In Defense of Macaroni

Macaroni has a reputation of being low in food value. But this chart shows that it’s a fairly good source of several nutrients, especially when combined with other foods (such as cheese). Compared with a baked potato, it has a few more calories—but also more nutrients.

(All data is for 1 cup portions, and recommended allowance figures are for an average person aged 22 to 35.)

Nutrient	Recommended Daily Allowance	Macaroni	Macaroni with Cheese	Potato
Protein	50 Grams	6	18	3
Calcium	80 Milligrams	14	398	9
Iron	15 Milligrams	1.4	2.0	0.7
Riboflavin	1.6 Milligrams	.14	.44	.04
Niacin	15 Milligrams	1.9	2.0	1.7
Calories	2,500	190	470	90