Grains: Rice, Wheat, Oats and More

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.