How Much Sugar Is in Cornflakes?
A cup of plain cornflakes has about 3 g of added sugar — low on paper, though the refined corn still spikes blood sugar fast on its own.
in 1 cup plain (28 g) · about 0.7 teaspoons
- Per serving
- 3 g
- Per 100 g
- 9 g
- Type
- Added sugar
- In teaspoons
- ≈ 0.7 tsp
An easy fit for a low-sugar day.
A cup of plain cornflakes carries only about 3 g of added sugar — genuinely low, and much less than most breakfast cereals. The catch is that cornflakes are highly refined and have almost no fibre, so even with little sugar listed, they break down into glucose quickly and can spike blood sugar in a way that resembles a much sweeter food.
Frosted and sugar-coated versions of the same cereal are a different product entirely — a cup of a frosted version can carry several times the sugar of plain flakes. Adding your own fruit to plain cornflakes, or pairing them with protein, does more for you than the frosted coating ever will.
Lower-sugar swaps
- Choose plain over frosted — the coating alone can multiply the sugar several times over
- Add protein (milk, yogurt) or fibre (berries) to slow the blood-sugar spike
Frequently asked questions
- Are cornflakes healthy?
- They're low in sugar but highly refined with little fibre, so they can spike blood sugar quickly despite the low sugar number. A wholegrain cereal or oatmeal is a steadier choice.
- How much more sugar do frosted flakes have than plain?
- Roughly three to four times as much — plain cornflakes have about 3 g per cup, while frosted versions of the same cereal carry far more from the sugar coating.
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Sugar values from Manufacturer nutrition label; actual amounts vary by brand, ripeness, and recipe. Last updated 2026-08-09.