This wiki page organizes 19 exact USDA Survey Foods records labeled “Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g).” It shows the median and central spread of reported nutrients per 100 grams, explains the portion and preparation language present in the records, and keeps every underlying profile and citation available for inspection.
What is included?
USDA places these records in the “Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)” survey-food category. Within Feast’s broader navigation, they appear under Breakfast foods (19 records). The category label is useful for discovery, but it does not mean every record uses the same recipe, brand, cooking method, or portion.
The current collection includes Cereal, plain puffs; Cereal, shredded wheat, flavored; Cereal, reduced sugar; Cereal, shredded wheat, plain; Cereal, wheat squares; Cereal, bran flakes, plain. Those examples show why the exact wording matters. The complete alphabetical catalog farther down the page preserves all 19 descriptions instead of replacing them with one generic average.
A robust view of the data
The central range runs from the 10th to the 90th percentile of the records on this page. The observed minimum and maximum are included for transparency, but the middle interval is generally more useful for seeing the collection without letting one extreme record dominate.
| Nutrient | Median | Central 80% | Observed span | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caloriesper 100 g | 367 kcal | 357 kcal–377 kcal | 356 kcal–392 kcal | 19 |
| Proteinper 100 g | 9.5 g | 7 g–12 g | 6.4 g–19 g | 19 |
| Carbohydrateper 100 g | 76.2 g | 72.2 g–79 g | 67.9 g–79.8 g | 19 |
| Total fatper 100 g | 2.4 g | 1.5 g–5.4 g | 1.2 g–6.2 g | 19 |
| Dietary fiberper 100 g | 8 g | 3.4 g–13.7 g | 0.4 g–20.5 g | 19 |
| Total sugarsper 100 g | 12.2 g | 4 g–20.5 g | 0.2 g–20.7 g | 19 |
| Sodiumper 100 g | 509 mg | 4 mg–708 mg | 2 mg–813 mg | 19 |
| Potassiumper 100 g | 128 mg | 87 mg–245 mg | 67 mg–342 mg | 19 |
| Calciumper 100 g | 36 mg | 12 mg–345 mg | 4 mg–368 mg | 19 |
| Ironper 100 g | 28 mg | 8.9 mg–30.3 mg | 0.9 mg–46.6 mg | 19 |
All rows use the same 100-gram denominator and values from the cited records. The interval is descriptive, not a recommended intake range or statistical confidence interval.
Calories context
Across 19 “Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)” records, the middle reported calories value is 367 kcal per 100 grams. The central records run from 357 kcal to 377 kcal, while the complete observed span is 356 kcal to 392 kcal.
Cereal, plain puffs is nearest the lower central boundary, and Cereal, reduced sugar is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Protein context
Across 19 “Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)” records, the middle reported protein value is 9.5 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 7 g to 12 g, while the complete observed span is 6.4 g to 19 g.
Cereal, rice squares is nearest the lower central boundary, and Cereal, shredded wheat, plain is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Carbohydrate context
Across 19 “Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)” records, the middle reported carbohydrate value is 76.2 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 72.2 g to 79 g, while the complete observed span is 67.9 g to 79.8 g.
Cereal, oat squares is nearest the lower central boundary, and Cereal, shredded wheat, flavored is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Total fat context
Across 19 “Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)” records, the middle reported total fat value is 2.4 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 1.5 g to 5.4 g, while the complete observed span is 1.2 g to 6.2 g.
Cereal, wheat flakes is nearest the lower central boundary, and Cereal, oat squares is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Dietary fiber context
Across 19 “Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)” records, the middle reported dietary fiber value is 8 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 3.4 g to 13.7 g, while the complete observed span is 0.4 g to 20.5 g.
Cereal, corn flakes, plain is nearest the lower central boundary, and Cereal, wheat squares is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Total sugars context
Across 19 “Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)” records, the middle reported total sugars value is 12.2 g per 100 grams. The central records run from 4 g to 20.5 g, while the complete observed span is 0.2 g to 20.7 g.
Cereal, O's, plain is nearest the lower central boundary, and Cereal, O's, multigrain is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Sodium context
Across 19 “Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)” records, the middle reported sodium value is 509 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 4 mg to 708 mg, while the complete observed span is 2 mg to 813 mg.
Cereal, plain puffs is nearest the lower central boundary, and Cereal, corn flakes, plain is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Potassium context
Across 19 “Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)” records, the middle reported potassium value is 128 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 87 mg to 245 mg, while the complete observed span is 67 mg to 342 mg.
Cereal, K's, plain is nearest the lower central boundary, and Cereal, other, plain is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Calcium context
Across 19 “Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)” records, the middle reported calcium value is 36 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 12 mg to 345 mg, while the complete observed span is 4 mg to 368 mg.
Cereal, plain puffs is nearest the lower central boundary, and Cereal, O's, multigrain is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Iron context
Across 19 “Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)” records, the middle reported iron value is 28 mg per 100 grams. The central records run from 8.9 mg to 30.3 mg, while the complete observed span is 0.9 mg to 46.6 mg.
Cereal, reduced sugar is nearest the lower central boundary, and Cereal, oat squares is nearest the upper central boundary. These are reference positions in this corpus, not labels of overall food quality.
Preparation language in the records
The counts below report words and phrases that appear explicitly in the 19 USDA descriptions. They can help narrow a search to a closer record. They do not prove that the named preparation caused a nutrient difference, because these survey-food records are not controlled experiments.
No preparation phrase from the wiki’s controlled vocabulary appears consistently enough to summarize this topic. Use the exact record catalog instead of inferring a shared method.
Portion context
19 of 19 records (100%) include at least one named measure in the source data. Together those records provide 42 usable named measures.
Across the pooled named measures, the midpoint gram weight is 30 g. The central 10th-to-90th-percentile interval runs from 25 g to 45 g, while the complete observed span is 0–60 g. This pooled summary mixes different measure types, so it is a navigation aid rather than a suggested portion.
A cup, slice, piece, sandwich, fillet, or fluid ounce can represent a different amount of food. Even two measures with the same label may have different gram weights across records. Open the closest profile and use its listed weight instead of transferring a measure from another record.
USDA’s representative source amount is also not necessarily what a visitor ate. For equal-weight comparison, use the 100-gram table. For meal estimation, match the exact description first, then match the amount, and finally account for additions or preparation details absent from the selected record.
Choosing a closer record
Look for the closest food name, preparation, additions, and context. “Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)” is the collection label; the individual description is the actual reference.
Use the per-100-gram values when comparing two records. This keeps the denominator fixed and prevents different source-serving weights from masquerading as a food difference.
Open the profile, select a named household measure when one fits, or enter a gram estimate. Treat scaled decimals as arithmetic from the source—not greater certainty about the plate.
Brand, recipe, cooking fat, sauce, toppings, substitutions, and edible portion can move the result. A current package label or weighed recipe may be more specific than a generic survey-food record.
Complete source catalog
Records are alphabetical, not ranked. Every row links to a complete Feast profile with household measures, all reported nutrients, estimate factors, and methodology, plus the exact USDA FoodData Central source where available.
| Exact USDA description | Calories | Protein | Fiber | Sodium | Source amount | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cereal, bran flakes, plainFDC 2708456 | 361 kcalper 100 g | 9.7 gper 100 g | 20.5 gper 100 g | 585 mgper 100 g | 50 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, corn flakes, plainFDC 2708453 | 365 kcalper 100 g | 6.4 gper 100 g | 3.5 gper 100 g | 703 mgper 100 g | 30 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, corn puffsFDC 2708454 | 371 kcalper 100 g | 7.7 gper 100 g | 7.3 gper 100 g | 525 mgper 100 g | 25 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, corn squaresFDC 2708452 | 369 kcalper 100 g | 7.9 gper 100 g | 5.4 gper 100 g | 729 mgper 100 g | 30 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, K's, plainFDC 2708471 | 356 kcalper 100 g | 19 gper 100 g | 3.2 gper 100 g | 680 mgper 100 g | 35 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, multigrainFDC 2708465 | 373 kcalper 100 g | 11.6 gper 100 g | 14.6 gper 100 g | 233 mgper 100 g | 50 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, O's, multigrainFDC 2708468 | 373 kcalper 100 g | 8.5 gper 100 g | 10.9 gper 100 g | 385 mgper 100 g | 30 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, O's, plainFDC 2708448 | 374 kcalper 100 g | 12.4 gper 100 g | 10.5 gper 100 g | 506 mgper 100 g | 30 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, oat bunchesFDC 2708462 | 392 kcalper 100 g | 7.4 gper 100 g | 4.6 gper 100 g | 428 mgper 100 g | 45 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, oat squaresFDC 2708466 | 379 kcalper 100 g | 10.4 gper 100 g | 8 gper 100 g | 388 mgper 100 g | 45 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, other, plainFDC 2708482 | 370 kcalper 100 g | 9.4 gper 100 g | 7 gper 100 g | 605 mgper 100 g | 30 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, plain puffsFDC 2708478 | 357 kcalper 100 g | 9.5 gper 100 g | 8.7 gper 100 g | 4 mgper 100 g | 15 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, reduced sugarFDC 2708487 | 376 kcalper 100 g | 8.4 gper 100 g | 6.4 gper 100 g | 509 mgper 100 g | 35 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, rice crispy, plainFDC 2708455 | 358 kcalper 100 g | 7 gper 100 g | 0.4 gper 100 g | 505 mgper 100 g | 25 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, rice squaresFDC 2708470 | 357 kcalper 100 g | 7 gper 100 g | 5.4 gper 100 g | 813 mgper 100 g | 30 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, shredded wheat, flavoredFDC 2708457 | 367 kcalper 100 g | 9.5 gper 100 g | 10.3 gper 100 g | 2 mgper 100 g | 50 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, shredded wheat, plainFDC 2708479 | 358 kcalper 100 g | 11.9 gper 100 g | 13 gper 100 g | 2 mgper 100 g | 45 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, wheat flakesFDC 2708480 | 359 kcalper 100 g | 10.1 gper 100 g | 10.4 gper 100 g | 574 mgper 100 g | 40 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
| Cereal, wheat squaresFDC 2708476 | 356 kcalper 100 g | 10.5 gper 100 g | 13.5 gper 100 g | 578 mgper 100 g | 60 gUSDA reference amount | Full profileUSDA source ↗ |
Boundaries and provenance
This page summarizes USDA FoodData Central Survey Foods (FNDDS) records from 2021–2023, published 2024-10-31. FNDDS supplies standardized reference descriptions used to represent foods reported in dietary surveys. Each value on this page remains tied to one exact FDC record; the complete catalog provides direct links so the source can be checked rather than taken on trust.
The records are not laboratory measurements of every possible “Ready-to-eat cereal, lower sugar (=<21.2g/100g)” preparation. Restaurant recipes change, packaged products are reformulated, homemade ingredient ratios vary, and cooking can change water weight. A photo also cannot reliably reveal every hidden ingredient or gram weight. The robust range describes variation among the records selected for this topic, not uncertainty around a single meal.
The median is not a default calorie count. The 10th and 90th percentiles are not lower and upper recommendations. The minimum and maximum are not promises that every real version falls inside the observed span. These statistics are tools for navigating a source collection while keeping the denominator, record name, and normal recipe variation visible.
Nutrient values do not establish whether a food is appropriate for a particular person or condition. This wiki does not diagnose deficiencies, prescribe targets, or replace advice from a qualified professional. If accuracy matters for an allergy, medical diet, or clinician-directed limit, use verified ingredient information and the guidance relevant to that situation.
A record can report more protein and also differ in sodium, fiber, energy, fat, portion weight, or ingredients. Choosing one metric as a universal score would hide those tradeoffs and imply a value judgment the data cannot support. The alphabetical catalog and side-by-side statistics are intentionally descriptive.
For the full import, filtering, portion-scaling, Daily Value, and uncertainty rules, read Feast’s nutrition-page methodology. For an exact item, use its profile and FoodData Central link rather than citing this collection-level summary alone.
Common questions
No. It is the middle value among these 19 source records on a 100-gram basis. Your recipe, brand, preparation, and portion may align more closely with one specific record or may fall outside this collection.
Source servings can have different gram weights and measure labels. Holding weight at 100 grams makes concentration comparable. After choosing a record, its household measures are more useful for estimating the amount actually eaten.
No. The position only describes that nutrient within this source collection. It does not evaluate the whole food, determine an appropriate portion, or account for an individual’s needs.
Start with the record whose exact wording most closely matches the food. Use a listed measure or gram estimate, then add missing recipe or preparation context. Keep the result as an estimate unless you have a current label or weighed recipe.