Protein in Grains per 100 g: Bajra, Ragi, Atta, Rice
हिंदी में पढ़ें: अनाज में कितना प्रोटीन (IFCT 2017 के आँकड़ों के साथ)
"Which grain has the most protein?" is answered by looking at the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017, ICMR-NIN), which list every grain, millet and flour as its own row. To keep each figure solid, this page uses only the rows IFCT averaged over 2 or more regions, and says how many regions each row has. The kJ to kcal conversion, the protein per 100 kcal and the serving sums are our arithmetic, shown below.
The short answer
Among the 20 dry and processed grain rows, raw protein runs from 7.16 g (Ragi) to 13.27 g (Amaranth seed, pale brown) per 100 g. Of the everyday grains, bajra has 10.96 g, wheat atta 10.57 g, jowar 9.97 g, raw milled rice 7.94 g and ragi 7.16 g. Grains are not a high-protein food next to pulses: the lowest of the 20 grain legume rows (IFCT group B) that meet the same 2-region rule is 18.77 g per 100 g (Bengal gram, whole), more than the highest grain row.
The order changes if you rank by protein per 100 kcal. Bajra has 10.96 g per 100 g against 10.94 g for barley, but barley gives 3.5 g per 100 kcal and bajra 3.1 g, because barley has fewer kcal (316 against 348 per 100 g).
How the rows were chosen
IFCT 2017 has 24 rows in group A, cereals and millets. Only 22 of them are averages of 2 or more regions, and these are sampled in 4 to 6 regions. The rest are single-region samples and are left out: amaranth seed, black (A001) and quinoa (A009). Two of the 22 rows are fresh corn, which is mostly water, so the comparisons below use the other 20. IFCT 2017 says all its data except poultry and egg is for raw food (PDF p. 27), so these are raw grains and flours.
Millets, barley, amaranth and dry maize, per 100 g
IFCT 2017, Table 1 (Proximate Principles and Dietary Fibre), per 100 g edible portion, sorted from the most protein to the least. IFCT prints energy in kilojoules (kJ); we converted with 1 kcal = 4.184 kJ. "Protein per 100 kcal" is the protein divided by the unrounded kcal, times 100. "Regions" is how many regions the average comes from.
| Grain (IFCT row) | Protein per 100 g | Energy per 100 g | Protein per 100 kcal | Regions | IFCT code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amaranth seed, pale brown (Amaranthus cruentus) | 13.27 g | 356 kcal (1489 kJ) | 3.7 g | 6 | A002 |
| Bajra (Pennisetum typhoideum) | 10.96 g | 348 kcal (1456 kJ) | 3.1 g | 6 | A003 |
| Barley (Hordeum vulgare) | 10.94 g | 316 kcal (1321 kJ) | 3.5 g | 6 | A004 |
| Samai (Panicum miliare) | 10.13 g | 346 kcal (1449 kJ) | 2.9 g | 6 | A016 |
| Jowar (Sorghum vulgare) | 9.97 g | 334 kcal (1398 kJ) | 3.0 g | 6 | A005 |
| Varagu (Paspalum scrobiculatum) | 8.92 g | 332 kcal (1388 kJ) | 2.7 g | 5 | A017 |
| Maize, dry (Zea mays) | 8.80 g | 334 kcal (1398 kJ) | 2.6 g | 6 | A006 |
| Ragi (Eleusine coracana) | 7.16 g | 321 kcal (1342 kJ) | 2.2 g | 5 | A010 |
Amaranth seed has the most protein of the group (13.27 g) and ragi the least (7.16 g). Samai is little millet and varagu is kodo millet; they sit between bajra and maize at 10.13 g and 8.92 g.
Wheat and wheat products, per 100 g
The same table for the 7 wheat rows, from atta and whole wheat to maida, bulgur, semolina and vermicelli.
| Grain (IFCT row) | Protein per 100 g | Energy per 100 g | Protein per 100 kcal | Regions | IFCT code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat, semolina (Triticum aestivum) | 11.38 g | 334 kcal (1396 kJ) | 3.4 g | 6 | A022 |
| Wheat, bulgur (Triticum aestivum) | 10.84 g | 342 kcal (1430 kJ) | 3.2 g | 6 | A021 |
| Wheat, whole (Triticum aestivum) | 10.59 g | 322 kcal (1347 kJ) | 3.3 g | 6 | A020 |
| Wheat flour, atta (Triticum aestivum) | 10.57 g | 320 kcal (1340 kJ) | 3.3 g | 6 | A019 |
| Wheat, vermicelli, roasted (Triticum aestivum) | 10.37 g | 340 kcal (1423 kJ) | 3.0 g | 6 | A024 |
| Wheat flour, refined (Triticum aestivum) | 10.36 g | 352 kcal (1472 kJ) | 2.9 g | 6 | A018 |
| Wheat, vermicelli (Triticum aestivum) | 9.70 g | 333 kcal (1392 kJ) | 2.9 g | 6 | A023 |
Wheat semolina has the most protein of the wheat rows (11.38 g) and vermicelli the least (9.70 g). Whole-wheat atta has 10.57 g and refined maida 10.36 g, so atta is ahead by 0.21 g per 100 g and also per 100 kcal (3.3 g against 2.9 g).
Rice and rice products, per 100 g
The 5 rice rows, raw rice, poha (rice flakes) and puffed rice (murmura).
| Grain (IFCT row) | Protein per 100 g | Energy per 100 g | Protein per 100 kcal | Regions | IFCT code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice, raw, brown (Oryza sativa ) | 9.16 g | 354 kcal (1480 kJ) | 2.6 g | 6 | A013 |
| Rice, raw, milled (Oryza sativa ) | 7.94 g | 356 kcal (1491 kJ) | 2.2 g | 6 | A015 |
| Rice, parboiled, milled (Oryza sativa ) | 7.81 g | 352 kcal (1471 kJ) | 2.2 g | 6 | A014 |
| Rice puffed (Oryza sativa ) | 7.47 g | 362 kcal (1514 kJ) | 2.1 g | 6 | A012 |
| Rice flakes (Oryza sativa ) | 7.44 g | 354 kcal (1480 kJ) | 2.1 g | 6 | A011 |
Raw brown rice has 9.16 g of protein, more than raw milled rice at 7.94 g. Rice flakes (7.44 g) and puffed rice (7.47 g) have the least protein per 100 g and per 100 kcal (2.1 g and 2.1 g).
Fresh corn, which is a different comparison
Tender maize is sold fresh, so it carries water (68.29 g and 74.40 g per 100 g in these rows) and cannot be ranked against dry grain by weight.
| Grain (IFCT row) | Protein per 100 g | Energy per 100 g | Protein per 100 kcal | Regions | IFCT code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maize, tender, sweet (Zea mays) | 4.16 g | 97 kcal (405 kJ) | 4.3 g | 4 | A008 |
| Maize, tender, local (Zea mays) | 3.57 g | 120 kcal (502 kJ) | 3.0 g | 6 | A007 |
Sweet corn (A008) shows 4.3 g per 100 kcal, higher than any dry grain on this page, only because most of its weight is water and it has just 97 kcal per 100 g. That is a different food, not a stronger grain.
30, 40, 60 g of five common grains
Each cell is the IFCT value times the grams, divided by 100, as protein and kcal. The weights are ours and they are raw flour or grain.
| Raw grain or flour | Wheat flour, atta (A019) | Bajra (A003) | Jowar (A005) | Ragi (A010) | Rice, raw, milled (A015) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 g | ~3.2 g protein, ~96 kcal | ~3.3 g protein, ~104 kcal | ~3.0 g protein, ~100 kcal | ~2.1 g protein, ~96 kcal | ~2.4 g protein, ~107 kcal |
| 40 g | ~4.2 g protein, ~128 kcal | ~4.4 g protein, ~139 kcal | ~4.0 g protein, ~134 kcal | ~2.9 g protein, ~128 kcal | ~3.2 g protein, ~143 kcal |
| 60 g | ~6.3 g protein, ~192 kcal | ~6.6 g protein, ~209 kcal | ~6.0 g protein, ~200 kcal | ~4.3 g protein, ~192 kcal | ~4.8 g protein, ~214 kcal |
The amounts scale in a straight line, so 60 g has twice the 30 g figure.
Raw flour is not a cooked roti
IFCT 2017 group A gives raw grain and flour. A roti, a bowl of cooked rice or a ragi porridge adds water and often oil, and the page has no cooked-grain row, so we give no cooked figure. Use the grams of dry flour or grain you start with, as in the table above.
Three common mistakes
- Ranking by protein per 100 g only. Bajra is ahead of barley per 100 g (10.96 g against 10.94 g) and behind it per 100 kcal.
- Using raw figures for cooked food. Water and oil change the weight and the energy, and the tables above are without them.
- Comparing fresh corn with dry grain. Sweet corn is mostly water, so its protein per 100 g (4.16 g) is not comparable to wheat or bajra.
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Join the NYUS waitlistFrequently asked questions
Which grain has the most protein?
Among the 20 dry and processed grain rows IFCT 2017 averaged over 2 or more regions, amaranth seed (pale brown, A002) has the most, 13.27 g per 100 g raw. Wheat semolina has 11.38 g, bajra 10.96 g and barley 10.94 g. Ragi has the least, 7.16 g.
How much protein is in 100 g of atta, bajra, jowar and ragi?
By IFCT 2017, 100 g of raw wheat atta has 10.57 g of protein and 320 kcal, bajra 10.96 g and 348 kcal, jowar 9.97 g and 334 kcal, and ragi 7.16 g and 321 kcal. These are raw flour or grain, not cooked roti.
Does ragi have less protein than wheat?
On these rows, yes. Raw ragi (A010) has 7.16 g per 100 g against 10.57 g for wheat atta (A019), which is 3.41 g less. Per 100 kcal the gap is wider: ragi gives 2.2 g and atta 3.3 g.
How much protein is in 40 g of bajra or jowar flour?
By our arithmetic from IFCT 2017, 40 g of raw bajra has about 4.4 g of protein and 139 kcal, and 40 g of jowar about 4.0 g and 134 kcal. The 40 g weight is ours, and these are raw values, not a cooked roti.
Why are black amaranth and quinoa not in the table?
IFCT 2017 has them as single-region rows (black amaranth seed A001 and quinoa A009 each come from 1 region), so this page leaves them out to keep every row an average of 2 or more regions. IFCT has 24 rows in group A, cereals and millets; 22 of them meet that rule.
Sources (read 26 October 2026)
- Longvah T. et al., Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017), ICMR-NIN, Table 1, per 100 g edible portion, group A rows with 2 or more regions: A002 to A018 on PDF p. 41; A019 to A024 on PDF p. 42. Group B comparison row: B002 on PDF p. 42. The statement that all data except poultry and egg is for raw food: p. 27.
- Energy kcal = kJ ÷ 4.184, rounded half-up; protein per 100 kcal and the 30, 40 and 60 g amounts are NYUS arithmetic on those rows.