Kellogg's New 'HI! Happy Inside' Cereal Is Packed With Probiotics
Some people take probiotic supplements in the form of a pill, but for those who'd rather gobble them down in a bowl of cereal, Kellogg's new "HI! Happy Inside" could be an option. The cereal — Kellogg's first new product in six years, according to the brand — comes in three flavors including strawberry, blueberry and coconut, all of which feature a blend of fruit, yogurt pieces and 100 percent whole grains designed to stay crunchy in milk.
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The new breakfast offering is a nod to consumers paying more attention to their "gut health," which can affect everything from digestion to the immune system.
The new cereal packs in trendy probiotics and prebiotics, both of which can contribute to overall digestive wellness. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that maintain or improve your body's normal flora — and HI! Happy Inside advertises 1 billion live units of Bifidobacteria, widely considered a highly beneficial strain, in each serving.
Prebiotics, meanwhile, are high-fiber foods that pass through the upper digestive system undigested and feed beneficial bacteria at later stages. HI! derives its prebiotics from chicory root, which contains inulin, a soluble fiber that some studies have shown can aid weight loss, improve bowel health and beneficially affect blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes. Each serving of HI! promises 2.5 grams of prebiotics. According to the International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics, a group that aims to raise the scientific credibility of research on probiotics and prebiotics, the recommended daily intake is 5 grams.
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This isn't Kellogg's first venture into gut-health territory. Less than a year ago, the breakfast brand launched Special K Nourish Peaches & Berries With Probiotics cereal, which actually made one Daily Meal staffer into a believer. Some small-label brands also make probiotic cereals, and even babies can get their fix with DHA & Probiotic Oatmeal made by Gerber. This isn't something that's widely available in cereals sold in the mass market as of yet, although it appears as if Kellogg's intends to change that with this new offering.
Consumers can find HI! in 34.5-ounce resealable bags at Costco and through Boxed for $12.99 each. Six-count cups are currently being sold on Amazon for $13.99 per pack and individual packs are slated to roll out in food, drug and mass retailers nationwide in early 2019. Kellogg's new cereal isn't the only way to get your gut in check, though. Probiotics naturally occur in many foods, like yogurt, some cheeses, sauerkraut and kimchi — which is why you'll never need to take probiotics if you eat these 15 foods.