Waitrose Essential Malted Wheats: calories, sugar and nutrition

A 30g bowl of Waitrose Essential Malted Wheats contains 108 kcal, 3.2g of sugar (all of it free sugar), 3.3g of fibre and 3.4g of protein. With 125ml of semi-skimmed milk the bowl comes to 167 kcal and 9.1g of total sugar. It is classed as NOVA 4 (ultra-processed).

Nutrition by portion size

Full nutrition by portion: Essential Malted Wheats

Per	Child bowl 25g	Standard bowl 30g	Generous bowl 45g	100g
Energy	90 kcal	108 kcal	162 kcal	361 kcal
Fat	0.4g	0.5g	0.8g	1.7g
Saturates	0.1g	0.1g	0.2g	0.4g
Carbs	17.4g	20.9g	31.3g	69.6g
Total sugar	2.6g	3.2g	4.8g	10.6g
Free sugar	2.6g	3.2g	4.8g	10.6g
Fibre	2.7g	3.3g	4.9g	10.9g
Protein	2.8g	3.4g	5.1g	11.3g
Salt	0.10g	0.13g	0.19g	0.42g

Cereal only, before milk. This is a Waitrose own-brand cereal. Waitrose gives a pack serving of 30g. Free sugar is Boone's calculation: all of its sugar comes from added sugars, so free sugar equals total sugar. All other figures are from the Waitrose nutrition panel.

Calories, free sugar and salt by age

A 30g bowl as a share of daily guidelines

30g bowl	4 to 6	7 to 10	11 to 17	Adult
Calories	8%	7%	6%	5%
Free sugar	17%	13%	11%	11%
Salt	4%	3%	2%	2%
Saturated fat	1%	1%	1%	1%

Cereal only, before milk. Figures are for an average female in each age band; use the calculator for males, other portions or any milk.

Free sugar vs total sugar

All 10.6g of sugar per 100g in Essential Malted Wheats counts as free sugar, because it comes from added sugars rather than whole fruit or milk. A 30g bowl gives 3.2g, about 0.8 teaspoons.

Is it ultra-processed?

Essential Malted Wheats is classed as NOVA 4, ultra-processed, because its ingredients include invert sugar. These are industrial ingredients you would not use in a home kitchen. 1 of its 6 ingredients is of this kind.

Boone classifies processing from the published ingredient list using the NOVA system. Added vitamins and minerals are not counted as a marker of ultra-processing.

What is in it

Ingredients

Whole wheat, sugar, invert sugar syrup, barley malt extract, salt, iron, niacin, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid (B5), Vitamin D, thiamin (B1), folic acid, vitamin B6, riboflavin (B2)

6 ingredients in total, counting each component once and the added vitamins and minerals as one. Always check the pack before eating if you have an allergy, since recipes change.

Allergens

Allergen information

Allergen	Status
Cereals containing gluten	Contains
Crustaceans	Not listed
Eggs	Not listed
Fish	Not listed
Peanuts	Not listed
Soybeans	Not listed
Milk	Not listed
Nuts	Not listed
Celery	Not listed
Mustard	Not listed
Sesame	Not listed
Sulphur dioxide and sulphites	Not listed
Lupin	Not listed
Molluscs	Not listed

Contains is taken from the ingredient list. May-contain warnings for cross-contamination are not shown here, so always check the pack before eating if you have an allergy.

Waitrose Essential Malted Wheats nutrition FAQs

How many calories are in a bowl?+

A 30g bowl contains 108 kcal, or 167 kcal with 125ml of semi-skimmed milk. Per 100g it is 361 kcal.

How much sugar is in a bowl?+

A 30g bowl contains 3.2g of sugar, all of it free sugar, about 0.8 teaspoons.

How much free sugar is that for a child?+

A 30g bowl is 17% of the 19g daily free sugar limit for a child aged 4 to 6, 13% of the 24g limit for a child aged 7 to 10, and 11% of the 30g limit for an adult.

How much fibre and protein does it have?+

A 30g bowl provides 3.3g of fibre and 3.4g of protein. Adults are advised to eat 30g of fibre a day.

How much salt is in a bowl?+

A 30g bowl contains 0.13g of salt, 2% of the 6g adult daily maximum and 4% of the 3g limit for a child aged 4 to 6.

Is it ultra-processed?+

It is classed as NOVA 4 (ultra-processed) based on its ingredient list. It contains invert sugar.

Is it healthy?+

Under the UK government's 2018 nutrient profiling model it scores 5. A food scoring 4 or more is classed as less healthy, so it would be classed as less healthy. The 2018 model has been published but is not yet the basis of the advertising and promotion rules.