Bran-based breakfast cereals' BNI

Perezgonzalez assessed the nutritional balance of bran in 2012, as part of a research on breakfast cereals in New Zealand.

Bran and bran-based cereals had, on average, a nutritional balance of BNI 121.81fb, being particularly biased towards excess of fiber. It was adequate in carbohydrate and saturated fat, high in protein, sugar and sodium, and low in fat.

Illustration 1: Nutrition information (bran)

BNI	121.81fb	0.00

Food, 100g	2012	Ideal
Protein	14.3	11.3
Carbohydrate	33.1	31.1
Sugar	10.5	< 5.7
Fat	4.1	6.3
Saturated fat	0.7	< 0.7
Fiber	37.4	3.4
Sodium	0.270	< 0.227
Kcal	226.5	226.5
kJul	947.7	947.7

Illustration 2: Nutritional profile (bran)

125%				*
~				~
100%				*
95%				*
90%				*
85%				*
80%				*
75%				*
70%				*
65%				*
60%		*		*
55%		*		*
50%		*		*
45%		*		*
40%		*		*
35%		*		*
30%		*		*
25%	*	*		*
20%	*	*		*
15%	*	*	*	*
10%	*	*	*	*
5%	*	*	*	*
mid	p	c	f	fb
max		s	sf		na
5%		*	*		*
10%		*			*
15%		*			*
20%		*

ideal % = grey cells; actual % = asterisk (*)

International standards

Bran-based breakfast cereals appeared as extremely unbalanced according to international Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDIs).

Illustration 3: Nutritional balance across international RDIs

Bran	(diet)	128.81	162.21	105.51	110.77	185.55

Product100g	Company	BNI	WHO	US/CAN	AUS/NZ	UK
All-Bran original	Kellogg's	97.55	126.52	91.06	88.57	140.72
Healtheries bran flakes	Healtheries	128.74	174.33	122.61	117.04	214.57
Brantastix	Hubbards	129.23	163.49	94.89	120.94	187.98
Home Brand natural brand	Woolworths	131.80	176.03	115.38	120.79	201.91
San Bran	Sanitarium	156.01	195.54	138.99	142.51	210.83
(Source: Perezgonzalez, 2012²)

Author

Jose D PEREZGONZALEZ (2012). Massey University, Turitea Campus, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand. (JDPerezgonzalez).

Want to know more?

BNI™ database: The database offers individual nutrition analyses for foods, including the food referred to in above article.
BNI™ journal (2012, issue 3) - Breakfast cereals: This issue of the Balanced Nutrition Index™ journal collates all BNI™ nutrition information for the original sample in a single book.
Wiki of Science - Nutritional balance of foods: This Wiki of Science page collates information about several foods on a single page and provides useful links to the appropiate files.