# When cereals became healthier. By removing the word "sugar" from their name **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 13, 2020, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737 "2020-05-13T18:52:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/1 "2020-05-13T18:52:24Z")
IIRC this all happened back in the 1970’s or so. The nation’s breakfast cereal manufacturers decided that consumers wanted healthier products for their children’s breakfasts. And apparently they concluded the easiest way to do this was by removing the word “Sugar” from the name of the product. Wracking my memory, plus a little googling, helped me identify 6 such mainstream products which got this treatment. Kellogs Sugar Smacks became Honey Smacks Kellogs Sugar Pops by became Corn Pops Kellogs Sugar Frosted Flakes dropped the sugar to just become Frosted Flakes Post Sugar Crisp became Honey Crisp General Mills Sugar Chex became Honey Nut Chex Post Sugar Rice Krinkles became Frosted Rice Crinkles Anybody got any others? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/2 "2020-05-13T19:30:04Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Post Sugar Crisp became Honey Crisp I believe it’s Golden Crisp in the US, although still sold as Sugar Crisp in Canada. Is Sugar Bear still on the box? ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/3 "2020-05-13T19:30:35Z")
I think you hit the biggies! Kids who grew up in the 50s and 60s begged for those cereals. Good ol’ mom bought them at the grocery store, especially if she had a whiny kid pulling on her dress when she guided the cart down the cereal aisle. On Saturday morning, the kids filled mixing bowls to overflowing, and parked their butts in front of the TV for the Saturday Morning Cartoon phenomenon. There, the kids would be mesmerized by death, destruction, violence, and snotty bad manners. They shoveled those sugar saturated cereals down their collective gullets, and memorized ALL the commercial jingles. Cap guns, to kill Indians! Sexist dolls with impossible body dimensions! And other toys that had small parts easily swallowed or were highly flammable! Ah, the good old days! ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/4 "2020-05-13T19:38:37Z")
Sugar Crisp to Super Sugar Crisp to Super Golden Crisp to Golden Crisp during my lifetime. It had a few different names before that, including Happy Jax because it was a similar product to Cracker Jacks. No wonder I liked them, but I liked Sugar Smacks better. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/5 "2020-05-13T20:01:55Z")
Yeah, those are crap. I mean, I never had the taste for them- they are plenty of tasty cereals that are good for you- Raisin bran and Mini Wheats both have decent amounts of fiber. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/6 "2020-05-13T20:22:39Z")
> [@saucywench](#): > > Sugar Crisp to Super Sugar Crisp to Super Golden Crisp to Golden Crisp during my lifetime. In 1975 Super Orange Sugar Crisp was found to be 71% sugar by weight. A Hershey bar is only 51% sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/7 "2020-05-13T20:42:51Z")
And yet Chocolate Coated Sugar Bombs never change. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/8 "2020-05-13T20:48:37Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > And yet Chocolate Coated Sugar Bombs never change. _Frosted_ Chocolate Coated Sugar Bombs! 😉 ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/9 "2020-05-13T20:54:07Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > In 1975 Super Orange Sugar Crisp was found to be 71% sugar by weight. A Hershey bar is only 51% sugar. I don’t remember that one. Was it good? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/10 "2020-05-13T20:54:34Z")
Meh. I bet any one of them is better than Vegemite. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/11 "2020-05-13T21:05:55Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Yeah, those are crap. > > I mean, I never had the taste for them- they are plenty of tasty cereals that are good for you- Raisin bran and Mini Wheats both have decent amounts of fiber. I wasn’t interested in fiber when I was a kid. I hated Raisin Bran, still do. Mini Wheats were okay if I sprinkled them liberally with sugar, and kept the bowl within reach during consumption. My old favorites were Alpha Bits, Sugar Pops, and Sugar Smacks. I liked Rice Chex, but as before, remember the sugar bowl. I’d be kind of scared to know the amount of sugar I’ve consumed in my lifetime. My family makes jokes about how often I am seen eating and drinking in old pictures, and not just at barbecues and parties. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/12 "2020-05-13T21:23:47Z")
> [@saucywench](#): > > I don’t remember that one. Was it good? I stopped eating sweetened cereals after I was a kid, so I wouldn’t know. [Here’s a description:](https://www.mrbreakfast.com/cereal_detail.asp?id=732) > [@](#): > > “One ounce contains more Vitamin C than a glass (4 oz.) of orange juice!” > > “Try the new cereal with the sugar-sweet puffs of wheat plus orange-flavored cereal rings.” I imagine it was like Sugar Crisps with nuggets of Tang included. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/13 "2020-05-13T21:27:17Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > _Frosted_ Chocolate Coated Sugar Bombs! 😉 Also with 100% of the RDA for caffeine! Send in the coupon for your Buzzy the Hummingbird doll! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/14 "2020-05-13T21:30:49Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Kellogs Sugar Smacks became Honey Smacks They took out the Sugar and kept the Smack. I’m not sure healthier is the term I’d use. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/15 "2020-05-13T21:35:06Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Is Sugar Bear still on the box? I believe they renamed him “Super Bear” when they switched the name of the cereal. Didn’t have to change his monogram. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/16 "2020-05-13T21:38:40Z")
Candy in a box. My glucose just went up. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/17 "2020-05-13T21:50:47Z")
What always amused me is that the “serving size” for Total is twice as big as a real-world serving, so they can increase the amounts of vitamins and minerals per serving, but for most sugary cereals, it’s half a real-world serving, so they can cut down the amount of sugar and Calories per serving. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/18 "2020-05-13T22:03:25Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > What always amused me is that the “serving size” for Total is twice as big as a real-world serving, so they can increase the amounts of vitamins and minerals per serving, but for most sugary cereals, it’s half a real-world serving, so they can cut down the amount of sugar and Calories per serving. Doesn’t serving size go by weight? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/19 "2020-05-13T22:13:44Z")
Yes, but how much weight? Just going from examples I have in my cupboard, Frosted Shredded Wheat has 60g per serving, while Honey Crunch and Oats (With Almonds) has 40g per serving (both Millville, the Aldi house brand). Others are somewhere in between, but the general pattern is that the “healthier” ones have larger serving sizes. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2020, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737/20 "2020-05-13T22:24:52Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > I believe they renamed him “Super Bear” when they switched the name of the cereal. Didn’t have to change his monogram. Checking Walmart and other sites, it looks like [he’s still called Sugar Bear.](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Post-Golden-Crisp-Wheat-Breakfast-Cereal-24-Oz/408098921) It seems he did go by [Super Bear](https://www.mrbreakfast.com/cereal_ucp_slideshow.asp?id=366&picid=2341) on boxes of Super Sugar Crisp. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-cereals-became-healthier-by-removing-the-word-sugar-from-their-name/853737.md?page=2)