Breakfast and tiffin
Calories in Cornflakes With Milk
One bowl of cornflakes with milk has about 326 kcal, with 10 g of protein, 41.6 g of carbohydrate and 14.2 g of fat. The figure is from the Indian Nutrient Databank and describes 30 g of cornflakes in 240 ml of milk with 2 teaspoons of sugar added. Lighter milk, or no added sugar, brings it down.
Nutrition in 1 bowl of cornflakes with milk
| Nutrient | 1 bowl of cornflakes with milk | 2 bowls of cornflakes with milk |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 326 kcal | 652 kcal |
| Protein | 10 g | 20 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 41.6 g | 83.2 g |
| Total fat | 14.2 g | 28.4 g |
| Dietary fibre | 2.2 g | 4.4 g |
| Sugars | 27.7 g | 55.4 g |
Of this energy, about 50% comes from carbohydrate, 38% from fat and 12% from protein.
1 bowl of cornflakes with milk is about 15% of the daily energy requirement of a sedentary adult man and 20% of a sedentary adult woman's (ICMR-NIN, 2020).
These figures are from the Indian Nutrient Databank (INDB), which calculates each dish from a standard recipe using Indian food composition data. They describe that recipe and that serving: a larger portion, or more oil, ghee or sugar, gives more. Source: Vijayakumar A, Dubasi HB, Awasthi A, Jaacks LM. Development of an Indian Food Composition Database. Current Developments in Nutrition. 2024;8(7):103790 (Indian Nutrient Databank, INDB).
What this figure covers
The recipe is the familiar one: 30 g of cornflakes, 240 ml of milk poured over, and 2 teaspoons of sugar stirred in. That 30 g is a measured portion, and it looks small in a wide bowl, which is why bowls filled by eye often hold more cereal and then need more milk to cover it. The figure also assumes plain cornflakes. Frosted, honey-coated or chocolate varieties already contain sugar, and adding fruit, nuts or a second splash of milk changes the total again.
Carbohydrate supplies 50% of the energy, fat 38% and protein 12%. The split shows how much of this breakfast is really the milk. Cornflakes are almost all starch with next to no fat, so the 14.2 g of fat in the bowl belongs largely to the milk, as do most of the 10 g of protein and the calcium. The flakes and the sugar supply the carbohydrate. Fibre is low at 2.2 g, because cornflakes are made from refined maize.
What goes into one serving
The recipe INDB analysed makes 1 bowl. These are its main ingredients; spices, salt and water are left out.
| Ingredient | In the recipe | In 1 bowl of cornflakes with milk |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 240 ml | 240 ml |
| Cornflakes | 30 g | 30 g |
| Sugar | 2 tsp | 2 tsp |
What changes the number
- 01
How full the bowl is
A measured 30 g of cornflakes looks small in the bowl. Pouring straight from the box often gives more, and a refill of flakes into the leftover milk is common. Half of this bowl is about 163 kcal and two bowls are 652 kcal, so the pour matters.
- 02
The milk
The 240 ml of milk supplies nearly all of the fat. Toned, double-toned or skimmed milk lowers the calories while keeping the protein and calcium; full-cream milk raises them. Whether the milk is hot or cold makes no difference to the count.
- 03
Sugar on top
The recipe stirs in 2 teaspoons of sugar. A third makes the bowl about 342 kcal and a fourth about 358 kcal, at roughly 16 kcal a teaspoon. Leaving the sugar out is the easiest saving, since the milk and the flakes already taste mildly sweet.
- 04
Sweetened varieties and toppings
Coated and flavoured flakes carry their own sugar before any is added at the table. Honey, raisins, banana and nuts are extra as well. Fruit at least brings fibre, which the bowl is short of.
How cornflakes with milk compares
Other dishes of the same kind, one serving each, lightest first. Serving sizes differ, so read the serving before the number.
| Dish | One serving | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idli | 1 idli | 34 | 1.2 |
| Rava Idli | 1 rava idli | 61 | 2.8 |
| Besan Chilla | 1 besan chilla | 71 | 4.1 |
| Pesarattu | 1 pesarattu | 76 | 3.3 |
| Dhokla | 1 piece of dhokla | 87 | 5.4 |
| Jowar Dosa | 1 jowar dosa | 97 | 2.8 |
| Egg Bhurji | 1 bowl of egg bhurji | 130 | 7.7 |
| Plain Dosa | 1 plain dosa | 138 | 3.7 |
| Omelette | 1 omelette | 144 | 6.8 |
| Upma | 1 bowl of upma | 157 | 3.5 |
| Semiya Upma | 1 bowl of semiya upma | 158 | 3.3 |
| Poha | 1 bowl of poha | 161 | 3.3 |
| Rava Dosa | 1 rava dosa | 167 | 5.4 |
| Uttapam | 1 uttapam | 174 | 4.2 |
| Oats Porridge | 1 bowl of oats porridge | 290 | 10.3 |
| Cornflakes With Milk | 1 bowl of cornflakes with milk | 326 | 10 |
| Meetha Dalia | 1 bowl of meetha dalia | 329 | 10.6 |
| Puttu | 1 puttu | 344 | 5.3 |
| Masala Dosa | 1 masala dosa | 345 | 6.9 |
| Vegetable Upma | 1 plate of vegetable upma | 345 | 11.1 |
| Namkeen Dalia | 1 plate of namkeen dalia | 346 | 9.7 |
| Stuffed Moong Dal Chilla | 1 stuffed moong dal chilla | 352 | 15.9 |
In a meal and in a day
A bowl of cornflakes with milk is about 15% of a sedentary man's daily energy requirement and 20% of a woman's. It is quick, and the milk gives it 10 g of protein and a useful amount of calcium, but it is low in fibre and high in sugar, so it tends not to hold hunger for long. Chopped fruit, a boiled egg or a handful of nuts alongside makes it a steadier breakfast. In this set it sits close to meetha dalia at 329 kcal and above oats porridge at 290 kcal.
Ways to keep it lighter
- Weigh or measure the cornflakes once so you know what 30 g looks like in your bowl.
- Pour toned or skimmed milk in place of full-cream.
- Skip the added sugar and slice a banana or some apple over the flakes.
- Choose plain flakes over frosted, honey or chocolate versions.
- Add an egg or a few nuts on the side so the meal lasts until lunch.
Before you rely on the number
Sugar is the point to watch. The bowl has 27.7 g of sugars, a figure that counts every kind: part of it is the 2 teaspoons added at the table, and the rest is the natural sugar of 240 ml of milk together with whatever the cereal contains. Sweetened varieties push it higher. The fat is mostly the milk's, and much of that is saturated. People managing diabetes or cholesterol should settle the cereal, the milk and the portion with their doctor or dietitian.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
Cornflakes With Milk: common questions
How many calories are in cornflakes with milk without sugar?
The bowl described here includes 2 teaspoons of sugar and comes to 326 kcal. A teaspoon of sugar is about 16 kcal, so each spoon left out lowers the bowl by roughly that much. The exact figure without sugar is not given in the source, and it still depends on the milk used.
Is cornflakes with milk good for weight loss?
It is not especially light at 326 kcal, and with 2.2 g of fibre it is less filling than a grain or pulse breakfast of similar calories. A measured 30 g of plain flakes with toned milk, fruit and no added sugar is a better version. Weight responds to the whole day's intake, so judge the bowl as one part of that.
How much protein is in a bowl of cornflakes with milk?
About 10 g, and nearly all of it comes from the 240 ml of milk; the flakes add very little. Protein supplies 12% of the energy. Eating the cornflakes dry, or with very little milk, removes most of that protein.
Cornflakes or oats porridge: which has fewer calories?
As made in this set, oats porridge has fewer: 290 kcal a bowl against 326 kcal for cornflakes with milk. Both use a similar amount of milk and 2 teaspoons of sugar. The cornflakes bowl holds more cereal, 30 g, and that accounts for most of the difference.
The recipe, the ingredients and related reading
Milk: nutrition per 100 g
Nutrients per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
How Much Sugar Is Safe per Day? WHO Limits in Teaspoons and Indian Foods
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Protein and Calories in a Glass of Milk: Toned, Full-Cream and Buffalo
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Indian food calorie counter
Add up a whole plate in rotis, katoris and cups.
Calories in every dish
All the cooked dishes, with calories per serving.
Learn to read a plate
Certification in Nutrition
Estimating what is on a plate and turning it into a meal plan is taught in this NNWA course.