Cereals ready-to-eat, wheat, puffed, fortified
Whole food · Breakfast Cereals
Photo: Wikipedia
Puffed wheat is a light, airy cereal made by heating wheat kernels under pressure until they explode into crispy, golden-brown pillows. It has a subtly sweet, toasty flavor and a delicate, crunchy texture that softens quickly in milk. Fortified with essential vitamins and minerals, it's a classic, low-fat breakfast staple.
Calorie split: 15% protein · 82% carbs · 3% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its satisfying crunch and nostalgic, comforting taste, often evoking memories of childhood breakfasts. Its neutral flavor makes it a versatile base for both sweet toppings like fruit and honey, and savory uses in snack mixes.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Its high carbohydrate content (79.6g per 100g) and low fiber-to-carb ratio can lead to rapid blood sugar spikes, especially when eaten alone. It's also a common wheat-based allergen. To counteract this, pair it with a source of protein (like Greek yogurt or nuts) and healthy fat (like chia seeds or nut butter) to slow digestion, or choose a high-fiber variety and control your portion size.
Key benefits
- Low in fat (1.2g per 100g)
- Good source of plant-based protein (14.7g per 100g)
- Provides dietary fiber (4.4g per 100g)
- Fortified with iron, B vitamins, and folic acid
- Light and low-calorie volume for portion satisfaction
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The puffing process, patented in the early 1900s, was originally developed to make hard wheat berries more digestible and to create a novel, shelf-stable breakfast product for the growing urban market.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 3.0 g |
| Energy | 364 kcal |
| Energy | 1523 kj |
| Protein | 14.7 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 1.2 g |
| Ash | 1.5 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 79.6 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 4.4 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 28.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 31.7 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 145 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 355 mg |
| Potassium, K | 348 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 4.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 2.4 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.41 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 1.8 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 123 ug |
| Fluoride, F | 27.0 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 2.6 mg |
| Riboflavin | 1.8 mg |
| Niacin | 35.3 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.52 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.17 mg |
| Folate, total | 32.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 32.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 32.0 ug |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 0.00 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 0.00 iu |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.20 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
| Tryptophan | 0.23 g |
| Threonine | 0.45 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.63 g |
| Leucine | 1.1 g |
| Lysine | 0.41 g |
| Methionine | 0.26 g |
| Cystine | 0.29 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.76 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.45 g |
| Valine | 0.70 g |
| Arginine | 0.71 g |
| Histidine | 0.38 g |
| Alanine | 0.55 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.82 g |
| Glutamic acid | 5.0 g |
| Glycine | 0.58 g |
| Proline | 1.5 g |
| Serine | 0.81 g |
FAQ
Is puffed wheat gluten-free?
No, puffed wheat is made from wheat and therefore contains gluten. It is not suitable for individuals with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
How does it compare nutritionally to puffed rice?
Puffed wheat generally has more protein and fiber per serving than puffed rice, which is primarily a source of simple carbohydrates. Both are low in fat.
Can I eat it on a weight-loss diet?
It can be part of a weight-loss plan due to its low calorie density, but its high glycemic index means it may not keep you full for long. Pairing it with protein and fiber is key for satiety.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 3.64 kcal/g · 16% calories from protein · 4.4 g fiber · 0.0 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.01 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.