Food

Grits nutrition facts

A typical portion of grits (1 cup, cooked; 240 g, not further specified) has 170 calories and 3g of protein (USDA FoodData Central). USDA lists 10 descriptions of it: per 100 g they range from 58 calories (regular or quick, made with water, no added fat) to 108 (with cheese, NS as to fat).

Nutrition Facts

Serving size1 cup, cooked (240g)

AmountPortion

Amount per serving

Calories170

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4.5g6%

Saturated Fat 1.5g9%

Trans Fat not declared

Cholesterol 5mg2%

Sodium 190mg8%

Total Carbohydrate 29g11%

Dietary Fiber 2g6%

Total Sugars 0g

Includes Added Sugars not declared

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin D 0mcg0%

Calcium 10mg1%

Iron 1.1mg6%

Potassium 50mg1%

* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. Protein % DV here is not corrected for protein quality.

USDA values per 100 g for Grits, NFS, scaled to the portion. Check the USDA record.

Protein per 100 g: 1.2g; more than 18% of 8,218 USDA reference foods
Calories per 100 g: 71; more than 21% of reference foods
Sodium per 100 g: 81mg; more than 54% of reference foods

1 cup, cooked weighs 240 g in USDA's record for Grits, NFS (FDC 2708363).

Where the calories come from: 70% carbohydrate, 24% fat and 7% protein (4 calories a gram of protein or carbohydrate, 9 of fat).

Also rich in

Thiamin0.4 mg in 1 cup, cooked (240 g), 31% of the Daily Value
Folate67 µg DFE in 1 cup, cooked (240 g), 17% of the Daily Value
Selenium6.2 µg in 1 cup, cooked (240 g), 11% of the Daily Value

Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC 2708363), every nutrient the record reports; FDA Daily Values, 21 CFR 101.9.

Every form of grits USDA describes

With cheese, fat not specified has the most calories per 100 g (108); the fewest: Regular or quick, made with… (58)

Per 100 g, USDA FoodData Central. The violet bar is the form on the label at left.

All 10 USDA descriptions of grits, per 100 g
USDA description	Calories	Protein	Fat	Sodium
Grits, NFSSame values: Grits, regular or quick, made with water, NS as to fat, Grits, regular or quick, made with water, fat added	71	1.2 g	1.8 g	81 mg
Grits, with cheese, no added fat	97	3.6 g	3.9 g	134 mg
Grits, with cheese, NS as to fatSame values: Grits, with cheese, fat added	108	3.6 g	5.3 g	143 mg
Grits, instant, made with water, no added fat	65	1.4 g	0.4 g	215 mg
Grits, instant, made with water, fat addedSame values: Grits, instant, made with water, NS as to fat	85	1.4 g	2.9 g	228 mg
Grits, regular or quick, made with water, no added fat	58	1.2 g	0.3 g	70 mg

Every nutrient in this record (65)

The portion is 1 cup, cooked (240 g); % DV is for that portion.

Energy, macronutrients and sugars (12)

Nutrient	Per portion	Per 100 g	% DV
Protein	2.86 g	1.19 g	6%
Total lipid (fat)	4.42 g	1.84 g	6%
Carbohydrate, by difference	29.3 g	12.2 g	11%
Energy	170 kcal	71.0 kcal
Alcohol, ethyl	0 g	0 g
Water	203 g	84.4 g
Total Sugars	0.24 g	0.10 g
Fiber, total dietary	1.68 g	0.70 g	6%
Cholesterol	7.20 mg	3.00 mg	2%
Fatty acids, total saturated	1.75 g	0.73 g	9%
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	1.11 g	0.46 g
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	0.92 g	0.38 g

Minerals (9)

Nutrient	Per portion	Per 100 g	% DV
Calcium, Ca	9.60 mg	4.00 mg	1%
Iron, Fe	1.08 mg	0.45 mg	6%
Magnesium, Mg	16.8 mg	7.00 mg	4%
Phosphorus, P	40.8 mg	17.0 mg	3%
Potassium, K	50.4 mg	21.0 mg	1%
Sodium, Na	194 mg	81.0 mg	8%
Zinc, Zn	0.29 mg	0.12 mg	3%
Copper, Cu	0.034 mg	0.014 mg	4%
Selenium, Se	6.24 µg	2.60 µg	11%

Vitamins (23)

Nutrient	Per portion	Per 100 g	% DV
Retinol	38.4 µg	16.0 µg
Vitamin A, RAE	38.4 µg	16.0 µg	4%
Carotene, beta	16.8 µg	7.00 µg
Carotene, alpha	0 µg	0 µg
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)	0.43 mg	0.18 mg	3%
Vitamin D (D2 + D3)	0 µg	0 µg	0%
Cryptoxanthin, beta	0 µg	0 µg
Lycopene	0 µg	0 µg
Lutein + zeaxanthin	2.40 µg	1.00 µg
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid	0 mg	0 mg	0%
Thiamin	0.38 mg	0.16 mg	31%
Riboflavin	0.11 mg	0.047 mg	9%
Niacin	1.49 mg	0.62 mg	9%
Vitamin B-6	0.13 mg	0.056 mg	8%
Folate, total	45.6 µg	19.0 µg
Vitamin B-12	0 µg	0 µg	0%
Choline, total	6.00 mg	2.50 mg	1%
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)	2.16 µg	0.90 µg	2%
Folic acid	33.6 µg	14.0 µg
Folate, food	9.60 µg	4.00 µg
Folate, DFE	67.2 µg	28.0 µg	17%
Vitamin E, added	0 mg	0 mg
Vitamin B-12, added	0 µg	0 µg

Fatty acids (19)

Nutrient	Per portion	Per 100 g
SFA 4:0	0.062 g	0.026 g
SFA 6:0	0.043 g	0.018 g
SFA 8:0	0.026 g	0.011 g
SFA 10:0	0.058 g	0.024 g
SFA 12:0	0.070 g	0.029 g
SFA 14:0	0.22 g	0.090 g
SFA 16:0	0.89 g	0.37 g
SFA 18:0	0.34 g	0.14 g
MUFA 18:1	1.05 g	0.44 g
PUFA 18:2	0.85 g	0.35 g
PUFA 18:3	0.072 g	0.030 g
PUFA 20:4	0.0024 g	0.0010 g
PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA)	0 g	0 g
MUFA 16:1	0.031 g	0.013 g
PUFA 18:4	0 g	0 g
MUFA 20:1	0.0072 g	0.0030 g
PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA)	0 g	0 g
MUFA 22:1	0 g	0 g
PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA)	0.0024 g	0.0010 g

Source: USDA FoodData Central, FDC 2708363: every value the record reports, per 100 g as USDA gives it and scaled to the portion; Daily Values: 21 CFR 101.9.

Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, Foundation Foods and Survey foods), April 30, 2026 release.

Questions

How many calories are in grits?

170 in 1 cup, cooked (240 g) of not further specified; 58 to 108 per 100 g across USDA's descriptions.

How much protein is in grits?

3g in 1 cup, cooked; 1.2 g per 100 g.

How much sodium is in grits?

190mg in 1 cup, cooked; 81 mg per 100 g. Salt added in cooking changes it: USDA lists salted and unsalted forms separately where it measured both.

Sources for this page

USDA FoodData Central: the food and product records, April 30, 2026 release. fdc.nal.usda.gov
FoodData Central documentation: what each data type is and how branded records are submitted. fdc.nal.usda.gov
USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies: the survey foods and their portions. ars.usda.gov
21 CFR 101.9, Nutrition labeling of food: the label format, rounding and Daily Values. ecfr.gov
FDA, How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label: the 5% and 20% Daily Value rule. fda.gov