Energy
lower quarter111 kcalthis record per 100 g
- Corpus median
- 125 kcal
- Middle 50%
- 113–146 kcal
Based on 14 records reporting energy.
Pasta, rice & grainsmoderate variability
Couscous, plain, cooked calories: 178 per 1 cup, cooked (160 g)
This exact USDA record reports 178 calories for 1 cup, cooked (160 g). That answer belongs to this description and weight; it is not a universal value for every meal that shares the name.
Quick facts
1 cup, cooked · 160 g
- Calories
- 178 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrate
- 37 g
- Total fat
- 0.3 g
- Fiber
- 2.2 g
- Sodium
- 302 mg
Portion calculator
Estimate your portion
Choose a source measure or enter the weight you ate.
Estimated for 1 cup, cooked · 160 g
178calories
Couscous, plain, cooked
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 37 g
- Fat
- 0.3 g
— means the source has no value available.
These values scale the selected reference food by weight. Ingredients, preparation, and portion size can change your meal’s estimate.
Nutrition facts, household measures, preparation notes and USDA sources
The editorial read
The useful answer has a weight, a composition, and an identity
Portion: the cited record reports about 178 calories for 1 cup, cooked at 160 grams. On a fixed-weight basis, the same record contains 111 calories per 100 grams. The first number answers a portion question; the second answers a concentration question.
Composition: that source amount also reports 6 g protein, 2.2 g fiber, and 302 mg sodium. Read those values together: a calorie total by itself cannot describe the nutrient profile.
Identity: the largest listed formulation input is couscous, cooked, representing 99.5% of the record’s listed input weight. The record contains 2 source-input rows in all. These are provenance for a standardized calculation, not a recipe for your plate.
The source calls its underlying survey portion “Quantity not specified,” but it separately lists 1 cup, cooked at the identical weight. We use the familiar household label here without changing the source calculation.
The household measures attached to this record span roughly 100–178 calories across the listed portions. That is a set of scaled examples—not a confidence interval, a recommendation, or a claim about the full universe of recipes.
Calculated from the smallest and largest usable household measures listed by USDA for this exact FNDDS record; not a confidence interval.
Record-specific decision brief
What the numbers say—and what choice still belongs to you
This analysis belongs to USDA FDC 2708441: “Couscous, plain, cooked.” It separates gram-weight arithmetic, corpus context, label signals, and record selection so one number does not have to answer four different questions.
01 · Portion arithmetic
Three weights, one fixed composition
For FDC 2708441, each row multiplies the published per-100-gram values by its stated weight. “1 oz, dry, yields” through “1 cup, cooked” are weight scenarios: named measures come from USDA, while percentage labels are transparent arithmetic.
| Scenario | Weight | Energy | Protein | Fiber | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 oz, dry, yieldsUSDA-listed household measure | 90 g | 100 kcal | 3.4 g | 1.3 g | 170 mg |
| 75% of the reference weightArithmetic scenario from the reference weight | 120 g | 133 kcal | 4.5 g | 1.7 g | 227 mg |
| 1 cup, cookedUSDA-listed household measure | 160 g | 178 kcal | 6 g | 2.2 g | 302 mg |
02 · Fixed-weight context
Where 100 grams sits inside Pasta, noodles, cooked grains
The comparison set contains 14 exact records in the Pasta, noodles, cooked grains USDA category. Here, “lower quarter” describes FDC 2708441’s energy position in that corpus—not nutritional quality, desirability, or a health rating.
Protein
middle half3.8 gthis record per 100 g
- Corpus median
- 3.4 g
- Middle 50%
- 2.9–4.5 g
Based on 14 records reporting protein.
Dietary fiber
middle half1.4 gthis record per 100 g
- Corpus median
- 2.2 g
- Middle 50%
- 1.3–3.9 g
Based on 14 records reporting dietary fiber.
Sodium
middle half189 mgthis record per 100 g
- Corpus median
- 205 mg
- Middle 50%
- 169–234 mg
Based on 14 records reporting sodium.
03 · FDA label lens
The strongest strength-side and tradeoff-side signals
At FDC 2708441’s 160 g reference weight, the largest strength-side percentage among the nutrients evaluated here is Dietary fiber; the larger tradeoff-side percentage is Sodium. Percentages use FDA label Daily Values, whose general “high” guide begins at 20% Daily Value. This is not an overall score or a personalized target.
Strength-side signals
Dietary fiber2.2 g
≈ 8% DV. This does not cross the FDA’s 20% ‘high’ guide.
Tradeoff-side signals
Sodium302 mg
≈ 13% DV. This does not cross the FDA’s 20% ‘high’ guide.
Saturated fat0 g
≈ 0% DV. This does not cross the FDA’s 20% ‘high’ guide.
04 · Highest-impact checks
The three levers most worth resolving first
For “Couscous, plain, cooked,” the first-pass checks follow the evidence actually published: its named weights, the FDC 2708351 alternative, and its source-formulation identity.
- 01
Listed portion span: 1 oz, dry, yields to 1 cup, cooked
USDA assigns those measures 90 g and 160 g. At this record’s fixed composition, scaled energy moves from 100 kcal to 178 kcal.
- 02
Record choice: compare with FDC 2708351
At an equal 100 g, this record has 2.9 g less dietary fiber than “Pasta, vegetable, cooked.” That is a record-level contrast; it does not identify which ingredient caused the difference.
- 03
Formulation anchor: Couscous, cooked
The source formulation has 2 input rows; Couscous, cooked supplies 99.5% of listed input weight. Those are standardized formulation inputs, not final plated percentages.
05 · Exact-record choice
Select by literal evidence, not the shortest name
Keep this record when “plain; cooked” fits. Inspect FDC 2708351 when “vegetable; cooked” is the more literal description of the food and preparation.
Keep this profile when these fields fit
Couscous, plain, cooked
- Exact source wording
- “Couscous, plain, cooked”
- Source identity
- USDA FDC 2708441 · FNDDS 56207160
- Named qualifiers
- plain · cooked
- Source inputs unique in this pair
- Couscous, cooked
Inspect this alternative when its fields fit better
Pasta, vegetable, cooked
- Exact source wording
- “Pasta, vegetable, cooked”
- Source identity
- USDA FDC 2708351 · FNDDS 56104000
- Named qualifiers
- vegetable · cooked
- Source inputs unique in this pair
- Macaroni, vegetable, enriched, cooked
Choose the closest description
Which USDA record fits your meal?
Treat the long description as data. The phrases doing the most work here are “plain” and “cooked”. Match those details first; then compare the database weight with the amount you mean.
On smaller screens, focus a nutrition table and scroll horizontally to read every column.
| Exact record | Source serving | Calories / 100 g | Protein / 100 g | Fat / 100 g | Fiber / 100 g | Sodium / 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This recordCouscous, plain, cooked | 160 g178 kcal | 111 kcal | 3.8 g | 0.2 g | 1.4 g | 189 mg |
| Rice noodles, cooked | 175 g187 kcal | 107 kcal | 1.8 g | 0.2 g | 1 g | 250 mg |
| Buckwheat groats | 170 g201 kcal | 118 kcal | 3.2 g | 4 g | 2.6 g | 170 mg |
| Millet | 170 g201 kcal | 118 kcal | 3.5 g | 1 g | 1.3 g | 168 mg |
| Bulgur, fat added | 140 g169 kcal | 121 kcal | 2.9 g | 5.1 g | 4.2 g | 243 mg |
| Pasta, vegetable, cooked | 140 g179 kcal | 128 kcal | 4.5 g | 0.1 g | 4.3 g | 99 mg |
| Noodles, cooked | 160 g219 kcal | 137 kcal | 4.5 g | 2.1 g | 1.2 g | 236 mg |
How to compare FDC 2708441: its source amount is 160 g; every 100-gram column removes portion size from the record-to-record comparison. Neither denominator determines your plate’s weight or recipe.
Household measures
Compare listed portions
For FDC 2708441, the 2 displayed measures scale the same source composition by gram weight; rounding changes presentation, not the underlying ratio.
1 cup, cooked
178 kcal
160 g
1 oz, dry, yields
100 kcal
90 g
At a glance
Nutrient signals in the source amount
For FDC 2708441, Carbohydrate is the largest displayed non-protein Daily Value signal. Read the set as label context—not a personalized score.
Carbohydrate
37 g≈ 13% Daily ValueSodium
302.4 mg≈ 13% Daily ValueThe percentages above apply to FDC 2708441’s 160 g reference amount. FDA Daily Values are general label references, not individualized energy or medical targets. Read the FDA explanation ↗
Why FDC 2708441 has no protein percentage here: Feast reports 6 g, but does not present grams divided by 50 as FDA protein %DV; applicable label rules account for protein quality and regulatory context.
Source-serving signals
What stands out in this record
These 1 calculated observation describe FDC 2708441 at 160 g—not a measured or recommended plate.
- The representative USDA portion contains 302 mg sodium, about 13% of the Daily Value used on U.S. labels.
Nutrition facts
Compare the source serving with 100 grams
Values are rounded for readability. The source serving is 160 g.
| Nutrient | Amount | Approx. % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 178 kcal 111 kcal | Not established Not established |
| Protein | 6 g 3.8 g | Not shown Not shown |
| Carbohydrate | 37 g 23.1 g | 13% 8% |
| Total fat | 0.3 g 0.2 g | 0% 0% |
| Dietary fiber | 2.2 g 1.4 g | 8% 5% |
| Sugars | 0.2 g 0.1 g | Not established Not established |
| Sodium | 302.4 mg 189 mg | 13% 8% |
| Saturated fat | 0 g 0 g | 0% 0% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0 g 0 g | Not established Not established |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.1 g 0.1 g | Not established Not established |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg 0 mg | 0% 0% |
| Potassium | 92.8 mg 58 mg | 2% 1% |
| Calcium | 12.8 mg 8 mg | 1% 1% |
| Iron | 0.6 mg 0.4 mg | 3% 2% |
| Magnesium | 12.8 mg 8 mg | 3% 2% |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg 0 mg | 0% 0% |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg 0 µg | 0% 0% |
| Vitamin A | 0 µg 0 µg | 0% 0% |
| Caffeine | 0 mg 0 mg | Not established Not established |
| Alcohol | 0 g 0 g | Not established Not established |
| Water | 115.5 g 72.2 g | Not established Not established |
For FDC 2708441, approximate percentages divide the displayed 160 g amount by FDA label Daily Values; they are not personalized targets. “Not established” means FDA sets no Daily Value for that row. Protein %DV remains unshown because adult-label use depends on regulatory context.
Inside the source record
Source formulation behind this USDA record
USDA links FDC 2708441 to 2 source inputs totaling 157.8 g in its standardized formulation. Publishing that exact provenance makes “Couscous, plain, cooked” inspectable beside similarly named records.
How to read this
2 listed components
The largest listed inputs by source weight are Couscous, cooked, Salt, table. The order and weights below come from the standardized USDA formulation, so they offer context for this exact database entry.
157.8 g total listed input weight across the formulation.
| # | USDA input | Listed amount | Input weight | Share of listed input weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Couscous, cookedUSDA ingredient 20029 | 157 GM | 157 g | 99.5% |
| 2 | Salt, tableUSDA ingredient 2047 · encyclopedia page available | 0.13 TS | 0.8 g | 0.5% |
Exact-record context
What makes this USDA record distinct?
For FDC 2708441, the close-record rule searches the USDA “Pasta, noodles, cooked grains” category for shared description terms or source inputs. Any surviving pair is compared per 100 grams, so unlike source-serving sizes cannot manufacture the nutrient difference.
This record
Couscous, plain, cooked
- USDA category
- Pasta, noodles, cooked grains
- FDC ID
- 2708441
- FNDDS code
- 56207160
Closest inspectable record
Pasta, vegetable, cooked
- USDA category
- Pasta, noodles, cooked grains
- FDC ID
- 2708351
- FNDDS code
- 56104000
| Nutrient | This record | Comparison record | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 111 kcal | 128 kcal | −17 kcal |
| Protein | 3.8 g | 4.5 g | −0.8 g |
| Carbohydrate | 23.1 g | 26.6 g | −3.5 g |
| Total fat | 0.2 g | 0.1 g | +0.1 g |
| Dietary fiber | 1.4 g | 4.3 g | −2.9 g |
| Sodium | 189 mg | 99 mg | +90 mg |
Plain-English read
At the fixed 100-gram basis, this record lists 17 less calories, 3.5 g less carbohydrate, and 2.9 g less dietary fiber than “Pasta, vegetable, cooked.”
Only this record lists Couscous, cooked. Only the comparison record lists Macaroni, vegetable, enriched, cooked. Those formulation rows identify different source records; they do not prove which input caused a nutrient difference.
4 of the six displayed differences clear the documented materiality screen. It is a reading aid, not a health rating.
Formulation evidence
The listed formulations differ
The formulation rows differ, but the source data do not isolate which component caused any nutrient difference. Input weights describe the standardized formulation—not final plated proportions.
Shared listed inputs: Salt, table.
Listed only in this record: Couscous, cooked.
Listed only in the comparison: Macaroni, vegetable, enriched, cooked.
Portion evidence
The listed portion sets differ
This record’s reference amount is 160 g; a familiar listed measure is 1 cup, cooked (160 g).
The comparison record’s reference amount is 140 g; a familiar listed measure is 1 cup, cooked (140 g).
Use the 100-gram row to compare FDC 2708441 with FDC 2708351 at equal mass; use their 160 g and 140 g source amounts only for portion matching.
Evidence boundary: FDC 2708441 versus FDC 2708351 is a comparison of standardized source records—not a measurement of your meal, an overall food-quality rank, or proof that one input caused a difference.
Review the full pasta, noodles, cooked grains source category → Read the calculation and selection methodology →
Uncertainty, made actionable
What can change this estimate?
This is a standardized USDA survey-food profile, not a measurement of every preparation. Actual nutrition can change with amount served, cooked-to-dry ratio, sauce or mix-ins, added fat.
For “Couscous, plain, cooked,” resolve amount served first, then move through the remaining 3 published levers. Unknowns should remain visible rather than expanding every assumption at once.
- 01
amount served
When composition is held constant, nutrient totals scale directly with grams. A 20% weight correction produces the same 20% correction to the scaled totals.
- 02
cooked-to-dry ratio
Match the food state before matching the number. Cooking, draining, or added liquid can change grams and concentration even when the food name barely changes.
- 03
sauce or mix-ins
Check whether the exact source description already includes it. If not, keep the addition separate rather than silently folding it into the base record.
- 04
added fat
Match the named cooking-fat state when possible. Fat used, retained, or left behind is preparation information that a dish name alone cannot recover.
How we estimated this
The arithmetic is simple; the provenance is the point
FDC 2708441 comes from FoodData Central Survey Foods (FNDDS). Its 111 kcal per 100 g becomes 178 kcal at 160 g through nutrient per portion = nutrient per 100 g × portion grams ÷ 100; this page adds no second nutrition estimate.
About the serving label: USDA describes the underlying survey portion as “Quantity not specified.” The separately listed 1 cup, cooked has the same gram weight, so the familiar label can be shown without changing the calculation.
Data cycle: 2021–2023, published October 31, 2024
FoodData Central ID: 2708441
FNDDS food code: 56207160
The scaling for FDC 2708441 can be exact while the match to “Couscous, plain, cooked” is wrong. That is why this profile keeps its 160 g weight, 2-row source formulation, and selection uncertainty beside the arithmetic.
Source release October 31, 2024. Review USDA’s data-type documentation ↗ · Read Feast’s full nutrition methodology.