Cornflakes (Fortified)

Food · Grain · Food, Typed Supps

Nutritionally, most of what is on the label was sprayed on afterwards.

Stage by stage

Processing (Extrusion and flaking): Heat processing gelatinises the starch thoroughly, giving a very high glycaemic index.
Fortification (Added post-process): Vitamins and minerals are sprayed on after manufacture — the folate figure is premix, not corn.
Iron uptake (Duodenum): Elemental iron powder is absorbed less efficiently than food iron; vitamin C helps.
Glucose (Circulation): Blood glucose rises quickly, blunted somewhat by milk’s protein and fat.

Timing

With milk and fruit rather than alone — that flattens the glucose response and helps the fortification iron get absorbed.

Time to effect

~30 min: Postprandial glucose peaks.
Population-level: Fortification effects show in intake statistics, not individual perception.

Allergens

None of the fourteen major allergens. May contain: Gluten. Derived from what this food is, not from a product label.

Eating patterns

Fits: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Halal, Kosher. Depends on the product: Low-FODMAP, Gluten-free.

Satiety

118 on the satiety index, where white bread is 100 — moderate. Measured by Holt et al. (1995).

Environmental footprint

1.7 kg CO2e and 216 litres of freshwater per kg, matched to "Maize" in Poore & Nemecek (2018), Science 360.

Cost band

Cheap — roughly £2.5 per kg, as a band midpoint rather than a price.

Key nutrients

Iron
Folate
Niacin
Riboflavin

Nutrition per 100g

Calories: 388
Protein: 7.9g
Carbohydrate: 81.8g
of which sugars: 8.9g
Fat: 1.8g
of which saturated: 0.3g
Fibre: 3.8g
Sodium: 485mg

Food vs. supplement

This is closer to a supplement than to food-derived nutrition: useful at population scale, particularly for folate and iron in children, but not equivalent to a whole grain.

Kitchen tip

Milk, yoghurt or a handful of nuts flatten the glycaemic response; a fruit or juice alongside improves the added iron’s absorption.

Common myth

“It says a source of 8 vitamins and minerals, so it is a nutritious breakfast.” In reality: Nearly all of those were added after processing, from a fortification premix — the corn contributed almost none of them. That is genuinely useful public health, especially for folate and iron in children, but it is not the same claim as the grain being nutritious.