Magic Spoon is a cereal brand that advertises itself as keto-friendly, which is unique because most cereal products are high in carbs. The brand is a positioned as a healthier alternative to regular breakfast cereal, and describes itself as "High protein cereal that tastes too good to be true."

But does Magic Spoon cereal actually contain healthier ingredients than regular cereal? Does it have any unhealthy additives? Is it truly keto? And is Magic Spoon better or worse than popular "healthy" cereal brands like Catalina Crunch?

In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Magic Spoon to give our take on whether or not it's actually healthier than regular cereal.

We'll explain if Magic Spoon can actually fit in a keto diet, share our experience purchasing and testing two different flavors, and compare the brand to other popular cereal brands like Catalina Crunch to pick our winners.

Key takeaways:

• Mostly whole food ingredients
• Healthier than traditional cereal
• We don't currently recommend Magic Spoon due to natural flavors

Ingredient Analysis

All flavors of Magic Spoon contain the same core ingredients, with only minor differences for natural colorants like vegetable juice:

Milk protein provides all nine essential amino acids and was shown in a medical review published in the Nutrition & Metabolism journal to have favorable effects on metabolic health, blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

Monk fruit extract and allulose are the ingredients in the sweetener blend, and these plant-based sweeteners are shown in medical studies to have favorable effects on blood sugar levels in moderation, which is the opposite effect of processed table sugar.

Vegetable juice and spirulina extract are nutritious, plant-based colorants and the oil blend contains sunflower oil and avocado oil which we approve of.

Natural flavors is the only ingredient that health-conscious consumers may wish to avoid. A medical review published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal documented toxicity concerns regarding some natural flavoring agents.

So is Magic Spoon healthier than regular breakfast cereal?

As we explained in our review of the healthiest cereal brands, the majority of commercial cereal brands contain many unhealthy ingredients including high amounts of added sugar, artificial flavors, corn syrup and preservatives. Check out the ingredient label of Cinnamon Toast Crunch below:

One cup not only contains 12 grams (g) of added sugar, but also the synthetic preservative BHT and a blend of added vitamins and minerals (we recommend getting vitamins and minerals from whole foods).

We consider Magic Spoon to be significantly healthier than the average breakfast cereal brand.

We Tested Magic Spoon

As one of the authors of this article (Calloway), I wanted to purchase Magic Spoon myself and try it to give my thoughts on its taste and how it made me feel.

I purchased the Cinnamon Roll and Fruit flavors, and ate them on consecutive days after working out.

I actually liked the taste better than regular cereal like Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Trix because it's slightly less sweet and has more complexity (the fruit flavor has a hint of actual fruit taste rather than just artificial sweeteners).

I felt "lighter" after eating these cereal boxes than I would if I ate a full box of regular cereal. I attribute this to the lower sugar, more optimal macro ratio and lower calories.

I don't personally have much of a sweet tooth so I wouldn't purchase this brand again, but I think they'd make a great, relatively healthy "cheat" meal for someone who regularly exercises and has a high protein requirement.

I'm also too frugal to pay $9.99 for a single box of cereal, which is what these flavors cost at my local Target.

Overall, I'd rate this brand 5/10.

Is Magic Spoon Actually Keto?

Magic Spoon cereal ranges from 10 g to 15 g of carbs, but all flavors contain 4 g of "net carbs":

The reason the company can claim a much lower net carb amount is because allulose, the sweetener we referenced earlier, is counted as a carb on the Nutrition Facts label but has zero calories and is not digested according to medical research.

As we documented in our Pruvit Ketones review article, keto diets typically restrict carbs to under 50 g per day, and more strict versions restrict carbs to under 20 g per day. 

Here's our issue with the keto claims: 1% milk contains over 12 g of carbs per cup according to the USDA, and it's easy to use far more than one cup of milk in cereal depending on the bowl size. Nut milks like almond milk typically only contain one or two g of carbs per cup so these may be a better option.

It also seems likely that consumers may use more than one serving of Magic Spoon. Two servings is only 40% of the box, and provides 8 g net carbs.

Here's our takeaway: people who are regimented about tracking macros and who use alternative milks can include Magic Spoon in a keto diet, but we wouldn't recommend it. Since carbs are already so limited on a keto diet, we recommend using them on whole, unprocessed foods like fruit.

Magic Spoon vs. Popular Cereals

Here's how Magic Spoon compares to other popular cereal brands in terms of healthiness, in our opinion:

Catalina Crunch

Contains added phosphates, and a 2018 medical review described their intake as an "emerging global health concern."

Winner: Magic Spoon

Shredded Wheat

Contains a synthetic preservative which was described in a medical review as a "tumor promoter," as we documented in our is Shredded Wheat healthy article.

Magic Spoon is preservative-free.

Winner: Magic Spoon

Three Wishes

Contains organic cane sugar, and we generally recommend reducing added sugar intake.

Winner: Magic Spoon

Our Clean Cereal Pick

Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Cereal is the healthiest cereal brand in our opinion, and features entirely sprouted grains like organic sprouted wheat, organic sprouted barley and organic sprouted millet.

A Harvard Health review found that sprouted grains have more bioavailable nutrients than unsprouted grains, and a medical review published in the Nutrients journal found that “the amount of anti-nutritional factors…decreases significantly” when grains are sprouted.

Rather than processed white sugar, Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin cereal is naturally sweetened with organic raisins, which are shown in medical research to improve cardiovascular health and gut function.

There are no questionable additive ingredients in this product at all, and it's rich in naturally-occurring vitamins and minerals.

Magic Spoon Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Mostly whole food ingredients
• Healthier than most cereal brands
• Naturally colored
• Naturally sweetened
• Higher protein content than most cereal brands

Cons:

• Contains natural flavor

Conclusion

We don't recommend Magic Spoon due to the inclusion of natural flavors and because we consider it to be somewhat "processed", but we definitely think that Magic Spoon is healthier than the average commercial cereal.

Magic Spoon can fit in a keto diet, but milk alternatives would probably need to be used rather than regular milk.

We would recommend that keto dieters use their limited carb intake on whole foods like fruits.

Online reviews of Magic Spoon are relatively favorable, and we consider the brand to be healthier than competitors like Catalina Crunch, Three Wishes and Shredded Wheat.