Energy
middle half67 kcalthis record per 100 g
- Corpus median
- 68 kcal
- Middle 50%
- 58–84 kcal
Based on 18 records reporting energy.
Pasta, rice & grainsmoderate variability
Cream of wheat, instant, with water, no added fat calories: 161 per 1 cup, cooked (240 g)
This exact USDA record reports 161 calories for 1 cup, cooked (240 g). That answer belongs to this description and weight; it is not a universal value for every meal that shares the name.
Exact USDA description: Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, no added fat
Quick facts
1 cup, cooked · 240 g
- Calories
- 161 kcal
- Protein
- 3.6 g
- Carbohydrate
- 34.6 g
- Total fat
- 0.5 g
- Fiber
- 1.2 g
- Sodium
- 204 mg
Portion calculator
Estimate your portion
Choose a source measure or enter the weight you ate.
Estimated for 1 cup, cooked · 240 g
161calories
Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, no added fat
- Protein
- 3.6 g
- Carbs
- 34.6 g
- Fat
- 0.5 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 161 calories for 1 cup, cooked at 240 grams. On a fixed-weight basis, the same record contains 67 calories per 100 grams. The first number answers a portion question; the second answers a concentration question.
Composition: that source amount also reports 3.6 g protein, 1.2 g fiber, and 204 mg sodium. Read those values together: a calorie total by itself cannot describe the nutrient profile.
Identity: the largest listed formulation input is beverages, water, tap, drinking, representing 82.1% of the record’s listed input weight. The record contains 3 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 131–647 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 2708436: “Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, no added fat.” 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 2708436, each row multiplies the published per-100-gram values by its stated weight. “1 packet (1 oz), dry, yields” through “1 cup, dry, yields” are weight scenarios: named measures come from USDA, while percentage labels are transparent arithmetic.
| Scenario | Weight | Energy | Protein | Fiber | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 packet (1 oz), dry, yieldsUSDA-listed household measure | 195 g | 131 kcal | 3 g | 1 g | 166 mg |
| 1 cup, cookedUSDA-listed household measure | 240 g | 161 kcal | 3.6 g | 1.2 g | 204 mg |
| 1 cup, dry, yieldsUSDA-listed household measure | 965 g | 647 kcal | 14.7 g | 4.8 g | 820 mg |
02 · Fixed-weight context
Where 100 grams sits inside Grits and other cooked cereals
The comparison set contains 18 exact records in the Grits and other cooked cereals USDA category. Here, “middle half” describes FDC 2708436’s energy position in that corpus—not nutritional quality, desirability, or a health rating.
Protein
middle half1.5 gthis record per 100 g
- Corpus median
- 1.5 g
- Middle 50%
- 1.2–1.7 g
Based on 18 records reporting protein.
Dietary fiber
lower quarter0.5 gthis record per 100 g
- Corpus median
- 0.7 g
- Middle 50%
- 0.5–1.2 g
Based on 18 records reporting dietary fiber.
Sodium
middle half85 mgthis record per 100 g
- Corpus median
- 84 mg
- Middle 50%
- 71–197 mg
Based on 18 records reporting sodium.
03 · FDA label lens
The strongest strength-side and tradeoff-side signals
At FDC 2708436’s 240 g reference weight, the largest strength-side percentage among the nutrients evaluated here is Iron; 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
Iron10 mg
≈ 55% DV. This crosses the FDA’s 20% ‘high’ guide.
Vitamin A463.2 µg
≈ 51% DV. This crosses the FDA’s 20% ‘high’ guide.
Tradeoff-side signals
Sodium204 mg
≈ 9% DV. This does not cross the FDA’s 20% ‘high’ guide.
Saturated fat0.1 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 “Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, no added fat,” the first-pass checks follow the evidence actually published: its named weights, the FDC 2708437 alternative, and its source-formulation identity.
- 01
Listed portion span: 1 packet (1 oz), dry, yields to 1 cup, dry, yields
USDA assigns those measures 195 g and 965 g. At this record’s fixed composition, scaled energy moves from 131 kcal to 647 kcal.
- 02
Record choice: compare with FDC 2708437
At an equal 100 g, this record has 1.9 g less total fat than “Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, fat added.” That is a record-level contrast; it does not identify which ingredient caused the difference.
- 03
Formulation anchor: Beverages, water, tap, drinking
The source formulation has 3 input rows; Beverages, water, tap, drinking supplies 82.1% 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 “instant; made with water; no added fat” fits. Inspect FDC 2708437 when “instant; made with water; fat added” is the more literal description of the food and preparation.
Keep this profile when these fields fit
Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, no added fat
- Exact source wording
- “Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, no added fat”
- Source identity
- USDA FDC 2708436 · FNDDS 56207030
- Named qualifiers
- instant · made with water · no added fat
Inspect this alternative when its fields fit better
Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, fat added
- Exact source wording
- “Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, fat added”
- Source identity
- USDA FDC 2708437 · FNDDS 56207060
- Named qualifiers
- instant · made with water · fat added
- Source inputs unique in this pair
- Table fat, NFS
Choose the closest description
Which USDA record fits your meal?
Treat the long description as data. The phrases doing the most work here are “instant”, “made with water”, and “no added fat”. 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 recordCream of wheat, instant, made with water, no added fat | 240 g161 kcal | 67 kcal | 1.5 g | 0.2 g | 0.5 g | 85 mg |
| Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, fat added | 240 g197 kcal | 82 kcal | 1.5 g | 2.1 g | 0.5 g | 98 mg |
| Cream of wheat, regular or quick, made with water, fat added | 240 g156 kcal | 65 kcal | 1.4 g | 1.8 g | 0.5 g | 83 mg |
| Cream of wheat, regular or quick, made with water, no added fat | 240 g122 kcal | 51 kcal | 1.5 g | 0.2 g | 0.5 g | 72 mg |
| Grits, instant, made with water, no added fat | 240 g156 kcal | 65 kcal | 1.4 g | 0.4 g | 0.8 g | 215 mg |
| Grits, instant, made with water, fat added | 240 g204 kcal | 85 kcal | 1.4 g | 2.9 g | 0.8 g | 228 mg |
| Grits, regular or quick, made with water, fat added | 240 g170 kcal | 71 kcal | 1.2 g | 1.8 g | 0.7 g | 81 mg |
How to compare FDC 2708436: its source amount is 240 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 2708436, the 3 displayed measures scale the same source composition by gram weight; rounding changes presentation, not the underlying ratio.
1 cup, cooked
161 kcal
240 g
1 cup, dry, yields
647 kcal
965 g
1 packet (1 oz), dry, yields
131 kcal
195 g
At a glance
Nutrient signals in the source amount
For FDC 2708436, Iron is the largest displayed non-protein Daily Value signal. Read the set as label context—not a personalized score.
Iron
9.9 mg≈ 55% Daily ValueVitamin A
463.2 µg≈ 52% Daily ValueCarbohydrate
34.6 g≈ 13% Daily ValueThe percentages above apply to FDC 2708436’s 240 g reference amount. FDA Daily Values are general label references, not individualized energy or medical targets. Read the FDA explanation ↗
Nutrition facts
Compare the source serving with 100 grams
Values are rounded for readability. The source serving is 240 g.
| Nutrient | Amount | Approx. % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 161 kcal 67 kcal | Not established Not established |
| Protein | 3.6 g 1.5 g | Not shown Not shown |
| Carbohydrate | 34.6 g 14.4 g | 13% 5% |
| Total fat | 0.5 g 0.2 g | 1% 0% |
| Dietary fiber | 1.2 g 0.5 g | 4% 2% |
| Sugars | 8.7 g 3.6 g | Not established Not established |
| Sodium | 204 mg 85 mg | 9% 4% |
| Saturated fat | 0.1 g 0 g | 0% 0% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.1 g 0 g | Not established Not established |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.3 g 0.1 g | Not established Not established |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg 0 mg | 0% 0% |
| Potassium | 40.8 mg 17 mg | 1% 0% |
| Calcium | 129.6 mg 54 mg | 10% 4% |
| Iron | 9.9 mg 4.1 mg | 55% 23% |
| Magnesium | 14.4 mg 6 mg | 3% 1% |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg 0 mg | 0% 0% |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg 0 µg | 0% 0% |
| Vitamin A | 463.2 µg 193 µg | 51% 21% |
| Caffeine | 0 mg 0 mg | Not established Not established |
| Alcohol | 0 g 0 g | Not established Not established |
| Water | 200.4 g 83.5 g | Not established Not established |
For FDC 2708436, approximate percentages divide the displayed 240 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 2708436 to 3 source inputs totaling 195 g in its standardized formulation. Publishing that exact provenance makes “Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, no added fat” inspectable beside similarly named records.
How to read this
3 listed components
The largest listed inputs by source weight are Beverages, water, tap, drinking, Cereals, CREAM OF WHEAT, instant, dry, Sugars, granulated. The order and weights below come from the standardized USDA formulation, so they offer context for this exact database entry.
195 g total listed input weight across the formulation.
| # | USDA input | Listed amount | Input weight | Share of listed input weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cereals, CREAM OF WHEAT, instant, dryUSDA ingredient 8106 | 28 GM | 28 g | 14.4% |
| 2 | Sugars, granulatedUSDA ingredient 19335 · encyclopedia page available | 7 GM | 7 g | 3.6% |
| 3 | Beverages, water, tap, drinkingUSDA ingredient 14411 · encyclopedia page available | 160 GM | 160 g | 82.1% |
Exact-record context
What makes this USDA record distinct?
For FDC 2708436, the close-record rule searches the USDA “Grits and other cooked cereals” 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
Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, no added fat
- USDA category
- Grits and other cooked cereals
- FDC ID
- 2708436
- FNDDS code
- 56207030
Closest inspectable record
Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, fat added
- USDA category
- Grits and other cooked cereals
- FDC ID
- 2708437
- FNDDS code
- 56207060
| Nutrient | This record | Comparison record | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 67 kcal | 82 kcal | −15 kcal |
| Protein | 1.5 g | 1.5 g | +0 g |
| Carbohydrate | 14.4 g | 14.1 g | +0.3 g |
| Total fat | 0.2 g | 2.1 g | −1.9 g |
| Dietary fiber | 0.5 g | 0.5 g | Same listed value |
| Sodium | 85 mg | 98 mg | −13 mg |
Plain-English read
At the fixed 100-gram basis, this record lists 15 less calories and 1.9 g less total fat than “Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, fat added.”
Only the comparison record lists Table fat, NFS. Those formulation rows identify different source records; they do not prove which input caused a nutrient difference.
2 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: Cereals, CREAM OF WHEAT, instant, dry; Sugars, granulated; Beverages, water, tap, drinking.
Listed only in the comparison: Table fat, NFS.
Portion evidence
The listed portion sets match
This record’s reference amount is 240 g; a familiar listed measure is 1 cup, cooked (240 g).
The comparison record’s reference amount is 240 g; a familiar listed measure is 1 cup, cooked (240 g).
Use the 100-gram row to compare FDC 2708436 with FDC 2708437 at equal mass; use their 240 g and 240 g source amounts only for portion matching.
Evidence boundary: FDC 2708436 versus FDC 2708437 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 grits and other cooked cereals source category → Read the calculation and selection methodology →
From record to familiar meal
Guides that use this exact USDA record
These 1 guide place “Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, no added fat” beside explicitly linked source records; use them to compare preparations without turning FDC 2708436 into a universal recipe.
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 “Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, no added fat,” 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 2708436 comes from FoodData Central Survey Foods (FNDDS). Its 67 kcal per 100 g becomes 161 kcal at 240 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: 2708436
FNDDS food code: 56207030
The scaling for FDC 2708436 can be exact while the match to “Cream of wheat, instant, made with water, no added fat” is wrong. That is why this profile keeps its 240 g weight, 3-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.