Can you eat grits on a diet?
Typical white grits, for instance, have a paltry 2 grams of fiber, which fails to supply even 10 percent of your daily fiber needs. That means most grits lack the health benefits of fiber, including better weight control and a lower risk of heart disease, compared to cereals made from whole grains. If you like grits,…
Grits may not have the vitamin and mineral content of fruits, veggies and other superfoods, but they’re not bad . Each cup of grits has about 1.5 milligrams of iron, which supplies 19 percent of the iron needs for men and 8 percent for women.
Dry Malt-O-Meal has 145 calories in a 1/2-cup serving and provides 5 grams of protein, or 10 percent of the daily value for healthy adults. Malt-O-Meal has no cholesterol and contains less than 1 gram of fat.
Grits provide a variety of nutrients and are especially high in iron and B vitamins. Stone-ground varieties are more nutritious, as they don’t have the pericarp and germ removed.
One quarter cup of uncooked white grits contains about 144 calories and 2 grams of fiber. Most of the calories are from carbohydrates at 31 grams. Polenta,or yellow grits, is a little higher in calories, at 156, but has the same amount of fiber.
What’s most impressive about grits is that they’re high in iron, which is essential for red blood cell production. They also include many B vitamins, such as folate and thiamine, as well as trace amounts of potassium, pantothenic acid, calcium, and vitamin E ( 5 ).
While stone-ground grits provide all the nutrients of a whole grain, the most commonly consumed grits are regular and instant versions that have been processed. Therefore, they have less fiber, vitamins and minerals. One cup of instant grits made with water has 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.
Quick, regular, and instant grits have fewer nutrients than the stone-ground variety. Additionally, they’re typically paired with high-calorie ingredients, which may lead to weight gain if eaten too frequently.
The higher fiber, higher protein and lower glycemic index of corn versus rice provide clear nutrition and wellness arguments for consumers why promoting corn grit consumption makes sense. Actually yellow corn grits are even better than white corn because of the extra beta carotene in the endosperm.
Very high in carbs Grits are made from corn, a starchy vegetable, and are thus high in carbs. One cup (242 grams) of cooked grits packs 24 grams of carbs ( 1 ). During digestion, carbs break down into sugars that enter your blood.
Oatmeal is higher in both fiber and protein than grits. However, grits have more micronutrients like potassium, calcium and vitamin A. Furthermore, each choice offers unique health benefits to consider.
Grits are often served in high-fat or high-sugar preparations or with other unhealthy foods. If including grits in your diet, make sure to keep meals balanced and healthy.
