20120306 - Nutritional balance of oat breakfast cereals - 2012

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[<Normal page] [PEREZGONZALEZ Jose D (2012). Nutritional balance of oat breakfast cereals. Journal of Knowledge Advancement & Integration (ISSN 1177-4576), 2012, pages 78-80.]

Oat breakfast cereals' BNI

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

Oats had, on average, a nutritional balance of BNI 8.70c, 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 (oats)

BNI	8.70c	0.00

Food, 100g	2012	Ideal
Protein	12.3	17.1
Carbohydrate	59.4	47.1
Sugar	9.3	< 8.6
Fat	6.2	9.5
Saturated fat	1.3	< 1.3
Fiber	8.9	5.1
Sodium	0.017	< 0.343
Kcal	342.6	342.6
kJul	1433.4	1433.4

Illustration 2: Nutritional profile (oats)

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

Oat breakfast cereals appeared as slightly unbalanced according to international Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDIs) (actually, very close to nutritional balance according to WHO/FAO and UK standards).

Illustration 3: Nutritional balance across international RDIs

Oats	(diet)	8.70	1.72	7.43	8.70	1.28

Product100g	Company	BNI	WHO	US/CAN	AUS/NZ	UK
Harraways organic rolled oats	Harraways&Sons	6.83	0.00	0.00	6.83	6.83
Traditional Porridge brown sugar & cinnamon	Hubbards	6.89	6.89	0.00	6.89	4.89
Oat Singles plain	Harraways&Sons	12.21	3.35	12.21	12.21	2.21
Harraways rolled oats	Harraways&Sons	12.21	3.35	12.21	12.21	2.21
Harraways Scotch oats	Harraways&Sons	12.21	3.35	12.21	12.21	2.21
Harraways organic wholegrain oats	Harraways&Sons	12.21	3.35	12.21	12.21	2.21
Harraways traditional wholegrain oats	Harraways&Sons	12.21	3.35	12.21	12.21	2.21
Creamy porridge	Pams	12.21	3.35	12.21	12.21	2.21
Home Brand Quick Oats	Home Brand	12.26	14.23	11.30	11.19	20.17
Oat Singles chocolate	Harraways&Sons	16.64	16.64	1.59	16.64	14.64
Oats Smooth & Tasty vanilla	Uncle Tobys	26.26	26.26	5.96	26.26	24.26
Oats Smooth & Tasty strawberry	Uncle Tobys	34.13	34.13	8.08	34.13	32.13
Oats Smooth & Tasty honey	Uncle Tobys	34.51	34.51	8.11	34.51	32.51
Oat Singles honey & golden syrup	Harraways&Sons	35.55	35.55	20.49	35.55	33.55
(Source: Perezgonzalez, 2012²)

Methods

Research approach

Exploratory study.

Data

The initial research sample included 79 breakfast cereals (ie, oats, wheat, rice, corn, bran and muesli)², collected in a convenient manner. The results in this study simply describe the 'subsample' of oat breakfast cereals within the original sample: ie, 14 products.

Materials & analysis

Relevant data were collated, then assessed using the Balanced Nutrition Index™ (BNI™) technology (see Perezgonzalez, 2011¹). SPSS-v18 was used for the computation of variables, including BNI and international indexes, and statistical analyses.

Generalization potential

Most of the products were produced locally, although some may have been imported or exported, especially from and to Australia, respectively. Thus, the results of this study may be generalizable to the following populations (in order of decreasing generalization power):

Australia.
Internationally, if one assumes oat products to be of approximately similar nutritional composition anywhere.

References

1. PEREZGONZALEZ Jose D (2011). Balanced Nutrition Index™ (BNI™). Journal of Knowledge Advancement & Integration (ISSN 1177-4576), 2011, pages 20-21. Also retrievable from Wiki of Science.

2. PEREZGONZALEZ Jose D (2012). Breakfast cereals. The Balanced Nutrition Index (ISSN 1177-8849), 2012, issue 3. (Retrievable from http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/BNI)

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.