Whole wheat

Wheat encompasses a variety of grains that fall under the wheat family, including “common” wheat (used in most breads and flours) as well as ancient wheat varieties such as einkorn (small farro), emmer (medium farro), and spelt (big farro).
There are two main types of wheat commonly eaten: durum wheat, which is used to make pasta, and bread wheat, which is used for most other wheat-based foods. Bread wheat is classified based on its protein content (as ‘hard’ or ‘soft), the season it is planted (as ‘winter’ or ‘spring’), and the colour of the kernels (as ‘red’ or ‘white’). For example, hard wheat has a higher protein and gluten content and is typically used for bread. Soft wheat has a lower protein content and is ideal for making cake flour. Winter and spring wheat differ primarily in their growing regions.
Whole wheat has a hearty and slightly nutty flavour. It pairs well with nearly everything.

Nutritional value

Nutritionally, whole wheat bread is high in fibre and is a source of magnesium, phosphorus, and copper. You can substitute wheat flour for whole wheat flour by up to 50% in a recipe to make it more nutritious.

Wheat contains gluten, so it is not suitable for those with gluten intolerance or coeliac disease.

See how whole wheat and its refined counterparts contribute to your nutrient intakes

Toggle with the tables below to compare their nutritional content per 100 g (both cooked and uncooked) and per average portion size. You might be surprised by the differences!

Macronutrient content

Grains	Kcal	Protein	Fat	Carbohydrates	Fibre
Wheat flour, Per 100 g, uncooked	335.00	10	1	69	3
White bread, Per 100 g, cooked	247.00	9	1	47	2
White pasta, Per 100 g, cooked	142.00	5	0	27	1
White pasta, Per 100 g, uncooked	356.00	12	1	72	3
Whole grain pasta, Per 100 g, cooked	134.00	5	0	23	4
Whole grain pasta, Per 100 g, uncooked	348.00	13	2	66	6
Whole wheat bread, Per 100 g, cooked	234.00	11	2	39	6
Whole wheat flour, Per 100 g, uncooked	330.00	14	2	58	10
Multigrain bread, Per 100 g, cooked	261.00	12	4	39	6
Brown bread, Per 100 g, cooked	236.00	9	1	42	5
Couscous, Per 100 g, cooked	121.00	4	0	24	1
Couscous, Per 100 g, uncooked	363.00	12	2	72	3
Whole wheat couscous, Per 100 g, cooked	114.00	4	0	21	2
Whole wheat couscous, Per 100 g, uncooked	342.00	12	1	65	8

Macronutrients are the big players when it comes to our nutrition. They’re the nutrients we need in larger amounts because our bodies count on them for energy (calories) and other important roles like building and repairing tissues. The main macronutrients are fat, carbohydrates, protein, and water.

Whole grains are all packed with carbohydrates and dietary fibre (which is a type of carbohydrate) and are naturally low in (saturated) fat. Fibre is important for our health and the prevention of many chronic diseases. That’s why the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommends we eat at least 25 g of fibre per day. Sometimes, you might see whole grains labelled as ‘high in fibre’ or ‘source of fibre’ – but what does that really mean?

‘High/rich in fibre’: it contains at least 6 g of fibre per 100 g (or 3 g of fibre per 100 kcal).
‘Source of fibre’: it contains at least 3 g of fibre per 100 g (or 1.5 g of fibre per 100 kcal).

Micronutrient Content

Grains (% of DRV)	Calcium	Magnesium	Phosphorus	Potassium	Iron	Zinc	Copper	Vit. B1	Vit. B2	Vit. B3	Vit. B6	Folate
Wheat flour, per 100 g, uncooked	2.88	5.33	14.71	7.80	5.71	6.40	14.00	6.36	2.86	6.25	8.57	6.67
White bread, per 100 g, cooked	3.63	5.07	12.00	5.75	5.71	6.00	12.00	5.45	2.86	5.63	2.29	6.67
White bread, per portion, cooked	1.09	1.52	3.60	1.73	1.71	1.80	3.60	1.64	0.86	1.69	0.69	2.00
White pasta, per 100 g, cooked	2.00	5.07	10.57	2.40	5.00	6.40	12.00	2.73	2.14	6.25	1.29	1.36
White pasta, per 100 g, uncooked	1.88	14.13	17.86	5.00	14.29	15.00	30.00	9.09	4.29	12.50	5.71	3.33
White pasta, per portion, cooked	1.50	3.80	7.93	1.80	3.75	4.80	9.00	2.05	1.61	4.69	0.96	1.02
White pasta, per portion, uncooked	1.41	10.60	13.39	3.75	10.71	11.25	22.50	6.82	3.21	9.38	4.29	2.50
Multigrain bread, per 100 g, cooked	5.63	15.20	24.00	11.00	12.86	12.40	24.00	10.91	5.00	10.63	6.36	11.61
Multigrain bread, per portion, cooked	1.97	5.32	8.40	3.85	4.50	4.34	8.40	3.82	1.75	3.72	2.23	4.06
Whole grain pasta, per 100 g, cooked	3.13	12.53	18.43	3.50	12.14	13.00	22.00	9.09	1.43	15.63	0.21	3.24
Whole grain pasta, per 100 g, uncooked	5.00	32.00	57.86	25.00	23.57	30.00	51.00	43.64	10.00	38.75	28.57	7.27
Whole grain pasta, per portion, cooked	2.34	9.40	13.82	2.63	9.11	9.75	16.50	6.82	1.07	11.72	0.16	2.43
Whole grain pasta, per portion, uncooked	3.75	24.00	43.39	18.75	17.68	22.50	38.25	32.73	7.50	29.06	21.43	5.45
Whole wheat bread, per 100 g, cooked	4.25	17.60	28.57	13.35	14.29	14.10	22.00	10.00	5.00	10.00	7.36	12.18
Whole wheat bread, per portion, cooked	1.49	6.16	10.00	4.67	5.00	4.94	7.70	3.50	1.75	3.50	2.58	4.26
Whole wheat flour, per 100 g, uncooked	3.75	33.07	52.86	12.50	28.57	29.00	45.00	36.36	10.71	35.63	25.00	11.21
Brown bread, per 100 g, cooked	3.63	11.47	20.29	9.60	10.00	10.00	16.00	8.18	4.29	7.50	5.14	8.09
Brown bread, per portion, cooked	1.27	4.01	7.10	3.36	3.50	3.50	5.60	2.86	1.50	2.63	1.80	2.83
Couscous, per 100 g, cooked	1.63	5.33	11.29	4.80	5.00	6.00	13.00	8.18	1.43	5.63	3.57	2.82
Couscous, per 100 g, uncooked	3.50	15.73	34.00	14.35	14.29	18.00	36.00	25.45	4.29	16.25	10.71	8.48
Couscous, per portion, cooked	1.14	3.73	7.90	3.36	3.50	4.20	9.10	5.73	1.00	3.94	2.50	1.97
Couscous, per portion, uncooked	2.45	11.01	23.80	10.05	10.00	12.60	25.20	17.82	3.00	11.38	7.50	5.94
Whole wheat couscous, per 100 g, cooked	1.63	11.20	17.57	4.20	9.29	9.70	16.00	11.82	3.57	11.88	8.36	3.73
Whole wheat couscous, per 100 g, uncooked	3.75	33.07	52.86	12.50	28.57	29.00	45.00	36.36	10.71	35.63	25.00	11.21
Whole wheat couscous, per portion, cooked	1.14	7.84	12.30	2.94	6.50	6.79	11.20	8.27	2.50	8.31	5.85	2.61
Whole wheat couscous, per portion, uncooked	2.63	23.15	37.00	8.75	20.00	20.30	31.50	25.45	7.50	24.94	17.50	7.85

Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals that our body needs in tiny amounts to maintain our health. They help our bodies produce energy, keep our immune system strong, and maintain healthy skin, muscles, and bones.

% of DRV stands for dietary reference value. DRV stands for dietary reference value. These values estimate how much of a nutrient most healthy people in Europe need each day. Ideally, we should aim to reach 100% of these values daily. Each vitamin and mineral has their own DRV, as set by EFSA.

Vitamins B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), and B6, and folate play a crucial role in energy metabolism, red blood cell formation, and brain function.
Minerals such as iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc are vital for bone health, immune function, oxygen transport, and enzyme function.

You might have heard that whole grains are ‘high in,’ ‘rich in,’ or ‘source of’ a certain vitamin or mineral. These term are regulated by EFSA and products must meet specific rules to be considered as such. Here’s how to interpret these contributions:

‘High/rich in [vitamin/mineral]’: it provides more than 30% of the DRV per 100 g.
‘Source of [vitamin/mineral]’: it provides more than 15% of the DRV per 100 g.