Cereals, oats, instant, fortified, maple and brown sugar, dry
Whole food · Breakfast Cereals
Photo: Wikipedia
Instant fortified oatmeal with maple and brown sugar is a quick-cooking, pre-sweetened breakfast cereal that delivers a warm, comforting blend of toasted oat flavor with caramel-like sweetness. Its texture is soft and creamy when prepared, with a slightly chewy bite from the oat flakes. A key nutritional highlight is its significant fortification, providing a substantial portion of daily iron and B vitamins in each serving.
Calorie split: 10% protein · 79% carbs · 11% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for the nostalgic, comforting combination of maple and brown sugar flavors that feel like a treat. Its extreme convenience—ready in minutes with just hot water or milk—makes it a reliable, warm breakfast staple.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The significant added sugar content (over 30g per 100g dry) can lead to rapid blood-sugar spikes and subsequent energy crashes. To counteract this, pair it with a source of protein (like a scoop of Greek yogurt or nuts) and healthy fat (like chia seeds or almond butter) to slow digestion and stabilize blood sugar. Be mindful of portion sizes, as the dry mix is calorie-dense.
Key benefits
- Excellent source of iron and B vitamins due to fortification.
- Provides soluble fiber (beta-glucan) from oats, which supports heart health.
- Convenient and fast to prepare, ideal for busy mornings.
- Offers a good source of complex carbohydrates for sustained energy.
- Contains added calcium and vitamin D in many fortified versions.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The 'instant' texture is achieved by pre-cooking the oats and then rolling them thinner than traditional rolled oats, allowing them to absorb water almost instantly.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 6.4 g |
| Energy | 386 kcal |
| Energy | 1616 kj |
| Protein | 9.3 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 4.7 g |
| Ash | 2.9 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 76.7 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 7.2 g |
| Total Sugars | 30.3 g |
| Sucrose | 29.7 g |
| Glucose | 0.39 g |
| Fructose | 0.18 g |
| Lactose | 0.00 g |
| Maltose | 0.04 g |
| Galactose | 0.00 g |
| Starch | 38.3 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 258 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 10.4 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 90.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 305 mg |
| Potassium, K | 361 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 505 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 1.7 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.24 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 2.3 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 16.8 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 1.1 mg |
| Riboflavin | 1.0 mg |
| Niacin | 11.7 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.62 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 1.5 mg |
| Folate, total | 148 ug |
| Folic acid | 132 ug |
| Folate, food | 16.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 240 ug |
| Choline, total | 22.5 mg |
| Betaine | 11.9 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 692 ug |
| Retinol | 692 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 2.0 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 2310 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 57.0 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.51 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Tocopherol, beta | 0.02 mg |
| Tocopherol, gamma | 0.27 mg |
| Tocopherol, delta | 0.73 mg |
| Tocotrienol, alpha | 1.3 mg |
| Tocotrienol, beta | 0.84 mg |
| Tocotrienol, gamma | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, delta | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0.00 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 1.4 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.78 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 15:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.68 g |
| SFA 17:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.07 g |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 22:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 24:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 1.4 g |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 15:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 16:1 c | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 17:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 1.4 g |
| MUFA 18:1 c | 1.4 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.03 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 c | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 24:1 c | 0.01 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 1.6 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 1.5 g |
| PUFA 18:2 n-6 c,c | 1.5 g |
| PUFA 18:2 CLAs | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.05 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-3 c,c,c (ALA) | 0.05 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-6 c,c,c | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:3i | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:2 n-6 c,c | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 n-3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 n-6 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-monoenoic | 0.00 g |
| TFA 16:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 18:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 22:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 18:2 t not further defined | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-polyenoic | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Cereals ready-to-eat, POST, HONEY BUNCHES OF OATS, honey roasted — USDA does not publish this profile for Cereals.
| Tryptophan | 0.09 g |
| Threonine | 0.24 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.26 g |
| Leucine | 0.80 g |
| Lysine | 0.12 g |
| Methionine | 0.10 g |
| Cystine | 0.11 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.39 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.21 g |
| Valine | 0.34 g |
| Arginine | 0.24 g |
| Histidine | 0.18 g |
| Alanine | 0.46 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.48 g |
| Glutamic acid | 1.9 g |
| Glycine | 0.27 g |
| Proline | 0.49 g |
| Serine | 0.38 g |
FAQ
Is instant oatmeal as healthy as regular rolled oats?
The base oat grain is similar, but instant varieties are more processed and often contain significant added sugars and sodium. Fortification adds vitamins and minerals, but plain rolled oats offer more fiber and less sugar per serving.
Can I reduce the sugar in this product?
Yes. Use only half the flavor packet, or make your own by adding a small amount of maple syrup or brown sugar to plain instant oats. Boost flavor with cinnamon, vanilla extract, or mashed banana instead.
Is this a good post-workout food?
It can be, as it provides quick-digesting carbs to replenish glycogen. For optimal recovery, add a protein source like milk, protein powder, or nuts to support muscle repair.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 3.86 kcal/g · 10% calories from protein · 7.2 g fiber · 30.3 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 1.40 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.