A favorite of Southern cuisine, grits are a common breakfast dish, but they’re also prepared as part of a main meal, sometimes as a base for chicken or shrimp, or baked in a casserole. Made from ground corn, grits also provide essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein, but in smaller quantities.
Grits originated with Native Americans in the southern United States. Sometimes called hominy, they’re made from corn kernels that have been dried and ground. Grits are cooked in water or milk until they absorb the fluid and develop a porridge-like consistency. Grits can be served with sausage, butter or cheese, or they can be molded into a firm block that is sliced and fried.
Basic Nutrition
One cup of cooked, unenriched grits has 59 calories, 0.2 g of total fat, 0.3 g of dietary fiber and 13 g of carbohydrates, according to the USDA Nutrient Database. They also have 1.4 g of protein, which is 2 to 3 percent of the recommended dietary intake, according to the Institute of Medicine.
Vitamins
The same serving size of unenriched grits provides 1 to 2 percent of the dietary intake of thiamin, niacin, vitamin B-6 and vitamin A. The amount of vitamins you’ll gain increases if you use enriched grits. One cup of enriched grits provides 0.06 mg of riboflavin, 0.8 mg of niacin and 0.04 mg of vitamin B-6, which represents 5 percent of the recommended daily intake for each of those B vitamins. It also has 0.1 mg, or 8 percent, of thiamin, and 27 mcg, or 6 percent, of folic acid. Thiamin, niacin and riboflavin convert food into energy and contribute to healthy skin and a properly functioning nervous system. Vitamin B-6 has a role in the synthesis of nucleic acids, niacin and some steroid hormones. Folic acid and vitamin B-6 help lower levels of homocysteine, and that may reduce your risk of heart disease, according to Harvard Health Publications.
Minerals
The minerals obtained from 1 cup of grits are about the same whether you purchase enriched or regular, except for iron. Unenriched grits have 0.2 mg, while enriched grits have 0.6 mg of iron. Otherwise, both types have 1 to 2 percent of the daily intake of magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper and manganese. Magnesium and phosphorus are needed for building strong bones. Zinc is essential for normal neurological development and growth, as well as a healthy immune system. Copper and manganese are both antioxidants, but copper also helps make red blood cells, and manganese is needed for the formation of cartilage, according to Harvard Health Publications.
References
- O Chef: What the Heck Are Grits? And Why?
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference; Grits, Unenriched; NDB No. 08166
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference; Grits, Enriched; NDB No. 08164
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes
- Harvard Health Publications: Listing of Vitamins and Minerals
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