Food database · Grains

Protein content

Protein in Whole wheat flour

4 g of protein in 1/4 cup (30 g) of whole wheat flour, or 3.9 g for every 100 kcal it supplies.

4 g
per 1/4 cup

Protein by the numbers

Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is more of an energy food than a protein food.

Protein 16% of caloriesOther 84%
Protein figures for Whole wheat flour, per serving, per 100 g and per 100 kcal.
Protein per 100 kcal3.9 g
Protein per 100 g13.2 g
Protein per serving4 g in 1/4 cup (30 g)
Calories from protein16%
Protein to fat5.3 g per 1 g fat
Leucine per serving0.27 g
Rank in grains, per 100 kcal25th of 111
Rank of all foods, per 100 g379th of 796
Share of 50 g Daily Value8% per serving
Protein qualityIncomplete protein

One 1/4 cup, 4 g protein.

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Protein rank and density: whole wheat flour

Every 100 kcal of whole wheat flour brings 3.9 g of protein. On that measure it ranks 25th of the 111 grains in this database and 533rd of all 796 foods on the site. Measured by weight instead, its 13.2 g per 100 g ranks 9th in its group.

Around 16% of the calories in whole wheat flour come from protein, so it is more of an energy food than a protein food. It contributes to a day's protein total, but the bulk of what it delivers is energy rather than amino acids - treat it as a contributor alongside a denser source, not as the protein in a meal.

Weight for weight, whole wheat flour has 5.3 g of protein for each gram of fat (13.2 g against 2.5 g per 100 g).

Set against barley, another grain entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g more protein (barley has 3.5 g per 1 cup cooked).

It is an incomplete protein on its own; pairing it with other plant foods across the day covers the full range of essential amino acids. The serving quoted here is measured by volume at 30 g, and it covers about 8% of the 50 g FDA Daily Value for protein.

Keeps the bran and germ, so more protein than white flour.

Serving sizes

Protein in common portions of whole wheat flour

Protein and calories in Whole wheat flour for 100 g, the site serving and USDA household portions.
PortionWeightProteinCalories
100 g100 g13.2 g340 kcal
1/4 cup (serving used here)30 g4 g102 kcal
1 cup120 g15.8 g408 kcal

Portion weights are the household measures listed on the USDA record; protein and calories scale from the per-100 g figures.

Amino acids

Essential amino acids in whole wheat flour

The nine essential amino acids in Whole wheat flour, per 100 g, per serving and per gram of protein.
Amino acidPer 100 gPer servingmg per g protein
leucine0.898 g0.27 g68
lysine0.359 g0.11 g27
valine0.564 g0.17 g43
isoleucine0.443 g0.13 g34
threonine0.367 g0.11 g28
phenylalanine0.682 g0.2 g52
methionine0.228 g0.07 g17
histidine0.357 g0.11 g27
tryptophan0.174 g0.05 g13

Per-100 g values are the amino acid analysis on the USDA record. The serving and per-gram-of-protein columns are arithmetic on those values; they are not a protein quality score.

SampleWhat goal trends look like after a week
109 g
Average per logged day
4 of 7
Days goal met
71%
Complete-protein share
Sample figures for one made-up week against a 110 g goal, not your data. Red bars met the goal. Your own log fills this in with Premium.

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Quick answers

Whole wheat flour protein questions

How much protein is in 100 g of whole wheat flour?

13.2 g. The 1/4 cup serving used on this page weighs 30 g and so carries 4 g.

How much protein do you get per 100 calories of whole wheat flour?

3.9 g. That figure divides its 13.2 g of protein per 100 g by its 340 kcal per 100 g, so it does not depend on serving size.

Is the protein in whole wheat flour complete?

No. On its own, the protein in whole wheat flour is short of at least one essential amino acid; other protein sources across the day fill the gap.

What share of the protein Daily Value is one serving of whole wheat flour?

About 8%. One 1/4 cup serving has 4 g, and the FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 g.

Figures from USDA FoodData Central record #168893 (Wheat flour, whole-grain (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)), SR Legacy data. USDA data is in the public domain. Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.