Top 10 Grains Highest in Protein
Grains are a staple source of calories, carbohydrates, B-vitamins, and protein. Whole unrefined grains provide more protein for each carb than refined grains do. This is because the bran and germ of grains contain the most protein, and these parts of the grain are removed during the refinement process.
The current daily value (DV) for protein is 50 grams per day. (1) This is considered to be a healthy target amount for most people.
Grains high in protein include cornmeal, kamut (wheat berries), teff, quinoa, whole-wheat pasta, wild rice, millet, couscous, oatmeal, and buckwheat. One cup of cooked whole grains provides between 6 and 20% of the DV for protein.
For more grains high in protein, see the extended list of protein rich grains, and complete vegetarian protein foods.
List of High Protein Grains
1 Kamut (Khorasan - Wheat)| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 9.8g (20% DV) | 5.7g (11% DV) | 8.7g (17% DV) |
2 Teff| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 9.8g (20% DV) | 3.9g (8% DV) | 7.7g (15% DV) |
3 Quinoa| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 8.1g (16% DV) | 4.4g (9% DV) | 7.3g (15% DV) |
4 Whole Wheat Pasta| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 7g (14% DV) | 6g (12% DV) | 8g (16% DV) |
5 Wild Rice| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 6.5g (13% DV) | 4g (8% DV) | 7.9g (16% DV) |
6 Millet| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 6.1g (12% DV) | 3.5g (7% DV) | 5.9g (12% DV) |
7 Coucous| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 6g (12% DV) | 3.8g (8% DV) | 6.8g (14% DV) |
8 Oatmeal| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 5.9g (12% DV) | 2.5g (5% DV) | 7.2g (14% DV) |
9 Buckwheat| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 5.7g (11% DV) | 3.4g (7% DV) | 7.3g (15% DV) |
10 Cornmeal (Grits)| Protein per Cup | Protein per 100g | Protein per 200 Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 4.4g (9% DV) | 1.7g (3% DV) | 4.8g (10% DV) |
Printable One Page Sheet
More Protein Rich Grains
| Food | Serving | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Spelt | 1 cup | 21% DV (10.7g) |
| 2 Amaranth | 1 cup | 19% DV (9.3g) |
| 3 Oat Bran | 1 cup | 14% DV (7g) |
| 4 Soba Noodles | 1 cup | 12% DV (5.8g) |
| 5 Bulgur | 1 cup | 11% DV (5.6g) |
| 6 Brown Rice | 1 cup | 11% DV (5.5g) |
| 7 White Rice | 1 cup | 9% DV (4.6g) |
| 8 Pearled Barley | 1 cup | 7% DV (3.5g) |
About the Data
Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.
You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.
Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.
About Nutrient Targets
Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating.
Some of the most popular targets include:- Daily Value (%DV) - The daily value (%DV) is a general guideline for consumption that will prevent deficiency of a particular nutrient in most people. The %DV refers to the percentage of an amount that's found in a single serving of a food. It also accounts for absorption factors. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
- Recommended Dietary Allowance (%RDA) - The RDA sets an average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97.5%) healthy individuals. It's more specific than the daily value, and varies by age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Instutites of Health.
- Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) -The reference dietary intake is similar to the recommended daily allowance, but is specific to age and gender. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization.
- Adequate Intake (%AI) - This value is primarily used in reference to omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The Adequate Intake is set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Because there is less evidence to determine the ideal targets for consumption of these nutrients, the specific amount is considered to be less reliable. Using the term Adequate Intake, rather than one of the other terms, helps to emphasize that the ideal intake of that particular nutrient has not yet been scientifically determined.
See the Guide to Recommended Daily Intakes for more information.
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Use the ranking tool links below to select foods and create your own food list to share or print.
- Foods High in Protein
- Foods Low in Protein
- Vegetables High in Protein
- Fruits High in Protein
- Vegetarian Foods High in Protein
- Nuts High in Protein
- Grains High in Protein
- Beans High in Protein
- Dairy High in Protein
- Breakfast Cereals High in Protein
- Fast Foods High in Protein
View more nutrients with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.
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Data Sources and References
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