Nutrients, Fiber, What Research Shows & What to Check.
Whole grains are food first. Explore each grain and whole-grain food: what is in it (measured by USDA), what research in people has and has not found for health goals, a normal serving, and what to check before you eat it: gluten and celiac disease, arsenic in rice, FODMAPs, and what a label really means.
Search by grain, benefit, body system, goal, symptom or lab test. Each result explains why it matches and how strong the evidence is.
Four quick questions. We show you where to start and what to do next. It takes about a minute.
Step 1 of 4
Pick one or more. Skip if you are not sure.
Choose any that apply, or none. This only helps us pick what to show first.
Avena sativa
ManganeseSeleniumZincCopperFiber
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked with water, no salt (234 g)
Oats as a food: what trials found for beta-glucan and LDL cholesterol, what the FDA heart-health claim says, and what to know about gluten and celiac disease.
Hordeum vulgare
SeleniumNiacin (B3)ManganeseCopperFiber
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked pearled barley (157 g)
Barley as a food: what trials and meta-analyses found for beta-glucan and cholesterol, how the FDA claim treats barley, and why barley contains gluten.
Oryza sativa
ManganeseNiacin (B3)Thiamin (B1)CopperSelenium
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (202 g)
Brown rice as a food: USDA nutrients, what studies found on diabetes, weight and heart health, why arsenic matters more than in white rice, and safe cooking and storage.
Zizania palustris, Zizania aquatica
CopperZincManganeseProteinFiber
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (164 g)
Wild rice as a food: USDA nutrients, how it differs from ordinary rice, the thin human research, gluten, metals, cooked-grain storage and who should check with a clinician.
Secale cereale
ManganeseFiberCopperThiamin (B1)Niacin (B3)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup of dry grain (169 g)
Rye as a food: USDA nutrients, what trials found on blood sugar, fullness and weight, why rye contains gluten, FODMAPs, and what to know about ergot and acrylamide.
Triticum aestivum
ManganeseSeleniumCopperFiberNiacin (B3)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup dry (192 g), USDA household portion
Whole wheat and wheat berries as a food: USDA nutrients, what pooled trials and cohort studies show, gluten and celiac disease, wheat allergy, raw flour and mold toxins.
Triticum spelta
ManganeseCopperNiacin (B3)FiberPhosphorus
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (194 g), USDA household portion
Spelt as a food: cooked USDA nutrients, why it still contains gluten, what reviews say about ancient wheats, wheat allergy, celiac disease and cooked-grain safety.
Triticum dicoccum
Normal serving (USDA): No USDA household portion found for farro
Farro (emmer wheat) as a food: why it still contains gluten, what reviews say about ancient wheats, wheat allergy, label checks, and why we show no nutrient table.
Triticum turanicum
SeleniumManganeseCopperZincFiber
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (172 g), USDA household portion
Khorasan wheat (Kamut) as a food: cooked USDA nutrients, small crossover trials on cholesterol and gut bacteria, and why it still has gluten and wheat allergy risk.
Triticum durum (cracked, parboiled)
ManganeseFiberCopperMagnesiumNiacin (B3)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (182 g), USDA household portion
Bulgur as a food: cooked USDA nutrients, why it contains gluten, what a 4-week trial found, wheat allergy, cooked-grain safety and how to read the label.
Triticum durum (green wheat)
Normal serving (USDA): No USDA household portion found for freekeh
Freekeh (roasted green durum wheat) as a food: reported nutrient ranges because USDA has none, gluten, wheat allergy, a mycotoxin study and cooked-grain safety.
Chenopodium quinoa
ManganeseCopperMagnesiumPhosphorusFolate
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (185 g)
Quinoa as a food: USDA nutrient values, what trials found on blood sugar and cholesterol, why it is gluten-free, the bitter saponin coating and cross-contact.
Fagopyrum esculentum
ManganeseCopperMagnesiumFiberProtein
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked roasted groats (168 g)
Buckwheat as a food: USDA nutrient values, what trials found on blood sugar and cholesterol, why it is gluten-free, buckwheat allergy and fagopyrin.
Amaranthus spp.
ManganeseCopperMagnesiumPhosphorusIron
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (246 g)
Amaranth grain as a food: USDA nutrient values, the little human research there is, why it is gluten-free and what is not known about allergy and medicines.
Panicum miliaceum, Pennisetum glaucum
CopperManganeseMagnesiumThiamin (B1)Niacin (B3)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (174 g)
Millet as a food: USDA nutrient values, a pooled analysis on blood sugar, why it is gluten-free, and what a systematic review found on pearl millet and goiter.
Eragrostis tef
ManganeseCopperThiamin (B1)MagnesiumIron
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked (252 g)
Teff as a food: USDA nutrient values, an honest look at the weak human evidence, why it is gluten-free, phytic acid and what is not known about allergy.
Sorghum bicolor
ManganeseMagnesiumCopperThiamin (B1)Vitamin B6
Normal serving (USDA): 1/4 cup dry grain (48 g)
Sorghum as a food: USDA dry-grain values, a pooled analysis on blood sugar, why it is gluten-free, slower digestion when cooked and what is not known.
Zea mays var. everta
FiberManganeseMagnesium
Normal serving (USDA): 1 ounce (28.35 g), about 3.5 cups air-popped
Popcorn as a whole-grain snack: USDA nutrient values, what studies show on whole grains, diverticulitis and blood sugar, and the choking risk for young children.
Zea mays (nixtamalized)
Vitamin B6CopperFiberMagnesiumSelenium
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup dry masa flour (114 g)
Corn masa and corn tortillas: how lime-treated corn (nixtamalization) frees niacin, USDA values for masa flour, folic acid fortification, mold toxins and gluten label checks.
Zea mays
ZincFiber
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup canned white hominy (165 g)
Hominy and grits made from corn: USDA nutrient values, sodium in canned hominy, whole versus refined corn, gluten and allergy label checks, and mold toxins.
Avena sativa
ManganeseSeleniumThiamin (B1)MagnesiumPhosphorus
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked oat bran (219 g)
Oat bran as a food: USDA nutrient values, what pooled trials, the FDA and EFSA say about oat beta-glucan and LDL cholesterol, gluten cross-contact and fiber side effects.
Triticum aestivum
ManganeseFiberMagnesiumSeleniumCopper
Normal serving (USDA): 1 ounce (28.35 g) wheat bran (stated weight; USDA portion is 1 cup, 58 g)
Wheat bran and wheat germ as foods: USDA nutrient values, what trials show on constipation, gluten and wheat allergy, oxalate and kidney limits, and rancidity of the germ.
Triticum aestivum (bread)
ManganeseSeleniumThiamin (B1)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 slice (32 g)
Whole-wheat bread as a food: USDA values per slice, what trials show on blood sugar and fullness, gluten and wheat allergy, sodium, toast acrylamide and label checks.
Triticum durum (pasta)
SeleniumManganeseCopperNiacin (B3)Fiber
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup cooked spaghetti, not packed (117 g)
Whole-wheat pasta as a food: USDA values for dry and cooked pasta, what trials show on blood sugar and fullness, fiber, gluten and wheat allergy, and label checks.
Zea mays
Sweet corn (Zea mays): what is in it per USDA, what research says about lutein and eye health, fiber, starch, mycotoxins and corn allergy, with plain safety notes.
No grain matches all of these filters. Try removing one. Some topics (for example most herbs) are not grains and live elsewhere on the site.
A link between a grain and a topic means the body needs the grain for that job, or that low intake is linked to it. It does not mean extra supplements help if your intake is already adequate. See each page’s evidence label.
Oats, barley, brown and wild rice, rye, wheat, spelt, farro, khorasan wheat, bulgur and freekeh. Several of these contain gluten.
Quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, millet, teff and sorghum: small grains and seeds, several of them naturally gluten-free.
Popcorn, corn masa, hominy, oat bran, wheat bran and germ, whole-wheat bread and whole-grain pasta: whole-grain foods as they are actually eaten.
Grains work alongside other nutrients. Here is what our sources link to them.
Vitamin A: The body can convert beta-carotene to vitamin A.
Vitamin A: Vitamin E and beta-carotene were tested together in the Finnish smoker trial.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D increases calcium absorption; both matter for bones, and treatment of rickets and osteomalacia includes both.
Vitamin D: NHS says vitamin D helps regulate calcium and phosphate.
Vitamin E: MedlinePlus says vitamin E helps the body use vitamin K; both affect blood clotting, which matters for people on blood thinners.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E and selenium were tested together and apart in the SELECT prostate cancer trial.
Vitamin E: Vitamin C and vitamin E were pooled with other antioxidants in the Cochrane mortality review.
Vitamin K: Vitamin D with K2 products exist; the site page does not claim an added benefit.
Vitamin B1 (thiamin): The NHS page covers B vitamins together; MedlinePlus says doctors may recommend other vitamins alongside thiamin for beriberi.
Vitamin B2: MedlinePlus says riboflavin works with the other B vitamins.
Vitamin B3 (niacin): Pellagra comes from too little niacin or tryptophan in the diet, so both matter for avoiding deficiency.
Vitamin B5: MedlinePlus covers pantothenic acid and biotin together; both are needed for growth and metabolism and for making fatty acids.
LegumesOmega fatty acidsAntioxidantsSupplement formulasCompare supplementsNatural Remedy Safety
Brown rice as a food: USDA nutrients, what studies found on diabetes, weight and heart health, why arsenic matters more than in white rice, and safe cooking and storage.
Wild rice as a food: USDA nutrients, how it differs from ordinary rice, the thin human research, gluten, metals, cooked-grain storage and who should check with a clinici…
Rye as a food: USDA nutrients, what trials found on blood sugar, fullness and weight, why rye contains gluten, FODMAPs, and what to know about ergot and acrylamide.
Whole wheat and wheat berries as a food: USDA nutrients, what pooled trials and cohort studies show, gluten and celiac disease, wheat allergy, raw flour and mold toxins.
Spelt as a food: cooked USDA nutrients, why it still contains gluten, what reviews say about ancient wheats, wheat allergy, celiac disease and cooked-grain safety.
Farro (emmer wheat) as a food: why it still contains gluten, what reviews say about ancient wheats, wheat allergy, label checks, and why we show no nutrient table.
Khorasan wheat (Kamut) as a food: cooked USDA nutrients, small crossover trials on cholesterol and gut bacteria, and why it still has gluten and wheat allergy risk.
Bulgur as a food: cooked USDA nutrients, why it contains gluten, what a 4-week trial found, wheat allergy, cooked-grain safety and how to read the label.
Freekeh (roasted green durum wheat) as a food: reported nutrient ranges because USDA has none, gluten, wheat allergy, a mycotoxin study and cooked-grain safety.
Quinoa as a food: USDA nutrient values, what trials found on blood sugar and cholesterol, why it is gluten-free, the bitter saponin coating and cross-contact.
Buckwheat as a food: USDA nutrient values, what trials found on blood sugar and cholesterol, why it is gluten-free, buckwheat allergy and fagopyrin.
Amaranth grain as a food: USDA nutrient values, the little human research there is, why it is gluten-free and what is not known about allergy and medicines.
Millet as a food: USDA nutrient values, a pooled analysis on blood sugar, why it is gluten-free, and what a systematic review found on pearl millet and goiter.
Teff as a food: USDA nutrient values, an honest look at the weak human evidence, why it is gluten-free, phytic acid and what is not known about allergy.
Sorghum as a food: USDA dry-grain values, a pooled analysis on blood sugar, why it is gluten-free, slower digestion when cooked and what is not known.
Popcorn as a whole-grain snack: USDA nutrient values, what studies show on whole grains, diverticulitis and blood sugar, and the choking risk for young children.
Corn masa and corn tortillas: how lime-treated corn (nixtamalization) frees niacin, USDA values for masa flour, folic acid fortification, mold toxins and gluten label ch…
Hominy and grits made from corn: USDA nutrient values, sodium in canned hominy, whole versus refined corn, gluten and allergy label checks, and mold toxins.
Oat bran as a food: USDA nutrient values, what pooled trials, the FDA and EFSA say about oat beta-glucan and LDL cholesterol, gluten cross-contact and fiber side effects.
Wheat bran and wheat germ as foods: USDA nutrient values, what trials show on constipation, gluten and wheat allergy, oxalate and kidney limits, and rancidity of the ger…
Whole-wheat bread as a food: USDA values per slice, what trials show on blood sugar and fullness, gluten and wheat allergy, sodium, toast acrylamide and label checks.
Whole-wheat pasta as a food: USDA values for dry and cooked pasta, what trials show on blood sugar and fullness, fiber, gluten and wheat allergy, and label checks.
Gluten, celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity and wheat allergy explained: which grains contain gluten, how each is diagnosed, FDA 20 ppm labeling and why to tes…
Why rice carries more inorganic arsenic than most foods, brown vs white rice, infant rice cereal and rice milk, the FDA 100 ppb action level, and simple ways to lower ex…
Phytates and lectins in whole grains: what they are, what human studies show about iron and zinc absorption, what cooking, sourdough and sprouting change, and who should…
What counts as a whole grain, what cohort studies and trials found for whole grains, brown rice, quinoa and ancient wheats, and which grains contain gluten.
Whole Grains and Ancient GrainsWhat "high fiber", "good source of fiber" and "whole grain" mean on U.S. food packages, how the Dietary Guidelines judge whole-grain content, and where the claims leave gaps.
Fiber and Whole-Grain Claims on PackagesWhat beta-glucan is, which foods contain it (oats, barley, mushrooms), what trials found for LDL cholesterol, and why cereal and mushroom beta-glucans are not interchangeable.
Beta-Glucan in FoodsWhat resistant starch is, which foods contain it, what trials of cooled rice, pasta and green banana found, and cautions for people who use insulin.
Resistant Starch FoodsSafety points for raw kidney beans and raw sprouts as agencies state them, plus what reviews found about soaking, sprouting and fermenting beans and grains.
Sprouting, Soaking and Fermenting Grains and LegumesOfficial daily fiber amounts from US, UK and WHO sources, which foods supply fiber, what large reviews found, and why adding fiber too fast can cause gas and bloating.
How Much Fiber Per Day, and Fiber Side EffectsBeans, lentils and soy: the other everyday source of fiber and plant protein.
LegumesSourdough, idli, injera and other fermented grain foods.
Fermented FoodsFiber, beta-glucan and resistant-starch guides.
Functional FoodsThere is no single number in the sources we read. The NHS says starchy foods should make up just over a third of what you eat and suggests choosing wholegrain or higher-fibre versions where you can. [1][2] The World Health Organization says whole grains should make up a significant share of carbohydrate intake, with examples such as oats, wheat, brown rice, millet and maize. [4] Each guide shows the USDA serving size, which is information, not a prescription.
Not for most people. Gluten is found in wheat, barley and rye, and it must be avoided by people with celiac disease, which affects about 1 percent of people worldwide. [5] Harvard's Nutrition Source says most people can eat gluten without problems and that little published research supports doubts about gluten in a healthy diet. [3] The NHS warns that cutting out a whole food group could mean missing nutrients you need. [1] In the US, "gluten-free" on a label means less than 20 parts per million of gluten. [6] See the gluten and celiac basics guide.
The FDA says rice absorbs arsenic more readily than many crops, but it can still be part of a balanced diet. [7] The FDA advises eating a varied diet and, for babies, offering a range of grains instead of relying on rice cereal alone. [7] Cooking rice like pasta, in plenty of water that is then drained, can remove roughly 40 to 60 percent of inorganic arsenic, but it also cuts folate, iron, niacin and thiamin in enriched rice. [7] See the arsenic in rice guide.
The strong lectin warning is about raw or undercooked beans, not grains: EFSA says properly prepared pulses carry no lectin-related risk. [8] The whole-grain sources we read (NHS, Harvard) recommend whole grains and do not raise phytates or lectins as a reason to avoid them. [1][3] Proper evidence on a measurable harm from these compounds in a normal mixed diet was not found in the sources we read. Our antinutrients guide goes into more detail.
Milling removes the bran and germ and leaves mainly the starchy middle. Harvard says refining wheat removes over half of its B vitamins, about 90 percent of its vitamin E and almost all of its fiber, and fortification restores some nutrients but not plant compounds. [3] Harvard links whole grains to lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes in observational research, with mixed results for cancer. [3]
Content last updated . This section has not been medically reviewed.
