Special K Protein Honey Almond Ancient Grains: 15g Protein, Labelgrade B (78/100)
B 78 / 100 — Genuinely high-protein for a cereal — 15g per serving, ~26g per 100g — with strong fiber and almost no saturated fat. The protein comes partly from added wheat gluten and soy protein isolate, and the panel includes added sugar (9g) and the preservative BHT, which together cap the ingredient and sugar scores.
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Kellogg’s Special K Protein Honey Almond Ancient Grains delivers 15.5 g of protein and 5.6 g of fiber per 1 1/3-cup (60 g) serving at 221 calories (USDA FDC 2736280) — about 26 g of protein per 100 g. It earns a Labelgrade B (78/100). On the front-of-box numbers this is one of the highest-protein cereals you can buy at a regular grocery store, and the fiber is genuinely strong. The catch is two-fold: a good chunk of the protein is added wheat gluten and soy protein isolate rather than grain, and the “honey almond” sweetening brings 9 g of added sugar along for the ride. Those two, plus a high-for-cereal sodium load and the preservative BHT, are what pin an A-/A+ macro profile at an overall B.
Why the B
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | A- | 89 / 100 | ~26 g per 100 g — rivals some protein bars. But it’s fortified with wheat gluten and soy protein isolate, not this dense on grain alone |
| Ingredient quality | C+ | 67 / 100 | ~22 ingredients. Whole grains and almonds are real; added isolates, added sugar, and synthetic BHT pull it down |
| Sugar load | C | 64 / 100 | 9.4 g total, ~8.9 g added (sugar + honey) — moderate, and the honey-almond flavor is the reason it’s not lower |
| Sodium load | D | 52 / 100 | 267 mg per serving (~445 mg per 100 g) — high by density for a dry cereal |
| Saturated fat | A+ | 97 / 100 | 0.36 g per serving — negligible |
| Fiber | A+ | 96 / 100 | 5.6 g per serving (~20% DV) from whole wheat, wheat bran, sorghum, and black rice |
The two A+ dimensions (saturated fat, fiber) and the A- protein are the product’s case for itself; the sugar C and sodium D are the bill. Averaged, that’s a B — fair for a cereal excellent at protein and fiber but merely okay on the sugar-and-salt line.
The protein is real, but read the serving size
The 26 g-per-100 g figure isn’t marketing fiction — it beats nearly every mainstream cereal. The asterisk is the serving: 60 g is roughly double the 30 g printed on a box of corn flakes. Pour what feels like a normal bowl and you may be eating 40-45 g, scaling the protein down to 10-12 g. Read it per gram, not per “serving”: at ~0.26 g protein per gram, you hit the advertised 15.5 g only by measuring the full 1 1/3 cups. Milk closes the gap — a half-cup of dairy adds ~4 g — so a real-world bowl lands around 18-20 g either way.
The honey-almond trade: protein bought with sugar
This is the sweetened member of the Special K Protein family, and the panel shows it: 8.9 g of added sugar from added sugar plus honey — the honey is named on the front of the box. That’s the central trade with this specific flavor: well under a frosted cereal, clearly above a plain whole-grain one. Worth knowing on the shelf, the plain Special K Protein cereal is the less-sweet sibling — same gluten/soy protein boost, cleaner sugar line. This version is the more dessert-leaning of the two.
How it compares
| Product | Protein / serving | Per 100 g | Fiber | Added sugar | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special K Protein Honey Almond (this product) | 15.5 g (60 g) | 26 g | 5.6 g | 8.9 g | 221 |
| Cheerios Protein Cinnamon | 8 g (37 g) | 22 g | 2 g | 12 g | 150 |
| Kashi GO Honey Almond Flax | 11 g (58 g) | 19 g | 13 g | 8 g | 178 |
| Kashi GO Honey Almond Flax Crunch | 8.7 g (52 g) | 17 g | 8.1 g | 10.3 g | 200 |
This Special K wins the protein contest outright — 15.5 g is roughly double Cheerios Protein and well ahead of either Kashi GO. But the table rewards the fine print. Cheerios Protein hits its lower number with more sugar (12 g) and barely any fiber (2 g). The flagship Kashi GO (Honey Almond Flax) is the real alternative: less protein, but 13 g of fiber, less added sugar, and a tocopherol-not-BHT panel. The honest summary — Special K Protein buys you the most protein per bowl, paid for with added isolates, BHT, and the highest sodium of the group. If raw protein is the goal, it’s the pick; if you want the cleaner whole-grain breakfast, the flagship Kashi GO grades comparably on real fiber instead of fortification.
Ingredients
Whole wheat, sugar, rice, wheat gluten, soy protein isolate, sorghum, black rice, almonds, wheat bran, honey, contains 2% or less of salt, natural flavors, BHT for freshness. Vitamins and minerals: calcium carbonate, reduced iron, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), folic acid, vitamin B1 (thiamin hydrochloride), niacinamide, vitamin D3, vitamin B12.
The order tells the story: whole wheat leads, sugar is second, and the 4th and 5th ingredients — wheat gluten and soy protein isolate — are the engineered protein. Black rice and sorghum are the “ancient grains”; almonds and honey are the flavor. Allergen note: it contains wheat, soy, and tree nuts. (Verbatim from the USDA Branded Foods entry, FDC 2736280.)
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 1 1/3 cup (60 g)
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (1 1/3 cup (60 g)) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 221 |
| Protein | 15.5g |
| Total Fat | 2.58g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.36g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 38.2g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5.64g |
| Total Sugars | 9.42g |
| Added Sugars | 8.88g |
| Sodium | 267mg |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Calcium | 130mg |
| Iron | 18mg |
| Potassium | 192mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Kellogg's Special K Protein Honey Almond Ancient Grains (11 oz (312 g)) · UPC 00038000196218. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains animal-derived ingredients
contains no listed meat or fish
contains a gluten-bearing ingredient
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in Special K Protein Honey Almond Ancient Grains?
15.5 g per 1 1/3-cup (60 g) serving (USDA FDC 2736280) — about 26 g per 100 g, genuinely high for a cereal. But the 60 g serving runs larger than the 30-40 g most cereals print, so a normal-size bowl gives proportionally less. Pour a half-cup of dairy milk over it and a standard bowl clears 18-20 g.
Where does the 15 g of protein actually come from?
Only partly from the grains. Whole wheat, sorghum, and black rice provide a base of maybe 8-9 g, then Kellogg's adds wheat gluten (4th ingredient) and soy protein isolate (5th) to push it to 15.5 g. That fortification is the whole reason it out-proteins an ordinary flake — it's an engineered protein cereal, not a naturally protein-dense grain.
Is the honey-almond version higher in sugar than plain Special K Protein?
Yes. This flavor carries 8.9 g of added sugar per serving from added sugar plus honey — the honey is right there in the name and the ingredient list. The plain Special K Protein cereal is the less-sweet sibling: if the protein is what you're after and the sweetness isn't, that's the formula to compare against on the shelf.
What is BHT, and why does it cap the grade?
BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) is a synthetic antioxidant that keeps the almond and wheat-germ fats from going rancid. It's FDA-approved and used in tiny amounts, but it's exactly the kind of synthetic preservative cleaner cereals leave out — Kashi GO uses mixed tocopherols (vitamin E) for the same job. BHT plus the added isolates are the main reason ingredient quality lands at C+ (67).
Why only a B if the protein scores an A- and fiber an A+?
Two dimensions drag it down: sugar load (C, 64) for the 9 g of added sugar, and sodium load (D, 52) for 267 mg per serving — meaningful by density for a cereal. A near-perfect protein and fiber profile gets averaged against a mediocre sugar and sodium one, which is how an A-/A+ headline settles at an overall B (78).
How much fiber and iron does it have?
5.6 g of fiber per serving (~20% of the 28 g Daily Value) from the whole wheat, wheat bran, and ancient grains — strong for a cereal. It's also fortified to 18 mg of iron, a full 100% of the Daily Value in one bowl, plus a slate of B vitamins and vitamin D3.
Does it qualify as 'high in protein' under FDA rules?
Yes. 15.5 g is 31% of the FDA's 50 g Daily Value, comfortably past the 20% threshold a 'high in protein' claim requires — one of the few cereals that clears that bar in a single serving without a powder scoop.