Wheaties Nutritional Information

Wheaties Nutritional Information

In 1921, a man from Minneapolis accidentally invented Wheaties when he spilled bran on a hot stove. He brought the crunchy bran to Washburn Crosby Co., where the miller in charge experimented with three dozen varieties of wheat until he found one that did not turn to dust when put in a box. The Wheaties boxes have been on sale in supermarkets since then. The nutritional information in the box applies to a three-quarter cup serving of cereal.

Calorie Content

One serving of Wheaties has 100 calories. Five of these calories come from the fat in the cereal. If you add milk to your Wheaties, the amount of calories will increase. A quarter cup of skim milk has 20 calories, while 1/4 cup of whole milk has 37.5 calories.

Sources of energy

A serving of Wheaties has 22 grams of carbohydrates, or 8 percent of the recommended daily value for people who consume 2,000 calories a day. The carbohydrate content includes 4 grams of sugars and 3 grams of dietary fiber. Wheaties cereals have 0.5 grams of total fat and saturated fat or trans fat. A serving of this cereal also has 2 grams of protein. The amount of protein you need depends on your age and sex, but in general, the Institute of Medicine estimates that you need about 0.4 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

Vitamins and minerals

A serving of Wheaties has 90 milligrams of potassium, or 3 percent of the recommended daily allowance. This cereal also contains vitamin A, vitamin B-6, niacin, riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin B-12, thiamine, vitamin C, zinc, calcium carbonate and iron.

Cholesterol and Sodium

A serving of Wheaties has no cholesterol, so it is a good choice if you are following a low cholesterol diet or simply watching the amount of cholesterol you consume. Wheaties contains trisodium phosphate, a compound that contains sodium, phosphorus and oxygen. This increases the sodium content of the cereals, so talk to your doctor before consuming this cereal if you have been told to follow a low sodium diet. One serving contains 190 milligrams of sodium, or 8 percent of the recommended daily allowance. If you are restricting your sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams per day, this portion represents 12, 7 percent of your daily diet.

Ideas for Meals with Wheaties

Dr. William Sears says that an ideal breakfast contains balanced portions of protein and complex carbohydrates. Since Wheaties has 2 grams of protein per serving, you may want to add a little protein to your food to make it more nutritious.Prepare a hearty meal by eating a bowl of Wheaties with 1 ounce of almonds and a quarter cup of milk. If you prefer cereals without milk, eat a serving of Wheaties with a hard-boiled egg or a serving of plain yogurt.

Video Tutorial: Healthy Breakfast Cereal Choices - Best.

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