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Gluten free grains, in the terms NIDDK and FDA use, are the grains outside wheat, barley and rye. NIDDK states that gluten is a protein found naturally in wheat, barley and rye, and FDA’s gluten-free labeling rule (21 CFR 101.91) defines a gluten-containing grain as wheat, rye or barley, or a crossbred hybrid of them such as triticale. This list sets ten cooked grain entries from USDA SR Legacy side by side, from teff and quinoa to white rice, and notes what NIDDK says about each one.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- NIDDK names rice, corn, amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat among the foods whose flour is safe to eat on a gluten-free diet.
- NIDDK says cross-contact between oats and grains that contain gluten is common, and that oats should be gluten-free if you eat them.
- Ranked by fiber per cooked cup in USDA data, teff comes first at 7.1 grams (25% of the FDA Daily Value), then quinoa and amaranth at 5.2 grams each.
- FDA's rule says a food labeled gluten-free must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten.
Gluten free grains ranked by USDA values per cooked cup
Servings are one cooked cup, the SR Legacy portion for each entry, and the ranking by fiber is an editorial choice; ties go to the higher protein value. Each percent Daily Value (%DV) divides the USDA figure by the FDA Daily Value for adults and children 4 years and older (21 CFR 101.9): 28 grams for dietary fiber, 420 milligrams for magnesium and 18 milligrams for iron. FDA sets no protein percent for a label without a digestibility correction, so protein is shown in grams only.
| Food (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Calories | Protein | Fiber (% DV) | Magnesium (% DV) | Iron (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teff, cooked (168918) | 1 cup | 255 | 9.8 g | 7.1 g (25%) | 126 mg (30%) | 5.2 mg (29%) |
| Quinoa, cooked (168917) | 1 cup | 222 | 8.1 g | 5.2 g (18%) | 118 mg (28%) | 2.8 mg (15%) |
| Amaranth grain, cooked (170683) | 1 cup | 251 | 9.3 g | 5.2 g (18%) | 160 mg (38%) | 5.2 mg (29%) |
| Buckwheat groats, roasted, cooked (170686) | 1 cup | 155 | 5.7 g | 4.5 g (16%) | 86 mg (20%) | 1.3 mg (7%) |
| Oats, regular and quick, cooked with water (173905) | 1 cup | 166 | 5.9 g | 4.0 g (14%) | 63 mg (15%) | 2.1 mg (12%) |
| Brown rice, long-grain, cooked (169704) | 1 cup | 248 | 5.5 g | 3.2 g (12%) | 79 mg (19%) | 1.1 mg (6%) |
| Wild rice, cooked (168897) | 1 cup | 166 | 6.5 g | 3.0 g (11%) | 52 mg (12%) | 1.0 mg (5%) |
| Millet, cooked (168871) | 1 cup | 207 | 6.1 g | 2.3 g (8%) | 77 mg (18%) | 1.1 mg (6%) |
| Corn grits, white, enriched, cooked with water (171655) | 1 cup | 182 | 4.4 g | 2.1 g (7%) | 18 mg (4%) | 1.5 mg (8%) |
| White rice, long-grain, enriched, cooked (168878) | 1 cup | 205 | 4.3 g | 0.6 g (2%) | 19 mg (5%) | 1.9 mg (11%) |
In USDA data cooked amaranth lists the most magnesium per cup, 160 milligrams or 38% of the FDA Daily Value, and it shares the top iron value with teff, 5.2 milligrams or 29%. Teff also lists the most protein in USDA data, 9.8 grams, and the most calories, 255 per cup, while roasted buckwheat groats list the fewest calories, 155. USDA SR Legacy has no cooked entry for sorghum, so it is not in the table; our types of grains guide shows uncooked values for it.
What NIDDK says, grain by grain
- Rice: NIDDK lists rice among foods that are naturally gluten-free without additives or some seasonings; see our brown rice and types of rice guides.
- Corn: NIDDK names corn among the foods whose flour is safe to eat on a gluten-free diet; our corn, grits and polenta guides cover corn foods.
- Quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat: NIDDK names all three in the same list of flours that are safe to eat; see our quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat guides.
- Oats: NIDDK advises talking with a doctor or a registered dietitian about whether to include oats and how much, says that oats you eat should be gluten-free, and warns that cross-contact with grains that contain gluten is common and can make oats unsafe for people with celiac disease; see our oats and types of oats guides.
- Four grains NIDDK does not name: the NIDDK pages we read do not name sorghum, millet, teff or wild rice. None of the four is wheat, rye or barley, the grains in FDA’s definition of a gluten-containing grain, and FDA still requires any food labeled gluten-free to stay below 20 parts per million of gluten.
The grains NIDDK and FDA place on the other side
NIDDK states that gluten occurs naturally in wheat and types of wheat, such as durum, emmer, semolina and spelt; in barley, which may be found in malt, malt extract, malt vinegar and brewer’s yeast; in rye; and in triticale, a cross between wheat and rye. FDA’s rule names the plant groups: wheat is any species of the genus Triticum, rye any species of Secale and barley any species of Hordeum, plus their crossbred hybrids. Our foods with gluten list covers the foods made from them, and our single-food guides to spelt, semolina, barley, rye, bulgur, farro, freekeh, einkorn, couscous and orzo answer the gluten label question one food at a time.
How the FDA label rule works
Under 21 CFR 101.91, a food may say gluten-free when it contains no gluten-containing grain, no ingredient made from one that has not been processed to remove gluten, and no processed ingredient that brings the food to 20 parts per million of gluten or more, or when it inherently does not contain gluten. In both cases FDA requires any unavoidable presence of gluten to be below 20 parts per million. The same FDA rule covers the claims no gluten, free of gluten and without gluten.
NIDDK says that amount of gluten is too small to cause problems in most people with celiac disease, and it lists checking for gluten-free food labeling among the steps for shopping. When an FDA gluten-free food lists wheat in its ingredients, FDA’s rule requires an asterisk that leads to this statement: The wheat has been processed to allow this food to meet the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements for gluten-free foods.
Cross-contact in NIDDK's words
NIDDK explains that cross-contact occurs when foods or products that contain gluten come into contact with gluten-free foods, and that it can happen at any time, including when foods are grown, processed, stored, prepared or served. That is why NIDDK singles out oats, and why its advice is to read labels, check for gluten-free labeling, contact the company that makes a food when you are not sure, and store and prepare gluten-free foods separately at home. A plain bag of any grain on this list can still meet a grain that contains gluten in a field, a mill or a kitchen, which NIDDK’s cross-contact advice and FDA’s label rule both address.
Where these grains appear in our other guides
Our gluten free foods list moves past grains to the meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, potatoes, beans and nuts NIDDK names. For the grains themselves, our types of grains guide compares them uncooked, our ancient grains guide covers the older crops, our whole grains guide covers label wording, and our types of flour guide covers the flours milled from these grains.
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 can differ. NIDDK advises anyone who thinks they might have celiac disease to talk with a doctor about testing before starting a gluten-free diet, because avoiding gluten first may make the test results inaccurate; a doctor or a registered dietitian can guide food choices after that.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which gluten free grains does NIDDK name?
NIDDK names rice, corn, amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat among foods whose flour is safe to eat, lists rice among naturally gluten-free foods, and handles oats separately because of cross-contact.
What makes a grain contain gluten under the FDA rule?
FDA’s rule, 21 CFR 101.91, defines a gluten-containing grain as wheat, rye or barley, or a crossbred hybrid of them such as triticale; NIDDK adds types of wheat such as durum, emmer, semolina and spelt.
Which grain ranks first in the cooked table?
Teff, at 7.1 grams of fiber per cooked cup in USDA data, followed by quinoa and amaranth at 5.2 grams each.
Why do oats get a separate note?
NIDDK says cross-contact between oats and grains that contain gluten is common and can make oats unsafe for people with celiac disease, so it advises choosing oats that are gluten-free.
What does a label claim mean?
Under FDA’s rule, a food labeled gluten-free, no gluten, free of gluten or without gluten must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten.
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: Gluten Free Foods List: NIDDK Food Groups and USDA Values, Foods With Gluten: Full List and Hidden Sources of Gluten, Quinoa Benefits: USDA Nutrition, Protein and How It Compares to Rice, Types of Grains: Cereal Grains and Pseudocereals.