Cereals ready-to-eat, RALSTON CRISP RICE
Whole food · Breakfast Cereals
Photo: Wikipedia
Ralston Crisp Rice is a light, airy, and satisfyingly crunchy puffed rice cereal, offering a clean, toasty grain flavor with a subtle sweetness. Its nutrition profile is dominated by quick-release carbohydrates, providing an immediate source of energy with minimal fat or protein.
Calorie split: 7% protein · 90% carbs · 3% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its satisfying, airy crunch and mild flavor that acts as a perfect canvas for toppings like fresh fruit, honey, or milk. It's a nostalgic, quick breakfast staple and a key ingredient in classic treats like Rice Krispies Treats.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Its high glycemic index can lead to rapid blood sugar spikes, making it a poor choice for those managing diabetes or seeking sustained energy. The low fiber and protein content means it's not very filling on its own. To counteract this, always pair it with a protein (milk, yogurt) and healthy fat (nuts, seeds) to slow digestion and increase satiety.
Key benefits
- Excellent source of quick energy from complex carbohydrates.
- Very low in fat and cholesterol-free.
- Light texture makes it easy to digest for many people.
- Versatile base for both sweet and savory dishes.
- Typically fortified with essential vitamins and minerals.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The process of making puffed rice was patented in 1902 and was initially called 'puffed rice' because it was created by shooting regular rice grains out of a cannon-like device at high heat and pressure.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 3.6 g |
| Energy | 383 kcal |
| Energy | 1602 kj |
| Protein | 6.7 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 1.3 g |
| Ash | 2.2 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 86.2 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.70 g |
| Total Sugars | 12.1 g |
| Sucrose | 10.3 g |
| Glucose | 0.66 g |
| Fructose | 0.61 g |
| Lactose | 0.00 g |
| Maltose | 0.54 g |
| Galactose | 0.00 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 5.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 32.7 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 23.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 98.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 106 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 545 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 1.3 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.15 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 1.1 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 18.0 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 64.5 mg |
| Thiamin | 2.0 mg |
| Riboflavin | 1.3 mg |
| Niacin | 29.0 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.32 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 1.9 mg |
| Folate, total | 606 ug |
| Folic acid | 602 ug |
| Folate, food | 4.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 1027 ug |
| Choline, total | 6.0 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 5.5 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 5.5 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 1136 ug |
| Retinol | 1136 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 3788 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.06 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Tocopherol, beta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocopherol, gamma | 0.03 mg |
| Tocopherol, delta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, alpha | 0.06 mg |
| Tocotrienol, beta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, gamma | 0.14 mg |
| Tocotrienol, delta | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 303 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 7.6 ug |
| Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) | 7.6 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (Dihydrophylloquinone) | 0.20 ug |
| Vitamin K (Menaquinone-4) | 0.00 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.36 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 15:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.27 g |
| SFA 17:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.07 g |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 22:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 24:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.24 g |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 15:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 17:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.24 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 24:1 c | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.29 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.29 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:2 n-6 c,c | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 21:5 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
| Tryptophan | 0.10 g |
| Threonine | 0.29 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.30 g |
| Leucine | 0.59 g |
| Lysine | 0.17 g |
| Methionine | 0.14 g |
| Cystine | 0.13 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.40 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.24 g |
| Valine | 0.44 g |
| Arginine | 0.54 g |
| Histidine | 0.17 g |
| Alanine | 0.42 g |
| Aspartic acid | 1.1 g |
| Glutamic acid | 1.4 g |
| Glycine | 0.33 g |
| Proline | 0.41 g |
| Serine | 0.37 g |
FAQ
Is puffed rice the same as Rice Krispies?
Puffed rice is the generic term for the product. Rice Krispies is a specific, trademarked brand of puffed rice cereal made from toasted rice, known for its distinctive 'snap, crackle, pop' sound when milk is added.
Can I eat this on a gluten-free diet?
Pure puffed rice is naturally gluten-free. However, you must check the packaging for a 'gluten-free' certification to ensure it hasn't been processed in a facility with wheat, barley, or rye, which could cause cross-contamination.
Why is it so low in fiber?
The process of puffing rice involves removing the outer bran and germ layers, which are the primary sources of fiber in a whole grain, leaving mostly the starchy endosperm.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 3.83 kcal/g · 7% calories from protein · 0.7 g fiber · 12.1 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 5.14 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.