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Types of grains fall into two groups in this guide: cereal grains, which are grasses, and pseudocereals, which are seeds used the same way. FDA’s 2006 draft guidance on whole grain label statements says cereal grains may include amaranth, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, corn (including popcorn), millet, quinoa, rice, rye, oats, sorghum, teff, triticale, wheat and wild rice. In USDA SR Legacy data, 100 grams of uncooked oats list 16.9 grams of protein, the most of any grain on this page, and 100 grams of hulled barley list 17.3 grams of fiber.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- FDA's draft guidance lists 15 cereal grains, from amaranth to wild rice; it includes the pseudocereals amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa in that list.
- A 2025 review in Foods states that pseudocereals are not members of the grass family Poaceae and names quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat as the three main ones.
- Per 100 grams uncooked in USDA data, oats list the most protein (16.9 grams) and barley (hulled) the most fiber (17.3 grams); amaranth grain lists the most magnesium, 248 milligrams.
- NIDDK names wheat, barley and rye as grains with gluten, and lists rice, corn, amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat among foods whose flour is gluten-free.
List of grains: what the federal documents say
FDA’s draft guidance, a non-binding document, counts a food as whole grain when the endosperm, germ and bran are present in the same relative proportions as in the intact grain. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 sort grain foods into whole-grain examples, such as amaranth, barley (not pearled), brown rice, buckwheat, bulgur, millet, oats, popcorn and quinoa, and refined-grain examples, such as corn grits, cream of rice, cream of wheat, barley (pearled), masa, pasta and white rice. This guide is about the grains themselves, not label claims; for those, see our guide to whole grains. Our ancient grains guide tables amaranth, quinoa, teff, millet, spelt and others with the same USDA method.
Types of grains ranked by USDA values: the cereal grasses
Values are per 100 grams of the uncooked grain, as USDA SR Legacy lists them, ranked by protein. Uncooked values are used because USDA has no cooked entry for several of these grains. SR Legacy holds no fiber value for durum wheat or triticale, so those two are not in the table.
| Food (USDA FDC ID) | Amount | Calories | Protein | Fiber | Magnesium | Iron |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oats (169705) | 100 g | 389 | 16.9 g | 10.6 g | 177 mg | 4.7 mg |
| Wild rice, raw (169726) | 100 g | 357 | 14.7 g | 6.2 g | 177 mg | 2.0 mg |
| Wheat, hard red winter (168890) | 100 g | 327 | 12.6 g | 12.2 g | 126 mg | 3.2 mg |
| Barley, hulled (170283) | 100 g | 354 | 12.5 g | 17.3 g | 133 mg | 3.6 mg |
| Millet, raw (169702) | 100 g | 378 | 11.0 g | 8.5 g | 114 mg | 3.0 mg |
| Sorghum grain (169716) | 100 g | 329 | 10.6 g | 6.7 g | 165 mg | 3.4 mg |
| Wheat, soft red winter (168891) | 100 g | 331 | 10.3 g | 12.5 g | 126 mg | 3.2 mg |
| Rye grain (168884) | 100 g | 338 | 10.3 g | 15.1 g | 110 mg | 2.6 mg |
| Corn grain, yellow (170288) | 100 g | 365 | 9.4 g | 7.3 g | 127 mg | 2.7 mg |
| Brown rice, long-grain, raw (169703) | 100 g | 367 | 7.5 g | 3.6 g | 116 mg | 1.3 mg |
In USDA data barley (hulled) and rye list the most fiber, 17.3 and 15.1 grams per 100 grams, and the two wheat classes 12.2 and 12.5 grams. Long-grain brown rice lists the least protein and fiber in the table, 7.5 and 3.6 grams in USDA data, and oats the most iron, 4.7 milligrams. Calories sit between 327 and 389 per 100 grams in USDA data for all ten entries.
Pseudocereals, as the review defines them
A 2025 review in the journal Foods by Vajdovich and colleagues states that, unlike cereals, pseudocereals are not members of the grass family Poaceae, and that pseudocereals are dicotyledonous plants while cereals such as wheat, rice and barley are monocotyledonous. The review names quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat as the three main pseudocereals and describes them as edible seeds that resemble cereal grains. FDA’s draft guidance still lists all three among cereal grains, so this guide shows them as their own group rather than leaving them out.
| Food (USDA FDC ID) | Amount | Calories | Protein | Fiber | Magnesium | Iron |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinoa, uncooked (168874) | 100 g | 368 | 14.1 g | 7.0 g | 197 mg | 4.6 mg |
| Amaranth grain, uncooked (170682) | 100 g | 371 | 13.6 g | 6.7 g | 248 mg | 7.6 mg |
| Buckwheat (170286) | 100 g | 343 | 13.2 g | 10.0 g | 231 mg | 2.2 mg |
In USDA data all three pseudocereals list more magnesium than any cereal grass in the first table: 248 milligrams per 100 grams for amaranth, 231 for buckwheat and 197 for quinoa, against 177 for oats. In USDA data amaranth also lists the most iron on this page, 7.6 milligrams.
The cereal grains one by one
- Wheat: USDA lists wheat by class, such as hard red winter and soft red winter. NIDDK names durum, emmer, semolina and spelt as types of wheat, and FDA’s list includes bulgur; see also our whole wheat flour guide.
- Rice: USDA splits rice by milling and grain length; our sibling types of rice guide tables nine cooked entries.
- Corn: FDA’s list names corn including popcorn, and its draft guidance says corn flour or meal should include the pericarp to be whole grain. See our guides to corn, popcorn, cornmeal and grits.
- Oats: FDA’s draft guidance counts rolled oats and quick oats as whole grain because they keep all of the bran, germ and endosperm; our oats guide covers the forms.
- Barley: FDA’s draft guidance says barley that is pearled should not be considered a whole grain, and the Dietary Guidelines list pearled barley as refined; see our barley guide.
- Rye: NIDDK names rye as a grain with gluten; see our rye and rye bread guides.
- Sorghum and millet: both are on FDA’s list and both have uncooked USDA entries; our sorghum and millet guides go further.
- Two more on FDA’s list: FDA lists wild rice and teff as cereal grains; see our teff guide.
What NIDDK says about gluten in these grains
NIDDK, in its pages on celiac disease, states that gluten is a protein found naturally in wheat, barley and rye, and that it occurs in types of wheat such as durum, emmer, semolina and spelt, and in triticale, a cross between wheat and rye. NIDDK lists rice, corn, amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat among the foods whose flour is safe to eat on a gluten-free diet, and notes that cross-contact between oats and grains that contain gluten is common. The NIDDK pages we read do not mention sorghum, millet, teff or wild rice, so this guide makes no statement about them; check the label, read our foods with gluten list, and follow your care team’s advice if you have been told to avoid gluten.
Foods the FDA draft leaves off the list
FDA’s draft guidance says soybeans and chickpeas should be considered legumes, not whole grain, so they are not on this page; our legumes guide covers beans, peas and lentils. Our guides to farro, freekeh and einkorn cover wheat forms that USDA SR Legacy does not list under those names.
Food first: what this list does not cover
This list is about food. It gives no intake target: USDA publishes content data and FDA sets Daily Values for labels, and these are official reference facts, not a target for any reader. The list makes no health promises. Each USDA value describes one food entry, and packaged products made from these grains can differ. Check the label, and ask a healthcare provider about your own needs, especially if you take medicines or have a health condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main types of grains?
This guide covers the cereal grasses wheat, rice, corn, oats, barley, rye, sorghum and millet, plus wild rice, and the pseudocereals quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat; FDA’s draft guidance lists all of them as cereal grains.
What is a pseudocereal?
A 2025 review in Foods describes pseudocereals as edible seeds that resemble cereal grains but are not members of the grass family Poaceae; it names quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat as the three main ones.
Which grain ranks first in the cereal table?
Uncooked oats, at 16.9 grams of protein per 100 grams in USDA data, followed by wild rice at 14.7 grams and quinoa at 14.1 grams.
Which grains contain gluten?
NIDDK names wheat, including durum, emmer, semolina and spelt, plus barley, rye and triticale; it lists rice, corn, amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat among foods whose flour is gluten-free.
Why are durum wheat and triticale not in the table?
USDA SR Legacy holds no fiber value for either entry, so they could not be shown with the same columns as the other grains.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Types of Rice: USDA Values per Cooked Cup, Whole Grain Foods: A Whole Grains List, Label Terms and USDA Data, Quinoa Benefits: USDA Nutrition, Protein and How It Compares to Rice, Ancient Grains: A List With USDA Values.