Frosted Flakes are a delicious morning cereal with a delicate sugar coating. They’re pretty cheap and an excellent choice for a breakfast meal. So, are Frosted Flakes vegan?
The short answer is no, Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes are not vegan. However, the ingredient that causes this cereal not to be Vegan is sometimes eaten by vegans due to its properties.
It can be confusing, so let’s break it down a bit.
What Is in Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes?
According to Kellog’s website, these are the ingredients in their frosted flakes:
- Milled corn
- Sugar
- Malt Flavor
- Folic Acid
- Salt
- Iron
- Niacinamide
- Vitamin D3
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride)
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin Hydrochloride)
- Vitamin B12
Almost every ingredient in this cereal is plant-based. However, one element can be misleading.
Why Are Frosted Flakes Not Vegan?
That misleading ingredient is vitamin D3. While you can sometimes make this vitamin from plants, it also could be made of animal products.
Typically vitamin D3 is made of sheep’s wool. Few natural foods have vitamin D3. However, D3 can be made of lichen (which comes from algae or cyanobacteria), which is plant-based. That is why some vegans still eat food with vitamin D3 in it since there is no way to know what it’s made of.
Vitamin D is an essential part of our diet. It helps to build bones because it allows us to retain and absorb calcium and phosphorus.
It is important to note that vitamin D itself is found in plants. Thus, it is acceptable to eat it. You can also get it in the following formats:
- Fortified plant milk (meaning it has added nutrients or nutrients that are generally not in it)
- Orange juice
- Tofu
We can also get vitamin D from sunshine or take a supplement. However, be careful because not all supplements are vegan-friendly.
What Are Some Alternative Cereals?
Just like most name-brand foods, Kellog’s Frosted Flakes have vegan off-brands. Below are three options for any vegan that wants to still have frosted flakes in their lives:
This cereal is only made with three ingredients: cornmeal, cane sugar, and sea salt. Be aware, however, that there could be possible allergens. It is made in a factory with tree nuts, peanuts, and soy products.
This cereal also only has three ingredients; organic corn, organic cane sugar, and sea salt. On the back of the box, there are even fun recipes to try with the family.
This cereal does have more ingredients, but most are organic. Annie’s Frosted Oat Flakes contains whole grain oats, whole grain wheat, cane sugar, tapioca syrup, sea salt, natural flavor, and “mixed tocopherols (vitamin E) to protect flavor).”
This cereal is not for anyone allergic to wheat or who does not eat any wheat products.
Summary
Many name-brand kinds of cereal are vegan if you are a cereal lover. For example, both Reese’s Puffs and Captain Crunch are vegan. It is also possible to find a vegan version of all of your favorite cereals. It just talks a little research or a look back here at the “Is it Vegan” section!
