Grain & Cereal Nutrition Calculators
Grains form the caloric foundation of most diets worldwide, yet their nutritional profiles vary dramatically once you look past the calorie count. This collection brings together 6 free nutrition calculators for staple grains — brown rice, quinoa, oats, maize, semolina, and tapioca (sabudana) — each with multiple cooking and preparation variants.
Adjust serving sizes, switch between raw and cooked forms, and see full macro and micronutrient breakdowns sourced from USDA FoodData Central.
Nutritional Comparison: 6 Staple Grains at a Glance
Calories, protein, carbs, fat, and fiber per 100g of the default reference serving.
| Grain | Calories | Protein (g) | Carbs (g) | Fat (g) | Fiber (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown Rice | 123 | 2.74 | 25.58 | 0.97 | 1.6 |
| Quinoa | 120 | 4.4 | 21.3 | 1.9 | 2.8 |
| Oats | 68 | 2.37 | 11.67 | 1.36 | 1.7 |
| Maize | 365 | 9.42 | 74.26 | 4.74 | 7.3 |
| Semolina | 151 | 5.33 | 30.59 | 0.44 | 1.64 |
| Tapioca | 544 | 0.3 | 134.8 | 0 | 1.4 |
Source: USDA FoodData Central. Values per 100g of the default reference form.
Explore Each Grain Calculator
Select any grain below to open its full nutrition calculator with customizable serving sizes and multiple preparation variants.
Brown Rice Nutrition
100g cooked long-grain brown rice
Quinoa Nutrition
100g cooked quinoa (plain)
Oats Nutrition
100g cooked oatmeal (water, no salt)
Maize Nutrition
100g dried yellow maize grain
Semolina Nutrition
¼ cup dry semolina (approx 42g)
Tapioca Nutrition
1 cup dry tapioca pearls (152g)
Whole Grains vs. Refined Grains: What the Processing Actually Removes
A whole grain kernel has three parts: the fiber-rich bran, the nutrient-dense germ, and the starchy endosperm. Refining removes the bran and germ, stripping away roughly 25% of the protein, 80% of the fiber, and the majority of B vitamins, iron, and magnesium. White rice is brown rice with the bran and germ removed. Semolina is durum wheat with the same layers milled away. The calorie count changes minimally — it is the micronutrient and fiber density that takes the hit.
This is why dietary guidelines from the USDA, WHO, and most national health agencies recommend that at least half of grain intake come from whole grains. Our calculators include both whole and refined variants where applicable, so you can see the exact nutrient trade-off of choosing brown rice over white, or whole wheat semolina over refined.
The Cooking Paradox: Why 100g of Raw Grain and 100g of Cooked Grain Tell Different Stories
Raw brown rice contains 370 kcal per 100g, but a 100g serving of cooked brown rice has only 123 kcal. This 3:1 difference is entirely explained by water absorption — cooking roughly triples the weight. Tapioca (sabudana) shows an even more extreme version: dry tapioca pearl at 358 kcal/100g absorbs 2–3 times its weight in water, dropping to approximately 120–140 kcal/100g cooked. This is the single most common source of confusion in grain nutrition, and it leads people to dramatically over- or under-estimate their caloric intake depending on whether they weigh food raw or cooked.
Our calculators solve this by offering separate variants for raw, cooked, and other forms. If you meal-prep by cooking a batch and weighing portions, use the cooked variant. If you measure dry grain before cooking, use the raw variant. The difference in accuracy can be 200–300% for a single serving.
Quinoa, Oats, and the Rise of “Functional Grains” in Modern Nutrition
Quinoa and oats have moved from niche health-food store shelves to mainstream grocery aisles, largely driven by specific nutritional properties that other grains lack. Quinoa provides a complete amino acid profile — rare among plant foods — while oats deliver beta-glucan, a soluble fiber recognized by the FDA for its notable soluble fiber content. These are not marketing distinctions; they reflect measurable biochemical differences documented in peer-reviewed literature.
Maize (corn), meanwhile, is the most produced grain globally but is often overlooked in nutrition discussions because of its association with processed foods. Whole-kernel cornmeal retains significant fiber (7.3g per 100g dry), B vitamins, and carotenoids including lutein and zeaxanthin. The nutritional gap between minimally processed maize products and ultra-processed corn derivatives (corn syrup, refined corn starch) is enormous — and our calculator helps quantify exactly where each form stands.
Grain Nutrition Questions Answered
- Is brown rice significantly more nutritious than white rice?
- Brown rice retains the bran and germ layers that white rice processing removes. This gives brown rice approximately 1.8g of fiber per 100g cooked (vs. 0.4g for white rice), along with higher magnesium (44mg vs. 12mg), phosphorus (77mg vs. 37mg), and B-vitamin content. Calorie and protein differences are modest — brown rice has 123 kcal and 2.7g protein per 100g cooked, compared to 130 kcal and 2.7g for white rice.
- Why is quinoa considered a complete protein?
- Quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids in proportions adequate for human nutrition, which is rare among plant foods. Specifically, it provides meaningful amounts of lysine (0.766g per 100g dry grain) — the amino acid most cereals lack. The total protein is 4.4g per 100g cooked, lower than most legumes, but the amino acid quality (PDCAAS score of approximately 0.78–0.82, depending on variety) makes it uniquely valuable for plant-based diets.
- What is the glycemic index of oats compared to other grains?
- Steel-cut oats have a glycemic index (GI) of approximately 42, rolled oats around 55, and instant oats about 79. For comparison, brown rice has a GI of 68, quinoa 53, and maize (cornmeal) 69. The beta-glucan soluble fiber in oats is the primary reason for its lower GI — it forms a viscous gel in the digestive tract that slows glucose absorption.
- How does the fiber in oats differ from the fiber in brown rice?
- Oats are rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that forms a viscous gel during digestion — research indicates that 3g per day (about 1.5 cups of cooked oatmeal) is the threshold where its gel-forming properties are most pronounced. Brown rice fiber is predominantly insoluble, which promotes digestive regularity and increases stool bulk. Both types of fiber contribute to satiety, but through different mechanisms — soluble fiber slows nutrient absorption while insoluble fiber adds bulk.
- Is semolina healthier than regular wheat flour?
- Semolina is milled from durum wheat and has a coarser grind than all-purpose flour. It contains more protein (12.7g per 100g vs. 10.9g for all-purpose flour) and more gluten strength, which is why it holds shape well in pasta and upma. However, it is a refined grain — the bran and germ are removed during milling. Whole wheat semolina retains more fiber and micronutrients but is less commonly available.
- Is maize (corn) a grain or a vegetable?
- Botanically, maize is a cereal grain (a member of the grass family Poaceae). When harvested mature and dried, it is processed as a grain — into cornmeal, corn flour, grits, or polenta. Sweet corn harvested young and eaten fresh or frozen is treated as a vegetable in culinary and nutritional contexts. Our calculator covers dried maize grain and its processed forms, while our sweet corn calculator covers the fresh vegetable form.
- Is tapioca (sabudana) nutritious or just empty calories?
- Tapioca pearl has 358 kcal per 100g dry, with 88.7g carbohydrate but only 0.19g protein, 0.02g fat, and 0.9g fiber. It has virtually no vitamins (A, C, B-complex are all zero) and negligible minerals except iron at 1.58mg (8.8% DV). It is the closest common food to pure starch energy. However, tapioca is naturally gluten-free and commonly used in fasting meals (sabudana khichdi) and bubble tea (boba). For nutritional balance, tapioca-based dishes should be paired with protein and nutrient-dense ingredients.
Explore More Nutrition Categories
Browse calculators for other food groups in our nutrition database.