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Wheaties vs Special K (Complete Comparison)

There is no shortage of variety when it comes to breakfast cereals. My family eats cereal on a daily basis so we are often scouring the grocery store shelves for a new variety to try. But with so many varieties out there, how do you know which one is a better choice?

Two popular kinds of cereal that are advertised as being a healthy way to start your day is Wheaties and Special K. I am going to do a side-by-side comparison of these two kinds of cereal to see how they compare to each other. Is one more nutritious than the other?

Wheaties vs Special K Comparison

I am going to do a side-by-side comparison of two of the top-selling cereals, Wheaties and Special K, to see how they compare to each other. I will be comparing calories, carbs, fat, protein, sugar, fiber, and even the vitamins and minerals in each kind of cereal. 47

Wheaties vs Special K Nutritional Comparison

Examining them side-by-side is the best way to know how Wheaties and Special K compare. I will be comparing General Mills Wheaties with Kellogg’s Special K Original cereal.

The serving size for each kind of cereal is different so the only way to do a fair comparison is by weight. Wheaties and Special K will each be examined in a 100-gram serving.

Best for Calorie Content

The first place I want to start my comparison is with calories. Both kinds of cereal are high in calories but when the calories are compared by weight, Wheaties has fewer calories than Special K.

Cereal Type

Calories Per 100g Serving

Wheaties

333 kcal

Special K (Original)

377 kcal

Best for Carbs & Sugar Content

Cereal, in general, is not a low-carb food. Since cereal is eaten with some type of milk, the carbohydrate content can quickly grow. How did Wheaties and Special K compare?

Wheaties is naturally high in carbs since it has wheat as its main ingredient but Special K is not much lower. Per a 100-gram serving, Wheaties has 83 grams of carbs and Special K has 73 grams.

Cereal Type

Carbs Per 100g Serving

Wheaties

83.3 g

Special K (Original)

73.4 g

Another reason why Wheaties is higher in carbs is the amount of sugar per serving. Special K contains sugar but Wheaties has additional sugar and corn syrup added. Again, the amount of sugar will rise when you add milk. So, once again, I want to see how these two kinds of cereal compare on their own.

Wheaties and Special K both contain high amounts of sugar. Wheaties has almost 17 grams per serving while Special K has almost 13 grams.

Cereal Type

Sugar Per 100g Serving

Wheaties

16.7 g

Special K (Original)

12.7 g

Best for Protein Content

Protein is beneficial for everybody but especially for our growing little ones and us women.

Protein helps bones and muscles grow and even heal when injured. Protein also plays a vital role in helping us women stay healthy as we near menopause.

The winner of this category was no surprise since Special K is advertised as a high-protein cereal. A serving of Special K cereal has almost 18 grams of protein. A serving of Wheaties only has 8.3 grams.

Cereal Type

Protein Content Per 100g Serving

Wheaties

8.3 g

Special K (Original)

17.8 g

Best for Fat Content

As you would expect from two kinds of cereal that are promoted as being healthy options, both Wheaties and Special K are low in fat. But Special K is lower in fat than Wheaties. A serving of Special K has 1.8 g of fat and a serving of Wheaties has 2.8 g.

Cereal Type

Fat Content Per 100g Serving

Wheaties

2.08 g

Special K (Original)

1.8 g

Spoon of Wheaties Cereal

Best for Fiber Content

Fiber is a crucial element when eating healthily. Fiber keeps our colons healthy but it benefits every aspect of our health, including our weight.

Eating foods that are high in fiber will keep you feeling fuller for longer, preventing you from snacking unnecessarily throughout the day. This is great if you are trying to lose weight or maintain your weight.

The clear winner of this category is Wheaties. Wheaties has 12.5 grams of fiber per serving compared with Special K’s 1.4 grams.

Cereal Type

Fiber Content Per 100g Serving

Wheaties

12.5 g

Special K (Original)

1.4g

Best for Sodium/Salt Content

Sodium is another area that can be sneaky if we’re not careful. Salt is an important mineral but when it is consumed in excess it can cause serious health problems, especially to the heart.

In this category, both Wheaties and Special K contain high amounts of sodium per serving. Each type of cereal contains 667 mg of sodium per 100-gram serving.

Cereal Type

Sodium/Salt Content Per 100g Serving

Wheaties

667 mg

Special K (Original)

667 mg

Best for Vitamins/Minerals

Both Wheaties and Special K are fortified with vitamins and minerals, making either cereal a good choice if you are trying to reach the daily recommended amount of vitamins and minerals.

The chart below is a brief breakdown of the vitamins and minerals found in both kinds of cereal. You can visit the USDA website for a more comprehensive list or if you are looking for a specific vitamin or mineral.

Wheaties contains high amounts of calcium, potassium, iron, and zinc. Both types of cereal contain similar amounts of vitamins A and D.

Vitamin/Mineral Type

Wheaties (100g)

Special K (100g)

Calcium

83 mg

23 mg

Potassium

333 mg

53 mg

Iron

30 mg

28 mg

Zinc

25 mg

0.7 mg

Vitamin C

20 mg

68 mg

Magnesium

0 mg

12 mg

Vitamin A

1670 IU

1670 IU

Vitamin D

133 IU

134 IU

Best for Flavor/Texture

Both Wheaties and Special K have a rough texture on their own, so they are both tied for this comparison. But when it comes to flavor, I did find they do differ slightly.

“You can help to decide the winner of this category by voting for your favorite in the poll below and once you vote you’ll be able to see the public favorite so far.”

Which do you prefer?

Wheaties has a slightly sweet taste, but you can also taste the whole-grain wheat. Special K is slightly sweet as well, but it has a more neutral base since its main ingredient is rice. But you will have to be the judge of this particular category.

Best for Price

I found that both kinds of cereal were comparable when it came to price. Where I live, you can purchase both kinds of cereal for the same price. The price will obviously vary depending on where you live and shop and whether or not you purchase a family-size or a regular-size cereal box.

Overall Winner

After comparing Wheaties and Special K side-by-side it was not difficult to see who the winner is: Special K Original cereal is the winner.

Special K is a healthier choice when it comes to choosing a cereal that is low in calories, low in fat, low in sugar, low in sodium, high in protein, and fortified with vitamins and minerals.

Comparison Category

Winner (Wheaties or Special K Original)

Best in Calories Content

Special K

Best in Carb Content

Special K

Best in Sugar Content

Special K

Best in Protein Content

Special K

Best in Fat Content

Special K

Best in Fiber Content

Wheaties

Best in Sodium/Salt Content

Both are winners

Best in Vitamins/Mineral Content

Wheaties

Best for Price

Both are winners

Overall Winner

Special K

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