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Whole wheat

Triticum aestivum

Also known as Wholemeal wheat, Wheat berries, Wholegrain wheat flour

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The entire wheat kernel — bran, germ and endosperm — either milled into wholemeal flour or cooked whole as berries. The USDA reference entry is for the dry flour or grain; wheat berries roughly triple in weight when boiled.

Gut & Digestive HealthHeart Health

Potential health benefits

Best supported: Moderate

Ordered by how well the human research supports them — strongest first. A rating describes the state of the evidence, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Bowel regularity

Gut & Digestive Health
Moderate evidence

Research consistently shows that wheat bran increases stool weight and shortens transit time, and the effect is among the most reproducible in fibre research. It is a laxation effect, not a remedy for the causes of constipation.

What may be going on: The insoluble fibre of wheat bran holds water and mechanically stimulates the colon wall, increasing both faecal bulk and propulsion.

Moderate evidence. Several human studies point the same way, with real caveats.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Cardiovascular risk markers

Heart Health
Moderate evidence

Observational data links higher wholegrain wheat intake with lower cardiovascular risk in large dose-response analyses. Trials are shorter and measure blood markers, so the size of any causal effect remains uncertain.

Moderate evidence. Several human studies point the same way, with real caveats.

2 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Gut microbiome

Gut & Digestive Health
Moderate evidence

Several trials report shifts in gut bacterial composition and higher short-chain fatty acid production when wholegrain wheat replaces refined. Whether those shifts translate into health outcomes is not established.

Moderate evidence. Several human studies point the same way, with real caveats.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Whole wheat

Ask about Whole wheat

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories340 kcal17%
Protein13.2 g26%
Total fat2.5 g3%
Carbohydrate72 g26%
Fibre10.7 g38%
Total sugars0.41 g—
Water10.7 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.43 g2%
Monounsaturated fat0.283 g—
Polyunsaturated fat1.17 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)1.09 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A0 µg0%
Vitamin C0 mg0%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E0.71 mg5%
Vitamin K1.9 µg2%
Thiamin (B1)0.502 mg42%
Riboflavin (B2)0.165 mg13%
Niacin (B3)4.96 mg31%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.603 mg12%
Vitamin B60.407 mg24%
Folate44 µg11%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline31.2 mg6%
Minerals
Calcium34 mg3%
Iron3.6 mg20%
Magnesium137 mg33%
Phosphorus357 mg29%
Potassium363 mg8%
Sodium2 mg0%
Zinc2.6 mg24%
Copper0.41 mg46%
Manganese4.07 mg177%
Selenium61.8 µg112%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene5 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin220 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash1.58 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Wheat flour, whole-grain (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 168893).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • fermentedReduces phytate

    Long sourdough fermentation activates phytase and degrades much of the phytate in wholemeal flour, increasing mineral availability. It also partially degrades fructans, which is why some people tolerate slow-fermented bread better.

  • sproutedReduces phytate

    Sprouting wheat berries activates endogenous enzymes that reduce phytate and increase free amino acids, though the nutritional difference in a finished loaf is modest.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Avoid

    Gluten and coeliac disease

    Wheat is the principal dietary source of gluten. In coeliac disease, an autoimmune condition affecting roughly one in a hundred people, gluten drives small-intestinal damage and lifelong strict avoidance is required. Wheat allergy and non-coeliac wheat sensitivity are separate conditions with separate management.

  • Allergy

    Wheat allergy

    Wheat is a major allergen in its own right, distinct from coeliac disease, and can cause immediate reactions including anaphylaxis. Wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis is an unusual form where symptoms appear only when eating is followed by exertion.

  • Worth knowing

    Fructans and IBS

    Wheat is a leading source of fructans, a FODMAP group that commonly provokes bloating and pain in irritable bowel syndrome. Some people who believe they react to gluten are reacting to fructans instead.

  • Worth knowing

    Phytate and mineral absorption

    Wholemeal flour supplies more iron, zinc and magnesium than white flour but also far more phytate, which binds those minerals. Long fermentation, as in sourdough, lowers phytate and improves availability.