Rice Krispies Treats Nutrition

Rice Krispies treats are a popular, easy-to-make snack made with crisp rice cereal and marshmallows. Like most sweets, Rice Krispies treats contain a large amount of refined sugar and grains but are relatively low in fat. Before whipping up a batch, understand the nutritional impact eating the treats will have on your diet.

Recipe, Calories and Macronutrients

The classic Rice Krispies treat recipe makes 12 2-inch treats. Stir together 3 tbsp. of melted butter, 10 oz. of marshmallows and 6 cups of the cereal. In this recipe, you still get 153 calories per square with 3 g of fat, 31 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of protein. One treat made with butter has 8 g of cholesterol.

Vitamins

A homemade treat provides 7 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance, or RDA, for vitamin A and 6 percent for vitamin C based on a 2,000-calorie diet. The cereal is enriched with B vitamins, so one treat offers 17 percent of the RDA for thiamin, 18 percent for riboflavin, 15 percent for niacin, 19 percent 19 for folate, 21 percent for vitamin B6 and 22 percent vitamin B12.

Minerals

In one 2-inch bar, you get 27 percent of the RDA for iron, which comes from the cereal. A homemade treat also offers 10 percent of the RDA for manganese. It also provides small amounts of trace minerals, with 4 percent of the RDA for selenium, 2 percent for copper and 1 percent for potassium, magnesium and zinc.

Sugar Considerations

Homemade Rice Krispies treats contain 15 g of sugar each, or almost 4 tsp. worth. None of that sugar is naturally occurring, such as the sugar that comes from fruit or dairy. The American Heart Association recommended keeping adding sugar intake to less than 6 tsp. per day for women and 9 tsp. per day for men. One treat makes a significant dent in this allotment.

Packaged Version

Kellogg's also produces premade versions of the Rice Krispies treats. They are available in original flavor, chocolatey drizzle, strawberry flavored and mini bars. One premade treat contains 90 to 100 calories, 17 g of carbohydrates, 2.5 g of fat and 7 to 8 g of sugar.