Energy
middle half361 kcalthis record per 100 g
- Corpus median
- 367 kcal
- Middle 50%
- 358–373 kcal
Based on 19 records reporting energy.
Breakfast foodsmoderate variability
Cereal, bran flakes, plain calories: 181 per 1 cup (50 g)
This exact USDA record reports 181 calories for 1 cup (50 g). That answer belongs to this description and weight; it is not a universal value for every meal that shares the name.
Quick facts
1 cup · 50 g
- Calories
- 181 kcal
- Protein
- 4.8 g
- Carbohydrate
- 37.5 g
- Total fat
- 1.2 g
- Fiber
- 10.3 g
- Sodium
- 293 mg
Portion calculator
Estimate your portion
Choose a source measure or enter the weight you ate.
Estimated for 1 cup · 50 g
181calories
Cereal, bran flakes, plain
- Protein
- 4.8 g
- Carbs
- 37.5 g
- Fat
- 1.2 g
— means the source has no value available.
These values scale the selected reference food by weight. Ingredients, preparation, and portion size can change your meal’s estimate.
Nutrition facts, household measures, preparation notes and USDA sources
The editorial read
The useful answer has a weight, a composition, and an identity
Portion: the cited record reports about 181 calories for 1 cup at 50 grams. On a fixed-weight basis, the same record contains 361 calories per 100 grams. The first number answers a portion question; the second answers a concentration question.
Composition: that source amount also reports 4.8 g protein, 10.3 g fiber, and 293 mg sodium. Read those values together: a calorie total by itself cannot describe the nutrient profile.
Identity: the largest listed formulation input is flour, wheat, all-purpose, unenriched, unbleached, representing 80.4% of the record’s listed input weight. The record contains 10 source-input rows in all. These are provenance for a standardized calculation, not a recipe for your plate.
The source calls its underlying survey portion “Quantity not specified,” but it separately lists 1 cup at the identical weight. We use the familiar household label here without changing the source calculation.
The household measures attached to this record span roughly 108–181 calories across the listed portions. That is a set of scaled examples—not a confidence interval, a recommendation, or a claim about the full universe of recipes.
Calculated from the smallest and largest usable household measures listed by USDA for this exact FNDDS record; not a confidence interval.
Record-specific decision brief
What the numbers say—and what choice still belongs to you
This analysis belongs to USDA FDC 2708456: “Cereal, bran flakes, plain.” It separates gram-weight arithmetic, corpus context, label signals, and record selection so one number does not have to answer four different questions.
01 · Portion arithmetic
Three weights, one fixed composition
For FDC 2708456, each row multiplies the published per-100-gram values by its stated weight. “1 prepackaged single serving” through “1 cup” are weight scenarios: named measures come from USDA, while percentage labels are transparent arithmetic.
| Scenario | Weight | Energy | Protein | Fiber | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 prepackaged single servingUSDA-listed household measure | 30 g | 108 kcal | 2.9 g | 6.2 g | 176 mg |
| 75% of the reference weightArithmetic scenario from the reference weight | 37.5 g | 135 kcal | 3.6 g | 7.7 g | 219 mg |
| 1 cupUSDA-listed household measure | 50 g | 181 kcal | 4.8 g | 10.3 g | 293 mg |
02 · Fixed-weight context
Where 100 grams sits inside Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)
The comparison set contains 19 exact records in the Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g) USDA category. Here, “middle half” describes FDC 2708456’s energy position in that corpus—not nutritional quality, desirability, or a health rating.
Protein
middle half9.7 gthis record per 100 g
- Corpus median
- 9.5 g
- Middle 50%
- 7.8–10.5 g
Based on 19 records reporting protein.
Dietary fiber
upper quarter20.5 gthis record per 100 g
- Corpus median
- 8 g
- Middle 50%
- 5.4–10.7 g
Based on 19 records reporting dietary fiber.
Sodium
middle half585 mgthis record per 100 g
- Corpus median
- 509 mg
- Middle 50%
- 387–595 mg
Based on 19 records reporting sodium.
03 · FDA label lens
The strongest strength-side and tradeoff-side signals
At FDC 2708456’s 50 g reference weight, the largest strength-side percentage among the nutrients evaluated here is Iron; the larger tradeoff-side percentage is Sodium. Percentages use FDA label Daily Values, whose general “high” guide begins at 20% Daily Value. This is not an overall score or a personalized target.
Strength-side signals
Iron14 mg
≈ 78% DV. This crosses the FDA’s 20% ‘high’ guide.
Dietary fiber10.3 g
≈ 37% DV. This crosses the FDA’s 20% ‘high’ guide.
Tradeoff-side signals
Sodium293 mg
≈ 13% DV. This does not cross the FDA’s 20% ‘high’ guide.
Saturated fat0.1 g
≈ 0% DV. This does not cross the FDA’s 20% ‘high’ guide.
04 · Highest-impact checks
The three levers most worth resolving first
For “Cereal, bran flakes, plain,” the first-pass checks follow the evidence actually published: its named weights, the FDC 2708480 alternative, and its source-formulation identity.
- 01
Listed portion span: 1 prepackaged single serving to 1 cup
USDA assigns those measures 30 g and 50 g. At this record’s fixed composition, scaled energy moves from 108 kcal to 181 kcal.
- 02
Record choice: compare with FDC 2708480
At an equal 100 g, this record has 10.1 g more dietary fiber than “Cereal, wheat flakes.” That is a record-level contrast; it does not identify which ingredient caused the difference.
- 03
Formulation anchor: Flour, wheat, all-purpose, unenriched, unbleached
The source formulation has 10 input rows; Flour, wheat, all-purpose, unenriched, unbleached supplies 80.4% of listed input weight. Those are standardized formulation inputs, not final plated percentages.
05 · Exact-record choice
Select by literal evidence, not the shortest name
Keep this record when “bran flakes; plain” fits. Inspect FDC 2708480 when “wheat flakes” is the more literal description of the food and preparation.
Keep this profile when these fields fit
Cereal, bran flakes, plain
- Exact source wording
- “Cereal, bran flakes, plain”
- Source identity
- USDA FDC 2708456 · FNDDS 57207000
- Named qualifiers
- bran flakes · plain
- Source inputs unique in this pair
- Oil, canola
Inspect this alternative when its fields fit better
Cereal, wheat flakes
- Exact source wording
- “Cereal, wheat flakes”
- Source identity
- USDA FDC 2708480 · FNDDS 57418000
- Named qualifiers
- wheat flakes
Choose the closest description
Which USDA record fits your meal?
Treat the long description as data. The phrases doing the most work here are “bran flakes” and “plain”. Match those details first; then compare the database weight with the amount you mean.
On smaller screens, focus a nutrition table and scroll horizontally to read every column.
| Exact record | Source serving | Calories / 100 g | Protein / 100 g | Fat / 100 g | Fiber / 100 g | Sodium / 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This recordCereal, bran flakes, plain | 50 g181 kcal | 361 kcal | 9.7 g | 2.4 g | 20.5 g | 585 mg |
| Cereal, corn flakes, plain | 30 g110 kcal | 365 kcal | 6.4 g | 1.6 g | 3.5 g | 703 mg |
| Cereal, K's, plain | 35 g125 kcal | 356 kcal | 19 g | 1.6 g | 3.2 g | 680 mg |
| Cereal, O's, plain | 30 g112 kcal | 374 kcal | 12.4 g | 6.2 g | 10.5 g | 506 mg |
| Cereal, wheat flakes | 40 g144 kcal | 359 kcal | 10.1 g | 1.5 g | 10.4 g | 574 mg |
| Cereal, plain puffs | 15 g54 kcal | 357 kcal | 9.5 g | 1.7 g | 8.7 g | 4 mg |
| Cereal, other, plain | 30 g111 kcal | 370 kcal | 9.4 g | 3.9 g | 7 g | 605 mg |
How to compare FDC 2708456: its source amount is 50 g; every 100-gram column removes portion size from the record-to-record comparison. Neither denominator determines your plate’s weight or recipe.
Household measures
Compare listed portions
For FDC 2708456, the 2 displayed measures scale the same source composition by gram weight; rounding changes presentation, not the underlying ratio.
1 cup
181 kcal
50 g
1 prepackaged single serving
108 kcal
30 g
At a glance
Nutrient signals in the source amount
For FDC 2708456, Iron is the largest displayed non-protein Daily Value signal. Read the set as label context—not a personalized score.
Iron
14.1 mg≈ 78% Daily ValueDietary fiber
10.3 g≈ 37% Daily ValueCarbohydrate
37.5 g≈ 14% Daily ValueThe percentages above apply to FDC 2708456’s 50 g reference amount. FDA Daily Values are general label references, not individualized energy or medical targets. Read the FDA explanation ↗
Source-serving signals
What stands out in this record
These 2 calculated observations describe FDC 2708456 at 50 g—not a measured or recommended plate.
- The representative USDA portion supplies 10.3 g dietary fiber, about 37% of the Daily Value used on U.S. labels.
- The representative USDA portion contains 293 mg sodium, about 13% of the Daily Value used on U.S. labels.
Nutrition facts
Compare the source serving with 100 grams
Values are rounded for readability. The source serving is 50 g.
| Nutrient | Amount | Approx. % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 181 kcal 361 kcal | Not established Not established |
| Protein | 4.8 g 9.7 g | Not shown Not shown |
| Carbohydrate | 37.5 g 75 g | 14% 27% |
| Total fat | 1.2 g 2.4 g | 2% 3% |
| Dietary fiber | 10.3 g 20.5 g | 37% 73% |
| Sugars | 7.7 g 15.3 g | Not established Not established |
| Sodium | 292.5 mg 585 mg | 13% 25% |
| Saturated fat | 0.1 g 0.2 g | 0% 1% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.4 g 0.7 g | Not established Not established |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.3 g 0.6 g | Not established Not established |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg 0 mg | 0% 0% |
| Potassium | 60.5 mg 121 mg | 1% 3% |
| Calcium | 9.5 mg 19 mg | 1% 1% |
| Iron | 14.1 mg 28.1 mg | 78% 156% |
| Magnesium | 14.5 mg 29 mg | 3% 7% |
| Vitamin C | 11.6 mg 23.1 mg | 13% 26% |
| Vitamin D | 2.5 µg 5 µg | 13% 25% |
| Vitamin A | 0 µg 0 µg | 0% 0% |
| Caffeine | 0 mg 0 mg | Not established Not established |
| Alcohol | 0 g 0 g | Not established Not established |
| Water | 4.5 g 8.9 g | Not established Not established |
For FDC 2708456, approximate percentages divide the displayed 50 g amount by FDA label Daily Values; they are not personalized targets. “Not established” means FDA sets no Daily Value for that row. Protein %DV remains unshown because adult-label use depends on regulatory context.
Inside the source record
Source formulation behind this USDA record
USDA links FDC 2708456 to 10 source inputs totaling 99.5 g in its standardized formulation. Publishing that exact provenance makes “Cereal, bran flakes, plain” inspectable beside similarly named records.
How to read this
10 listed components
The largest listed inputs by source weight are Flour, wheat, all-purpose, unenriched, unbleached, Sugars, granulated, Fiber, total dietary, as ingredient. The order and weights below come from the standardized USDA formulation, so they offer context for this exact database entry.
99.5 g total listed input weight across the formulation.
| # | USDA input | Listed amount | Input weight | Share of listed input weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flour, wheat, all-purpose, unenriched, unbleachedUSDA ingredient 20481 · encyclopedia page available | 80 GM | 80 g | 80.4% |
| 2 | Sugars, granulatedUSDA ingredient 19335 · encyclopedia page available | 15 GM | 15 g | 15.1% |
| 3 | Salt, tableUSDA ingredient 2047 · encyclopedia page available | 1.5 GM | 1.5 g | 1.5% |
| 4 | Fiber, total dietary, as ingredientUSDA ingredient 999291 · encyclopedia page available | 1.8 GM | 1.8 g | 1.8% |
| 5 | Oil, canolaUSDA ingredient 4582 · encyclopedia page available | 1 GM | 1 g | 1% |
| 6 | Vitamin B composite in cerealsUSDA ingredient 999001 · encyclopedia page available | 0.03 GM | 0 g | 0% |
| 7 | Folic acid as ingredientUSDA ingredient 999431 · encyclopedia page available | 0.03 GM | 0 g | 0% |
| 8 | Iron as ingredientUSDA ingredient 999303 · encyclopedia page available | 0.03 GM | 0 g | 0% |
| 9 | Vitamin D as ingredientUSDA ingredient 999328 · encyclopedia page available | 0.05 GM | 0.1 g | 0.1% |
| 10 | Vitamin C as ingredientUSDA ingredient 999401 · encyclopedia page available | 0.02 GM | 0 g | 0% |
Exact-record context
What makes this USDA record distinct?
For FDC 2708456, the close-record rule searches the USDA “Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)” category for shared description terms or source inputs. Any surviving pair is compared per 100 grams, so unlike source-serving sizes cannot manufacture the nutrient difference.
This record
Cereal, bran flakes, plain
- USDA category
- Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)
- FDC ID
- 2708456
- FNDDS code
- 57207000
Closest inspectable record
Cereal, wheat flakes
- USDA category
- Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)
- FDC ID
- 2708480
- FNDDS code
- 57418000
| Nutrient | This record | Comparison record | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 361 kcal | 359 kcal | +2 kcal |
| Protein | 9.7 g | 10.1 g | −0.5 g |
| Carbohydrate | 75 g | 76.3 g | −1.3 g |
| Total fat | 2.4 g | 1.5 g | +1 g |
| Dietary fiber | 20.5 g | 10.4 g | +10.1 g |
| Sodium | 585 mg | 574 mg | +11 mg |
Plain-English read
At the fixed 100-gram basis, this record lists 10.1 g more dietary fiber than “Cereal, wheat flakes.”
Only this record lists Oil, canola. Those formulation rows identify different source records; they do not prove which input caused a nutrient difference.
1 of the six displayed differences clears the documented materiality screen. It is a reading aid, not a health rating.
Formulation evidence
The listed formulations differ
The formulation rows differ, but the source data do not isolate which component caused any nutrient difference. Input weights describe the standardized formulation—not final plated proportions.
Shared listed inputs: Flour, wheat, all-purpose, unenriched, unbleached; Sugars, granulated; Salt, table; Fiber, total dietary, as ingredient; and 5 more.
Listed only in this record: Oil, canola.
Portion evidence
The listed portion sets differ
This record’s reference amount is 50 g; a familiar listed measure is 1 cup (50 g).
The comparison record’s reference amount is 40 g; a familiar listed measure is 1 cup (40 g).
Use the 100-gram row to compare FDC 2708456 with FDC 2708480 at equal mass; use their 50 g and 40 g source amounts only for portion matching.
Evidence boundary: FDC 2708456 versus FDC 2708480 is a comparison of standardized source records—not a measurement of your meal, an overall food-quality rank, or proof that one input caused a difference.
Review the full ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g) source category → Read the calculation and selection methodology →
From record to familiar meal
Guides that use this exact USDA record
These 1 guide place “Cereal, bran flakes, plain” beside explicitly linked source records; use them to compare preparations without turning FDC 2708456 into a universal recipe.
Uncertainty, made actionable
What can change this estimate?
This is a standardized USDA survey-food profile, not a measurement of every preparation. Actual nutrition can change with portion size, recipe or brand, cooking fat, toppings and add-ins.
For “Cereal, bran flakes, plain,” resolve portion size first, then move through the remaining 3 published levers. Unknowns should remain visible rather than expanding every assumption at once.
- 01
portion size
When composition is held constant, nutrient totals scale directly with grams. A 20% weight correction produces the same 20% correction to the scaled totals.
- 02
recipe or brand
Prefer a package, menu, or known recipe when it identifies the food more precisely. Otherwise preserve the generic record as an explicit approximation.
- 03
cooking fat
Match the named cooking-fat state when possible. Fat used, retained, or left behind is preparation information that a dish name alone cannot recover.
- 04
toppings and add-ins
Check whether the exact source description already includes it. If not, keep the addition separate rather than silently folding it into the base record.
How we estimated this
The arithmetic is simple; the provenance is the point
FDC 2708456 comes from FoodData Central Survey Foods (FNDDS). Its 361 kcal per 100 g becomes 181 kcal at 50 g through nutrient per portion = nutrient per 100 g × portion grams ÷ 100; this page adds no second nutrition estimate.
About the serving label: USDA describes the underlying survey portion as “Quantity not specified.” The separately listed 1 cup has the same gram weight, so the familiar label can be shown without changing the calculation.
Data cycle: 2021–2023, published October 31, 2024
FoodData Central ID: 2708456
FNDDS food code: 57207000
The scaling for FDC 2708456 can be exact while the match to “Cereal, bran flakes, plain” is wrong. That is why this profile keeps its 50 g weight, 10-row source formulation, and selection uncertainty beside the arithmetic.
Source release October 31, 2024. Review USDA’s data-type documentation ↗ · Read Feast’s full nutrition methodology.