14 foods · IFCT 2017
Cereals and millets: nutrition per 100 g
IFCT 2017 covers 14 cereals and millets, from rice and wheat to ragi, bajra, jowar, kodo and little millet. Per 100 g they carry similar energy, between 316 and 362 kcal, but differ sharply in other ways: rajgira leads for protein at 14.6 g and iron at 9.33 mg, barley for fibre at 15.6 g, and ragi for calcium at 364 mg.
About cereals and millets
Cereals and millets are the base of almost every Indian meal, supplying most of the day's energy and a good share of its protein. This group brings together the grains in IFCT 2017: rice in three forms (raw milled rice, poha and murmura), whole wheat and atta, maize, barley and jowar, the millets bajra, ragi, kodo (varagu) and little millet (samai), and two pseudo-cereals, rajgira and quinoa.
Per 100 g the energy figures sit close together, so the real differences lie elsewhere. Milled rice is the leanest in minerals and fibre, with 2.8 g fibre, 0.65 mg iron and 7 mg calcium per 100 g. Wheat atta carries 11.4 g fibre, and bajra brings 11.5 g fibre with 6.42 mg iron. Ragi's 364 mg calcium is unmatched by any other grain, while quinoa and rajgira stand out for protein and iron.
Processing matters as much as the grain itself. Polishing rice and refining wheat into maida strip away the bran and germ, where most of the fibre, minerals and B vitamins sit. Flattening and puffing rice into poha and murmura leaves their energy much the same, though IFCT records far more iron in both than in milled rice: 4.46 mg in poha and 4.55 mg in murmura. A mix of grains across the week covers more ground than any single one.
Cereals and millets compared
Per 100 g of the edible portion. Open any food for its full panel, varieties and names in Indian languages.
| Food | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amaranth seed (rajgira) | 356 kcal | 14.6 g | 7 g | 9.33 mg | 181 mg |
| Bajra (pearl millet) | 348 kcal | 11 g | 11.5 g | 6.42 mg | 27 mg |
| Barley | 316 kcal | 10.9 g | 15.6 g | 1.56 mg | 29 mg |
| Jowar (sorghum) | 334 kcal | 10 g | 10.2 g | 3.95 mg | 28 mg |
| Maize (corn) | 334 kcal | 8.8 g | 12.2 g | 2.49 mg | 9 mg |
| Poha (rice flakes) | 354 kcal | 7.4 g | 3.5 g | 4.46 mg | 9 mg |
| Puffed rice (murmura) | 362 kcal | 7.5 g | 2.6 g | 4.55 mg | 15 mg |
| Quinoa | 328 kcal | 13.1 g | 14.7 g | 7.51 mg | 198 mg |
| Ragi (finger millet) | 321 kcal | 7.2 g | 11.2 g | 4.62 mg | 364 mg |
| Rice | 356 kcal | 7.9 g | 2.8 g | 0.65 mg | 7 mg |
| Samai (little millet) | 346 kcal | 10.1 g | 7.7 g | 1.26 mg | 16 mg |
| Varagu millet | 332 kcal | 8.9 g | 6.4 g | 2.34 mg | 15 mg |
| Wheat (whole, suji and dalia) | 322 kcal | 10.6 g | 11.2 g | 3.97 mg | 39 mg |
| Wheat flour (atta and maida) | 320 kcal | 10.6 g | 11.4 g | 4.1 mg | 31 mg |
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad.
The richest cereals and millets by nutrient
Protein
- 1.Amaranth seed (rajgira)14.6 g
- 2.Quinoa13.1 g
- 3.Bajra (pearl millet)11 g
Dietary fibre
- 1.Barley15.6 g
- 2.Quinoa14.7 g
- 3.Maize (corn)12.2 g
Iron
- 1.Amaranth seed (rajgira)9.33 mg
- 2.Quinoa7.51 mg
- 3.Bajra (pearl millet)6.42 mg
Calcium
- 1.Ragi (finger millet)364 mg
- 2.Quinoa198 mg
- 3.Amaranth seed (rajgira)181 mg
Energy
- 1.Puffed rice (murmura)362 kcal
- 2.Amaranth seed (rajgira)356 kcal
- 3.Rice356 kcal
What people ask about cereals and millets
Which cereal has the most protein?
Among the 14 cereals and millets in IFCT 2017, rajgira (amaranth seed) leads at 14.6 g per 100 g, then quinoa at 13.1 g and bajra at 11.0 g. Ragi has the least at 7.2 g, with milled rice close behind at 7.9 g.
Which millet is best for iron?
Bajra is the strongest true millet for iron at 6.42 mg per 100 g, while ragi gives 4.62 mg and jowar 3.95 mg. Rajgira at 9.33 mg and quinoa at 7.51 mg carry more, though both are pseudo-cereals rather than millets.
Does barley have more fibre than wheat?
Yes. Barley has 15.6 g of fibre per 100 g in IFCT 2017, the highest in the group, against 11.4 g for wheat atta. Quinoa at 14.7 g and maize at 12.2 g also beat wheat.
Are millets lower in calories than rice?
Only slightly. Per 100 g, bajra has 348 kcal, jowar 334 kcal and ragi 321 kcal, against 356 kcal for raw milled rice. The bigger difference is in fibre and minerals, which help millet meals feel more filling.
Explore the rest of the tables
Pulses and legumes
14 foods per 100 g.
Green leafy vegetables
26 foods per 100 g.
Vegetables and mushrooms
39 foods per 100 g.
Roots and tubers
10 foods per 100 g.
Fruits
44 foods per 100 g.
Nuts and oilseeds
14 foods per 100 g.
Spices, herbs and condiments
21 foods per 100 g.
Cooking oils and fats
14 foods per 100 g.
Milk and dairy
3 foods per 100 g.
Meat, poultry and eggs
14 foods per 100 g.
Fish and seafood
41 foods per 100 g.
Sugars and natural drinks
3 foods per 100 g.