Pasta, rice & grainsmoderate variability

Grits, instant, with water, fat added calories: 204 per 1 cup, cooked (240 g)

This exact USDA record reports 204 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: Grits, instant, made with water, fat added

Quick facts

1 cup, cooked · 240 g

Calories
204 kcal
Protein
3.3 g
Carbohydrate
34.6 g
Total fat
6.8 g
Fiber
1.9 g
Sodium
547 mg

Portion calculator

Estimate your portion

Choose a source measure or enter the weight you ate.

Preparation and portion

Named measures come from this exact source record.

Estimated for 1 cup, cooked · 240 g

204calories

Grits, instant, made with water, fat added

Protein
3.3 g
Carbs
34.6 g
Fat
6.8 g

These values scale the selected reference food by weight. Ingredients, preparation, and portion size can change your meal’s estimate.

FoodData Central Survey Foods (FNDDS) · FDC 2708371

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 204 calories for 1 cup, cooked at 240 grams. On a fixed-weight basis, the same record contains 85 calories per 100 grams. The first number answers a portion question; the second answers a concentration question.

Composition: that source amount also reports 3.3 g protein, 1.9 g fiber, and 547 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 78.4% 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 126–204 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 2708371: “Grits, instant, made with water, fat added.” 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 2708371, each row multiplies the published per-100-gram values by its stated weight. “1 packet, dry, yields” through “1 cup, cooked” are weight scenarios: named measures come from USDA, while percentage labels are transparent arithmetic.

Three gram-weight scenarios calculated from this exact USDA nutrient record
ScenarioWeightEnergyProteinFiberSodium
1 packet, dry, yieldsUSDA-listed household measure 148 g 126 kcal 2 g 1.2 g 337 mg
1 oz, dry, yieldsUSDA-listed household measure 185 g 157 kcal 2.5 g 1.5 g 422 mg
1 cup, cookedUSDA-listed household measure 240 g 204 kcal 3.3 g 1.9 g 547 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, “upper quarter” describes FDC 2708371’s energy position in that corpus—not nutritional quality, desirability, or a health rating.

Energy

upper quarter

85 kcalthis record per 100 g

Corpus median
68 kcal
Middle 50%
58–84 kcal

Based on 18 records reporting energy.

Protein

middle half

1.4 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

middle half

0.8 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

upper quarter

228 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 2708371’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

Iron17 mg

≈ 95% DV. This crosses the FDA’s 20% ‘high’ guide.

Calcium173 mg

≈ 13% DV. This does not cross the FDA’s 20% ‘high’ guide.

Tradeoff-side signals

Sodium547 mg

≈ 24% DV. This crosses the FDA’s 20% ‘high’ guide.

Saturated fat2.7 g

≈ 14% DV. This does not cross the FDA’s 20% ‘high’ guide.

04 · Highest-impact checks

The three levers most worth resolving first

For “Grits, instant, made with water, fat added,” the first-pass checks follow the evidence actually published: its named weights, the FDC 2708370 alternative, and its source-formulation identity.

  1. 01

    Listed portion span: 1 packet, dry, yields to 1 cup, cooked

    USDA assigns those measures 148 g and 240 g. At this record’s fixed composition, scaled energy moves from 126 kcal to 204 kcal.

  2. 02

    Record choice: compare with FDC 2708370

    At an equal 100 g, this record has 2.5 g more total fat than “Grits, instant, made with water, no added fat.” That is a record-level contrast; it does not identify which ingredient caused the difference.

  3. 03

    Formulation anchor: Beverages, water, tap, drinking

    The source formulation has 3 input rows; Beverages, water, tap, drinking supplies 78.4% 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; fat added” fits. Inspect FDC 2708370 when “instant; made with water; no added fat” is the more literal description of the food and preparation.

Keep this profile when these fields fit

Grits, instant, made with water, fat added

Exact source wording
“Grits, instant, made with water, fat added”
Source identity
USDA FDC 2708371 · FNDDS 56201220
Named qualifiers
instant · made with water · fat added
Source inputs unique in this pair
Table fat, NFS

Inspect this alternative when its fields fit better

Grits, instant, made with water, no added fat

Exact source wording
“Grits, instant, made with water, no added fat”
Source identity
USDA FDC 2708370 · FNDDS 56201210
Named qualifiers
instant · made with water · no added fat

06 · Continue with purpose

The next pages answer different follow-up questions

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 “fat added”. 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.

Nearby USDA records compared with this exact food description
Exact recordSource servingCalories / 100 gProtein / 100 gFat / 100 gFiber / 100 gSodium / 100 g
This recordGrits, instant, made with water, fat added 240 g204 kcal 85 kcal 1.4 g 2.9 g 0.8 g 228 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
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
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
Cream 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
Grits, regular or quick, made with water, no added fat 240 g139 kcal 58 kcal 1.2 g 0.3 g 0.7 g 70 mg
Grits, with cheese, no added fat 240 g233 kcal 97 kcal 3.6 g 3.9 g 0.7 g 134 mg

How to compare FDC 2708371: 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 2708371, the 3 displayed measures scale the same source composition by gram weight; rounding changes presentation, not the underlying ratio.

1 cup, cooked

204 kcal

240 g

1 packet, dry, yields

126 kcal

148 g

1 oz, dry, yields

157 kcal

185 g

At a glance

Nutrient signals in the source amount

For FDC 2708371, Iron is the largest displayed non-protein Daily Value signal. Read the set as label context—not a personalized score.

Iron

17 mg≈ 95% Daily Value

Sodium

547.2 mg≈ 24% Daily Value

Saturated fat

2.7 g≈ 14% Daily Value

The percentages above apply to FDC 2708371’s 240 g reference amount. FDA Daily Values are general label references, not individualized energy or medical targets. Read the FDA explanation ↗

Source-serving signals

What stands out in this record

These 1 calculated observation describe FDC 2708371 at 240 g—not a measured or recommended plate.

  • The representative USDA portion contains 547 mg sodium, about 24% 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 240 g.

Nutrient amounts for the selected source serving or 100 grams
NutrientAmountApprox. % Daily Value
Calories 204 kcal Not established
Protein 3.3 g Not shown
Carbohydrate 34.6 g 13%
Total fat 6.8 g 9%
Dietary fiber 1.9 g 7%
Sugars 0.7 g Not established
Sodium 547.2 mg 24%
Saturated fat 2.7 g 14%
Monounsaturated Fat 1.7 g Not established
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.4 g Not established
Cholesterol 12 mg 4%
Potassium 62.4 mg 1%
Calcium 172.8 mg 13%
Iron 17 mg 95%
Magnesium 14.4 mg 3%
Vitamin C 0 mg 0%
Vitamin D 0.2 µg 1%
Vitamin A 62.4 µg 7%
Caffeine 0 mg Not established
Alcohol 0 g Not established
Water 193 g Not established

For FDC 2708371, 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 2708371 to 3 source inputs totaling 153 g in its standardized formulation. Publishing that exact provenance makes “Grits, instant, made with water, fat added” 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, QUAKER, corn grits, instant, plain, dry, Table fat, NFS. The order and weights below come from the standardized USDA formulation, so they offer context for this exact database entry.

153 g total listed input weight across the formulation.

USDA source inputs listed for this exact survey-food record
#USDA inputListed amountInput weightShare of listed input weight
1 Cereals, QUAKER, corn grits, instant, plain, dryUSDA ingredient 8092 28 GM 28 g 18.3%
2 Beverages, water, tap, drinkingUSDA ingredient 14411 · encyclopedia page available 120 GM 120 g 78.4%
3 Table fat, NFSUSDA ingredient 81100000 · encyclopedia page available 5 GM 5 g 3.3%

Use this formulation to choose a closer record—not to reverse-engineer a recipe. If your meal adds, removes, or substantially changes one of these components, another source entry or a photo-based estimate may fit better.

USDA shorthand in this evidence
  • NFS means “not further specified.” The record intentionally leaves the exact subtype, size, or preparation unresolved.

Exact-record context

What makes this USDA record distinct?

For FDC 2708371, 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.

Exact nutrient values per 100 grams
NutrientThis recordComparison recordDifference
Calories85 kcal65 kcal+20 kcal
Protein1.4 g1.4 g−0 g
Carbohydrate14.4 g14.8 g−0.4 g
Total fat2.9 g0.4 g+2.5 g
Dietary fiber0.8 g0.8 gSame listed value
Sodium228 mg215 mg+13 mg

Plain-English read

At the fixed 100-gram basis, this record lists 20 more calories and 2.5 g more total fat than “Grits, instant, made with water, no added fat.”

Only this 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, QUAKER, corn grits, instant, plain, dry; Beverages, water, tap, drinking.

Listed only in this record: 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 2708371 with FDC 2708370 at equal mass; use their 240 g and 240 g source amounts only for portion matching.

Evidence boundary: FDC 2708371 versus FDC 2708370 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 →

Deep comparisons

Controlled comparisons that include this exact record

FDC 2708371 appears in 1 pair page that passed semantic, material-difference, source-evidence, and diversity gates. Each preserves a 100-gram denominator and both primary records.

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 “Grits, instant, made with water, fat added,” resolve amount served first, then move through the remaining 3 published levers. Unknowns should remain visible rather than expanding every assumption at once.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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 2708371 comes from FoodData Central Survey Foods (FNDDS). Its 85 kcal per 100 g becomes 204 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: 2708371

FNDDS food code: 56201220

The scaling for FDC 2708371 can be exact while the match to “Grits, instant, made with water, fat added” is wrong. That is why this profile keeps its 240 g weight, 3-row source formulation, and selection uncertainty beside the arithmetic.

Open the source record ↗

Source release October 31, 2024. Review USDA’s data-type documentation ↗ · Read Feast’s full nutrition methodology.