Gluten-free diets have become increasingly popular in recent years, with more and more people choosing to avoid gluten for medical reasons or simply as a lifestyle choice. For those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, sticking to a strict gluten-free diet is essential to managing symptoms and overall health. But going gluten-free can pose challenges when it comes to still being able to enjoy favorite foods and treats, like cereal. So an important question for many is: are there any gluten-free fruit loops?
What are fruit loops?
Fruit loops are a popular brand of breakfast cereal, known for their bright colors and fruit-flavored taste. The original fruit loops contain wheat as a main ingredient, meaning they are not suitable for gluten-free diets. The cereal pieces are made of rice and wheat flours, sugar, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (contains one or more of the following: coconut, soybean and/or cottonseed oils), salt, natural and artificial flavors, colored with food dyes (Red 40, Blue 1, Yellow 6, Yellow 5).
So with wheat-containing ingredients like these, the original Fruit Loops are decidedly not gluten-free. But over the years, several companies have developed gluten-free versions of fruit loops to meet the demand.
Are there any gluten-free fruit loop options?
Yes, fortunately there are now a few different gluten-free fruit loop options on the market. Here are some of the major brands producing gluten-free fruit loops:
EnviroKidz
EnviroKidz makes a gluten-free, vegan-friendly version of fruit loops called Essential Frosted Flakes. The cereal pieces are made from corn, rice, and cassava flours instead of wheat. It comes in colorful fruit loop-style colors and shapes. EnviroKidz Essential Frosted Flakes are certified gluten-free to less than 5 ppm.
Kinnikinnick
Kinnikinnick Foods produces a gluten-free fruit loop style cereal called Fruity O’s. The main ingredients are corn flour, sugar, potato starch, and colored with fruit and vegetable juices and turmeric extract. Kinnikinnick certifies their Fruity O’s to have less than 10 ppm of gluten.
Schar
Schar makes a gluten-free cereal called Fruit Whirls that mimics the taste and appearance of fruit loops. The main ingredients in Schar Fruit Whirls are corn starch, sugar, rice flour, and potato starch. They are colored with natural colors from vegetable juices. Schar certifies their products to contain less than 20 ppm of gluten.
Mom’s Best
Mom’s Best makes a Cocoa Crispy cereal that looks very similar to fruit loops, in crunchy cereal piece rings of various colors. The gluten-free ingredients include rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, and no wheat-derived ingredients. Mom’s Best certifies their Cocoa Crispy cereal at less than 20 ppm for gluten.
Glutino
Glutino is another trusted gluten-free brand that makes a fruit loop-style cereal called Fruity Loops. These colorful cereal rings contain gluten-free ingredients like corn flour, potato starch, sugar, and rice flour. Glutino certifies their products at less than 10 ppm for gluten.
Other store brand options
Many grocery store chains like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Wegmans also offer their own store brand versions of gluten-free fruit loops. These are worth trying as well. Just be sure to check the ingredients and certification if avoiding gluten.
What to look for when choosing gluten-free fruit loops
When opting for a gluten-free fruit loop option, be sure to check:
Ingredients
Avoid any products listing wheat, barley, rye or malt. Good gluten-free alternatives will use corn, rice, potato starch, tapioca and other naturally gluten-free grain flours instead.
Certified gluten-free
Look for a certification logo or language on the packaging indicating the product is tested gluten-free, to less than 20 ppm at minimum. Reputable brands will have strict standards.
Manufacturer precautions
Choose brands that are dedicated gluten-free facilities and have precautions in place to avoid cross-contamination. Call the manufacturer if uncertain.
Nutritional profile
Review nutrition facts and ingredients lists to find options with less sugar, minimal additives and more protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Pick healthier versions when possible.
Are fruit loops themselves gluten-free?
The original Fruit Loops cereal by Kellogg’s is not gluten-free, because it contains wheat and barley malt as main ingredients. But several healthy, best-tasting gluten-free dupes are available.
The gluten-free fruit loop options use alternative flours and are manufactured safely for those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance. So while Fruit Loops themselves are off limits, you can still enjoy the fun colors and fruity flavors of loops cereal through these gluten-free brands.
Nutrition comparison
Here is a nutrition comparison of the Original Fruit Loops versus two top-rated gluten-free fruit loop options:
Original Kellogg’s Fruit Loops (Contains Gluten)
| Serving Size | 3/4 cup (29g) |
| Calories | 110 |
| Fat | 0.5g |
| Carbs | 24g |
| Sugar | 14g |
| Protein | 1g |
EnviroKidz Essential Frosted Flakes (Gluten-Free)
| Serving Size | 3/4 cup (30g) |
| Calories | 110 |
| Fat | 0g |
| Carbs | 24g |
| Sugar | 10g |
| Protein | 1g |
Kinnikinnick Fruity O’s (Gluten-Free)
| Serving Size | 3/4 cup (30g) |
| Calories | 120 |
| Fat | 0g |
| Carbs | 27g |
| Sugar | 12g |
| Protein | 1g |
As shown, the gluten-free versions provide very comparable nutrition to original Fruit Loops, without sacrificing taste or color thanks to natural flavors and plant extracts. The gluten-free options even tend to have slightly less sugar in some cases.
Are off-brand fruit loops gluten-free?
Generic and store brand fruit loop cereals are often NOT gluten-free. They typically contain wheat flour or barley malt as primary ingredients.
Some exceptions are the gluten-free store brand options sold at chains like Trader Joe’s and Wegmans, which are specifically produced to be gluten-free. But most other off-brand fruit loops contain gluten, so it’s very important to thoroughly read labels.
When in doubt, stick to the certified gluten-free fruit loop options made by trusted brands specifically catering to gluten intolerance and celiac disease. Don’t assume that discount or generic fruit loops will be gluten-free.
What about Froot Loops vs. Fruit Loops?
Froot Loops and Fruit Loops are just two different brands of essentially the same cereal.
Froot Loops is the more famous brand name cereal made by Kellogg’s. As discussed, regular Froot Loops contain wheat and barley malt.
Fruit Loops is a more generic, typically less expensive off-brand version with the same colorful ring cereal pieces. Like Froot Loops, most regular store brand Fruit Loops also contain gluten from wheat.
So neither the name brand Froot Loops nor generic Fruit Loops are gluten-free based on their standard ingredients. Both would need to be substituted with one of the dedicated gluten-free fruit loop options covered earlier in this article to be safe for a gluten-free diet.
Are there vegan fruit loops?
In addition to gluten-free considerations, many people also look for vegan cereal options free of animal products.
Fortunately, there are a couple vegan and gluten-free fruit loops too:
– EnviroKidz Essential Frosted Flakes
– Trader Joe’s Colorful Rings cereal
Both contain no animal-derived ingredients, making them suitable for both gluten-free AND vegan lifestyles.
Other fruit loops may contain small amounts of milk ingredients or egg. So be sure to check labels for any animal-based products if following a vegan diet.
Making your own gluten-free fruit loops
Another option is to create your own homemade gluten-free fruit loops cereal. This allows you to fully control the ingredients.
There are a variety of gluten-free fruit loop copycat recipes online using healthy whole food ingredients like:
– Gluten-free oat flour or rice flour
– Potato starch
– Tapioca flour
– Corn starch
– Sugar or alternative sweeteners
– Natural food coloring – beet, spinach, turmeric, etc.
By blending these types of gluten-free flours and starches along with sweetener and colors from real foods, you can achieve a very similar texture and fruity taste. Homemade allows customizing nutrition too.
Final verdict
While regular Fruit Loops and Froot Loops both contain gluten, there are several healthy and delicious gluten-free versions available from reputable brands like EnviroKidz, Kinnikinnick, Schar and others. These specially made gluten-free fruit loops offer the same crunchy texture and fun fruity flavors in a safe cereal for those avoiding gluten. Carefully checking labels and certifications allows enjoying fruit loops on a gluten-free diet. Or create your own custom blend by making gluten-free fruit loops at home.
The Bottom Line
Yes, there are various gluten-free fruit loop options and brands available, allowing those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance to enjoy this fun and colorful cereal. By choosing verified gluten-free products made with alternative flours and starches, fruit loop lovers can eat gluten-free versions of this classic cereal. Just be diligent in checking ingredients, certifications and manufacturing processes when selecting a brand to ensure avoiding any wheat, barley or rye. While regular fruit loops are off limits, alternatives exist so those eating gluten-free don’t have to miss out.
