Grains: Rice, Wheat, Oats and More

Bowls of rice, oats, wheat and other grains

Grains are the staple energy source for most of the world's diets. They provide complex carbohydrates that release glucose into the bloodstream more slowly than refined sugars, B vitamins (particularly thiamine, niacin and folate), some plant protein and varying amounts of fibre. The defining nutritional question for any grain is whether it has been kept whole or refined: whole grains retain the bran and germ layers that carry most of the fibre, magnesium, zinc and B vitamins, while refined grains have been polished down to the starchy endosperm.

Wheat dominates the UK shelf in the form of bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, biscuits and baked goods, but a wider range of grains has become available over the past decade. Oats are the standout UK-grown grain, used for porridge, granola, bread and oat-based dairy alternatives. Rice (white, brown, basmati, wild) is a near-universal kitchen staple. Less common but increasingly stocked: barley, rye, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, spelt, freekeh and farro. Each behaves differently in cooking and brings a different mouthfeel and nutrition profile.

People with coeliac disease or non-coeliac gluten sensitivity need strictly gluten-free grains. Rice, oats labelled as gluten-free (oats are naturally gluten-free but cross-contaminate during milling), quinoa, buckwheat, millet, sorghum and corn all qualify. Wheat, rye, barley and triticale all contain gluten; spelt is a wheat variant and so contains it too.

UK Eatwell Guide advice is to base meals on starchy carbohydrates, choosing wholegrain or higher-fibre versions where possible. Wholemeal bread, brown rice, whole-grain pasta and oats with the bran intact provide more fibre than their refined counterparts and tend to leave you feeling fuller for longer. The "5 a day" target works alongside grain intake rather than competing with it.

Storage for dry grains is unfussy: a sealed container in a cool, dry cupboard keeps most varieties for six months to a year. Whole grains with the oily germ intact (oat groats, brown rice, wholemeal flour) can go rancid faster than refined alternatives because the germ contains polyunsaturated fats; buying smaller quantities and rotating through stock helps. The entries below cover individual grains in raw form, with per 100 g energy, carbohydrate, fibre and protein on each page.

Oat BranOat bran provides 246 kcal and 17.3 g of protein per 100 g raw, with 15.4 g of fibre — the richest source of cholesterol-lowering beta-glucan available. Full nutrition facts.
White RiceWhite rice provides 365 kcal and 7.1 g of protein per 100 g raw. Full nutrition facts, the world's most important staple grain — history, health context, and cooking guide.
MilletMillet provides 378 kcal and 11 g of protein per 100 g raw and is gluten-free. Full nutrition facts, history, health benefits, and a complete cooking guide.
Brown RiceBrown rice provides 367 kcal and 7.5 g of protein per 100 g raw, with 3.6 g of fibre — the whole grain form of rice. Full nutrition facts, health benefits, and cooking guide.
Wild RiceWild rice provides 357 kcal and 14.7 g of protein per 100 g raw — far higher protein than any cultivated rice. Full nutrition facts, history, health benefits, and cooking guide.
Pearl BarleyPearl barley provides 352 kcal and 9.9 g of protein per 100 g raw, with 15.6 g of fibre — one of the highest-fibre grains available. Full nutrition facts and cooking guide.
OatsRaw porridge oats, unfortified. A source of soluble fibre (beta-glucan), magnesium, manganese, thiamin and zinc. Values are for the dry grain as sold.
WheatgermThe nutrient-dense germ of the wheat kernel. A concentrated source of vitamin E, folate, thiamin, magnesium and zinc.
Wholemeal BreadUK average wholemeal bread. Carries the bran and germ of the wheat grain, with more fibre, folate, thiamin and minerals than white bread.