Wheat breakfast cereals' BNI

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

Wheat cereaks had, on average, a nutritional balance of BNI 31.11c, being particularly biased towards excess of carbohydrate. It was adequate in saturated fat, fiber and sodium, high in sugar, and low in protein and fat.

Illustration 1: Nutrition information (wheat)

BNI	31.11c	0.00

Food, 100g	2012	Ideal
Protein	11.6	17.3
Carbohydrate	69.5	47.5
Sugar	14.6	< 8.6
Fat	2.3	9.6
Saturated fat	0.4	< 0.4
Fiber	9.2	5.2
Sodium	0.234	< 0.345
Kcal	345.1	345.1
kJul	1443.9	1443.9

Illustration 2: Nutritional profile (wheat)

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%		*

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

International standards

Wheat breakfast cereals appeared as slightly to moderately unbalanced according to international Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDIs).

Illustration 3: Nutritional balance across international RDIs

Wheat	(diet)	31.11	18.00	28.00	31.11	21.11

Product100g	Company	BNI	WHO	US/CAN	AUS/NZ	UK
Sanitarium puffed wheat	Sanitarium	31.88	21.88	31.88	31.88	21.88
Weet-Bix	Sanitarium	35.26	24.90	34.37	35.06	26.68
Pams wheat biskits	Pams	36.32	26.66	35.88	36.03	28.42
Homebrand wheat biscuits	Woolworths	37.46	27.54	36.57	37.11	30.06
Sanitarium Honey Puffs	Sanitarium	40.90	33.39	34.09	41.00	31.39
Fibre Life bran flakes	Sanitarium	41.40	32.84	39.72	39.40	34.85
J.R.Fields choc scoops	J.R.Fields	56.21	56.21	39.07	56.21	54.21
All-Bran Wheat Flakes honey almond	Kellogg's	61.40	65.14	30.78	59.70	71.87
All-Bran Wheat Flakes original	Kellogg's	68.58	65.39	64.39	62.92	78.70
J.R.Fields honey wheats	J.R.Fields	84.04	84.04	54.04	84.04	82.04
(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.