The popular American cereal brand Kix is one of the top picks among many people. This favorite breakfast cereal is made with cornmeal and is a healthy breakfast option. But is Kix gluten free? Can people with gluten intolerance have Kix without falling sick?
Kix is gluten free, and none of the ingredients used in Kix have gluten substances. However, there are chances of cross-contamination with gluten products; hence General Mills does not label Kix as a gluten free product.
Since there isn’t a particular answer about Kix being gluten free, we have dug deep to find out whether Kix cereal is safe for celiacs or gluten sensitive people or not. If you want to find out the answer to that, too, continue reading this article.
Table of Contents
Is Kix Gluten Free?
Kix is a cereal manufactured by General Mills and has no gluten. The ingredients used to make the original Kix include cornmeal, whole grain corn, corn bran, sugar, brown sugar syrup, salt, baking soda, and vitamin E.
Gluten is a protein that we commonly find in grains like wheat, barley, rye, oats, semolina, durum, etc. As you can see, no ingredient in the Kix list has gluten.
The other two flavors of Kix, Honey Kix and Berry Berry Kix, also do not have any ingredients with gluten. Ingredients like corn, corn bran, or sugar syrup are not a part of the gluten plant family, so these are actually gluten free cereal.
In spite of this, General Mills does not label Kix as a gluten free product because there are chances of cross-contamination.
Also Read:- Is Crispix Gluten Free?
Kix: An Overview
Kix is a popular American breakfast cereal that can give you a nutritious start to the day. It is made with simple yet wholesome ingredients like corn bran and whole-grain corn to make your morning meal nutritious as well as tasty.
This ever-loved cereal comes in three flavors- Kix Original, Honey Kix, and Berry Berry Kix. The cereal entered the market in 1937 when the company General Mills of Golden Valley, Minnesota, introduced a new puffed grain cereal with whole corn.
Currently, Kix isn’t just limited to breakfast cereal. People have started experimenting with different recipes with Kix, which surely makes our mouths water.
Kix Cereal Flavor List With Nutritional Info
There are three flavors of Kix. General Mills has come up with Kix Original, Honey Kix, and Berry Berry Kix flavors for its consumers. All these are packed with some essential nutrients, so let’s find out about each of them-
1. Kix Original nutritional facts per 1 cup
Protein | 1.8g |
Total lipid fat | 0.6g |
Carbs | 25.8g |
Energy | 113.1Kcal |
Sugar | 3.3g |
Fiber | 0.9g |
Calcium | 150mg |
Iron | 8.1mg |
Magnesium | 8.1mg |
Phosphorus | 39.9mg |
Potassium | 35.1mg |
Sodium | 267.3mg |
Zinc | 3.75mg |
Copper | 0.3mg |
Manganese | 0.29mg |
Selenium | 1.95mg |
Vitamin A | 531.3 IU |
Retinol | 151.2mcg |
Carotene | 8.1mcg |
Vitamin E | 0.07mg |
Vitamin D | 42.3 IU |
Cryptoxanthin | 0 mcg |
Lycopene | 0 mcg |
Lutein + Zeaxanthin | 183.6 mcg |
Vitamin C | 6.3mg |
Thiamin | 0.38 |
Riboflavin | 0.43mg |
Niacin | 5.01mg |
Pantothenic Acid | 0.12mg |
Vitamin B-6 | 0.5mg |
Vitamin K | 0.24 mcg |
Folic acid | 194.4 mcg |
Folate DFE | 336.3 mcg |
Cholesterol | 0mg |
Fatty acids | 0.15g |
Monounsaturated fat | 0.16g |
Polyunsaturated fat | 0.2g |
2. Honey Kix nutrition facts per 1 cup
Calories | 96 |
Total fat | 0.8g |
Saturated fat | 0g |
Trans fat | 0g |
Polyunsaturated fat | 0.4g |
Monounsaturated fat | 0g |
Cholesterol | 0mg |
Sodium | 152mg |
Carbs | 22.4g |
Dietary fiber | 2.4g |
Sugars | 4.8g |
Protein | 1.6g |
Calcium | 120mg |
Potassium | 60mg |
Iron | 7mg |
Vitamin A | 400mg |
Vitamin C | 5mg |
3. Berry Berry Kix nutrition facts per 1 cup
Calories | 120 |
Total fat | 1.5g |
Trans fat | 0g |
Saturated fat | 0g |
Cholesterol | 0mg |
Sodium | 160mg |
Potassium | 75mg |
Total carbs | 28g |
Dietary fiber | 2g |
Sugars | 7g |
Protein | 2g |
Vitamin A | 10% |
Vitamin C | 10% |
Calcium | 15% |
Iron | 50% |
What Is Gluten?
Before you know how to choose a gluten free food item, it’s essential that you understand what gluten is. Gluten is a type of protein found in grains like wheat, barley, rye, oats, semolina, etc.
It works as a binding agent and gives shape and elasticity to food items. Bread, pizza, pasta, etc., are some of the food items that contain gluten. Although many people can consume gluten without any issues, there are people who can’t digest it all.
If people diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten intolerance eat anything with gluten, they can experience nausea, headaches, bloating, diarrhea, weight loss, etc. Hence, people diagnosed with gluten intolerance must stay away from anything made out of wheat or similar gluten grains.
How Can Kix Have Gluten?
Although Kix does not have any ingredient, General Mills, the company does not label it as a gluten free product. This could be because there might be chances of cross-contamination in the manufacturing process.
Kix may come in contact with other gluten related products, or the machinery used for manufacturing might have traces of gluten. Moreover, General Mills may not have tested Kix as a gluten free product yet, due to which they have not declared it as a gluten free cereal.
Is Kix A Healthy Breakfast Cereal?
Kix is a healthy breakfast cereal that not only your kids, but you can enjoy too. This whole grain corn cereal is packed with calcium, fiber, vitamins, iron, etc. The nutritional fact table we mentioned above also gives us an idea of how Kix is healthier than lots of other cereals found in the market.
All three flavors have very minimal ingredients, and they don’t contain a high amount of artificial colors, flavors, and high fructose corn syrup. The Berry Berry Kix got the colors from vegetables and fruits, which is quite rare in such packaged food.
Kix is also a dietician-approved cereal with only three grams of sugar in 1 ¼ cup. It’ll satisfy your sweet tooth besides keeping your sugar consumption level on track.
Recipes with Kix Cereal
Kix is not simply a cereal for breakfast. You can use this versatile ingredient to make some delicious recipes. I have penned down a couple of my favorite which I am sharing here-
Crock-Pot Chex Mix
Ingredients
- 3 cups Kix cereal
- 3 cups rice Chex cereal
- 3 cups corn Chex cereal
- 3 cups wheat Chex cereal
- 3 cups pretzels
- 14 ounces lightly salted roasted cashews
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 7 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 ½ tablespoon seasoned salt
- ¾ tablespoon garlic powder
Cooking procedure
- Take a large bowl to add all the cereals, nuts, and pretzels
- Now take a small bowl and mix other ingredients like garlic powder, seasoned salt, Worcestershire sauce, and butter.
- Pour the sauce over the dry cereals and now put the whole thing into a slow cooker.
- Cook on a high flame for about 90 minutes. Stir gently after every fifteen minutes to ensure the mixture does not burn.
- After 90 minutes, turn the flame low and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes while stirring in between.
- Turn off the flame and spread the cereal mixture into parchment paper.
- You can cut them into small cubes and store them in an airtight container for days.
Chocolate Covered Reese’s Rice Krispie Treats
This is another mouth-watering dish you can make with Kix cereals. The recipe is super simple and does not require much time as well.
Ingredients
- Four tablespoon butter
- 10 ounces mini marshmallows
- 2 cups Kix cereal
- 6 cups rice Krispie cereal
- 12 peanut butter cups
- 10 ounces dark chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 8 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup salted peanuts
Cooking procedure
- Grease a baking dish generously and line it with a parchment paper
- Take a large bowl that can fit all the cereals, peanuts, and peanut butter cups.
- Take a microwaveable bowl and add the marshmallows and butter. Put it in the microwave and let it melt. It should take about 30 to 40 seconds. Take out the bowl once and stir to check if it melted properly.
- Pour the marshmallow and butter mixture over the cereals and mix gently.
- Now transfer the mixture into the baking tray and press using the spatula.
- Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 30 minutes. You don’t have to put it inside the refrigerator.
- Once the cereal is set, you can add a chocolate sauce or honey from the top.
- Finish off with some chopped peanuts, and your Rice Krispie treats with Kix cereals are ready.
Fiber Crunchies
Another great Kix recipe to munch on is fiber crunchies. Like the other two recipes, this too is super easy and quick. Let’s check out how it is made.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Kix cereal
- 1 cup fiber one cereal
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 1 Hershey’s candy bar
Cooking method
- First, in a small bowl, take the peanut butter and Hershey’s candy and microwave it for 30 seconds.
- Once it is melted, add the liquid into the cereal mixture and stir well. All the cereal should be well coated into the chocolate.
- Take two spoons and scoop out the mixture, and put it on parchment paper.
- Place it in the refrigerator until firm, and they are ready to gulp down.
Final Words
Although Kix has no ingredient with gluten, we can’t declare it as a gluten free cereal solely because the brand does not label it to be so. Hence, it’s completely up to you if you want to have it or not. If you have serious gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, it’ll be better to avoid it.
Most common questions on Kix
Do you still find Kix in the market?
Yes, you can still find Kix in the market. This cereal has been in the market for decades, and people still love munching on it.
Is Kix healthy for your kids?
Kix has very low sugar and is a good source of fiber, vitamins, and iron, so it is healthy for your kids.
Can you have Kix daily?
You can have Kix at least twice or thrice a week. Eating it daily may lead to weight gain or ruin your taste buds.
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