Cereal Consumption in Australia | The Nutritional Value of Cereals
Compositon of Wheat Grain | Energy
Protein | Fats | Carbohydrate and Dietary Fibre
Vitamins and Minerals | The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating
Cereal Consumption in Australia
In Australia, wheat, maize, rice, oats and rye are the predominant cereals for human consumption, with wheat by far the most important. On average Australians consume around 96 kg of cereals per head. Flour used for bread making accounts for roughly 80 kg, oatmeal and rolled oats 1 kg, rice 8 kg and other cereals 7 kg. Typically, around 1.9 million tonnes of flour is produced each year, with its usage being broken down as shown in the table below.
Flour Usage
|
|
Bread
|
45.4%
|
|
Pastry
|
3.8%
|
|
Biscuits
|
5.0%
|
|
Pasta
|
4.5%
|
|
Packeted Flour and Mixes
|
6.8%
|
|
Other food products
|
7.5%
|
|
Starch/Gluten products
|
26.8%
|
|
Other Industrial Uses
|
0.2%
|
Source: Flour Millers Council of Australia
Bread represents around 44% of the cereal intake for men and 41% for women. Over 90% of Australians consume some type of cereal product every day.
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The Nutritional Value of Cereals
All the cereal grains are similar in nutritional value, providing a range of important nutrients including protein, complex carbohydrate and dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals. The nutritional value of the end products will depend greatly on the amount of processing involved. For example, removal of the bran and germ layers during milling reduces the vitamin, mineral and fibre content.
Nutritional Value of Cereal Grains
|
|
|
Kj/100 Grams
|
Grams/100 grams
|
Mg/100 grams
|
|
Cereal
|
Energy
|
Water
|
Protein
|
Fat
|
Carbo-hydrate
|
Calcium
|
Iron
|
Thiamin
|
Riboflavin
|
Nicacin
|
|
Wheat – Hard
|
1,480
|
13.0
|
14.0
|
2.2
|
69.1
|
36
|
3.1
|
0.57
|
0.12
|
4.6
|
|
Wheat – Soft
|
1,460
|
14.0
|
10.2
|
2.0
|
72.1
|
42
|
3.5
|
0.43
|
0.11
|
3.6
|
|
Oats
|
1,665
|
8.3
|
14.2
|
7.4
|
68.2
|
53
|
4.5
|
0.6
|
0.14
|
1.0
|
|
Rice (Brown)
|
1,500
|
12.0
|
7.5
|
1.9
|
77.4
|
32
|
1.6
|
0.34
|
0.05
|
4.7
|
|
Barley (Pearled)
|
1,500
|
11.1
|
8.2
|
1.0
|
78.8
|
16
|
2.0
|
0.12
|
0.05
|
3.1
|
|
Maize
|
1,510
|
13.8
|
8.9
|
3.9
|
72.2
|
22
|
2.1
|
0.37
|
0.12
|
2.2
|
|
Rye
|
1,500
|
11.0
|
12.1
|
1.7
|
73.4
|
38
|
3.7
|
0.43
|
0.22
|
1.6
|
|
Millet
|
1,500
|
11.8
|
9.9
|
2.9
|
72.9
|
20
|
6.8
|
0.73
|
0.38
|
2.3
|
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Compositon of Wheat Grain
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Energy
Cereals are an important energy source, providing between 1400 to 1600 kj per 100g. In Australia about 28% of our energy needs are satisfied through cereal foods.
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Protein
Cereals are often overlooked as a source of protein because the ratio of carbohydrate to protein is high. Most cereals have a protein range between 6.5% - 14%. In general, millets, rice and maize are on the low end of the protein range, rye and barley are intermediate, and wheat and oats are high. The protein values compare well with the so-called protein foods such as beef (18%), cheese (19 to 26%), eggs (12.5%) and milk (3.5%).
In Australia, cereals contribute 25.5% of our protein needs, second after meat at 28%. Dairy foods supply 21%.
The poor reputation of cereals as protein sources also stems from their low content of lysine, an essential amino acid.
However, if a wide variety of cereals are eaten all essential amino acid requirements will be met. Different civilisations have developed traditional food patterns which always include a lysine rich source of protein, like milk, legumes, fish or meat, in combination with a cereal. For example nasi goreng, rice and dhal, bread and cheese, tortillas and beans.
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Fats
All cereal grains are low in fat, at around 2 to 4%, with the exception of oats at 7.5%. All are high in the polyunsaturated fatty acid, linoleic acid, which makes them suitable for use in cholesterol lowering diets.
Most of the fat is found in the germ of the grain, with the exception of oats where only 14 to 15% is in the germ, the balance being in the endosperm. Cereals supply only 2.7% of the fat in the Australian diet.
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Carbohydrate and Dietary Fibre
Carbohydrates are important components of cereals, making up around 70 to 77%. The primary form of carbohydrate is starch.
Cereals are excellent sources of dietary fibre. Dietary fibre consists of soluble and insoluble components which confer different physiological effects.
Australians, with an average intake of 17 to 20g of fibre per day, are consuming 30% less than the suggested intake. Wholegrain products will naturally contain more fibre than their more refined counterparts.
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Vitamins and Minerals
The major vitamins found in cereals are those of the B group - thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, pantohenic acid, biotin - and the fat soluble vitamin E. Cereals are deficient in vitamins A, D and C.
Of the minerals, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, iron and zinc are found in cereals.
In the Australian diet, cereal grain foods supply 44% of our thiamin needs, 24% of the riboflavin, 28% of the niacin, 6% of the calcium and 34% of the iron needs.
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The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating
'The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, Commonwealth Copyright 1998 is reproduced with permission of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, May 2003'.
AGTHE supporting resources are available on the Department of Health and Ageing website at: http://www.health.gov.au/pubhlth/strateg/food/guide/index.htm