate still be considered healthy?

Take a look at the ingredients for Kellogg's Krave. The very first ingredient listed is sugar, meaning it makes up the largest portion of the cereal. The so-called "chocolate-flavored filling" is actually just sugar and oil with a dash of real chocolate to keep it from melting. Yummy, right? The second ingredient is also sugar, and with 11 grams of sugar per serving (almost 3 teaspoons), that adds up to 44 calories—about one-third of the total 120 calories per serving. Healthy? Definitely not.

So what's the deal? Why is the marketing for these chocolate cereals so misleading, claiming to be healthy? We know that sugary cereals have been targeting kids for decades with iconic mascots like Tony the Tiger and Snap, Crackle, and Pop. But now adults are in the crosshairs, too. Are we really that easily fooled? Back in the 1940s, marketers tried convincing Americans that donuts were a good source of vitamins. Could history be repeating itself?

The rise of chocolate cereals targeting adults is a response to the declining market share of breakfast cereals, as foods like yogurt, breakfast bars, and even fast food gain popularity. The segment hit hardest is cold, sugary cereals—the only category in the breakfast market to shrink, with sales dropping 7 percent from 2009 to 2013.

But competition isn’t the sole reason for the decline. Another significant factor? A study by research company Stealing Share points to the growing perception that cold, packaged cereals—especially sugary ones—are unhealthy.

Younger consumers, once the primary cereal eaters, are now turning away from cereals because they prefer quicker, more convenient breakfast options that are easier to eat on the go.

This shift leaves adults as the main demographic for cold cereals. After all, they're the generation that grew up with classics like Cocoa Puffs. It seems many adults are more likely to opt for a so-called "healthy" chocolate cereal, like Fiber One Chocolate – which Serious Eats reviewer Leandra Palermo praised for its Cocoa Puffs-like taste – than buying the original version.