Are grits good for you? Grits is a well-known dish that is made from dried ground corn, and it is commonly served as a breakfast dish. It contains several different vitamins and minerals.
Are grits good for you? iStock-photo credit: olivka888
Are grits good for you? iStock-photo credit: olivka888
Here are the nutritional benefits of grits:
Calories- 182
Protein- 4 grams
Fat- 1 gram
Carbs- 38 grams
Fiber- 2 grams
Folate- 18% of the Daily Value
Thiamine- 18% of the Daily Value
Niacin- 13% of the Daily Value
Riboflavin-11% of the Daily Value
Iron-8% of the Daily Value
Magnesium-4% of the Daily Value
Zinc-4% of the Daily Value
Phosphorus-4% of the Daily Value
One of the key health benefits of eating grits is the high iron aspect of it. Iron is essential and important for red blood cell production. Another benefit of grit is it contains a lot of antioxidants. And antioxidants help to fight off a lot of chronic health diseases.
Some of those antioxidants are lutein, zeaxanthin, caffeic acid, syringic acid, etc. Grits are also naturally gluten free so if you have celiac disease, you shouldn’t have any issues consuming grits. Some of the side effects of celiac disease if you eat gluten foods are diarrhea, bloating, constipation, stomach pain, etc,
Lutein and zeaxanthin are important antioxidants that are beneficial for eye health. Studies have shown that it protects against degenerative eye disorders such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
If you are someone that is anemic and is low in iron, then eating grits would be a good food staple to help support your iron intake. It is a great plant-based iron food to eat.
The Bottom Line is grits has been a popular breakfast food in American culture for a long time. It is a popular plant-based iron food to eat, especially among people that are low in iron and have anemia issues.
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References
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2) USDA- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-search?query=&type=Foundation
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