What grain has the highest protein?
On our social media we have been asked many different questions, and we love to hear from you and answer them all! One of the questions that we were asked recently was “what grain has the highest protein content?”
Whole grains are chalked full of vitamins, minerals, fats, complex carbs and protein. Protein is a vital part of any diet; protein makes up the building blocks of all our body’s organs, muscles, skin and hormones. Your body needs protein to maintain and repair tissue, and it is something that many of us are looking to consume more of.
One protein found in whole grains is gluten. Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat and barley, and the foods made from these grains. With all of that in mind, here are some high-protein grain-based foods that you can incorporate into your diet.
High protein grain: Whole wheat pasta
Whole wheat pasta has 7.6 grams protein per cooked cup of pasta. Whole wheat flour is more protein than its refined counterpart, therefore it should come as no surprise that whole wheat pasta has more protein than pasta made from refined flour.
Enjoy whole wheat pasta tonight by trying out our recipe for Spinach and mushroom whole wheat pasta or enjoy whole wheat pasta as a side dish in this recipe for Summertime pasta salad.
High protein grain: Oatmeal
One of your favourite morning hot cereals is already the source of a high-protein breakfast! One cup of your cooked oatmeal has 6 grams of protein and is a fantastic way to start your day off with a protein boost needed to fuel you all day long.
Oatmeal can be enjoyed cold in the morning in Overnight oats, can be enjoyed in a sweet dessert as an Ooatmeal apple honey cake or can be eaten in your favourite Oatmeal chocolate chip cookie!
High protein grain: Cornmeal
Cornmeal, polenta, and grits, whatever you would like to call it, it is a reliable source of protein, with 8 grams protein per cup, when cooked.
Bonus, it’s even full of fibre! Check out these Cornmeal raisin breakfast muffins. Or enjoy our recipe for Cornmeal turkey tamale pie, better yet… check out these Apple toffee cornmeal scones.
High protein grain: Wheat berries
Wheat berries are the whole wheat kernel; while they require more patience to cook, they are loaded with protein, iron and fibre that can be enjoyed in both sweet and savoury dishes. A cup of cooked wheat berries is 7 grams of protein.
Try wheat berries today in this recipe for Pulled chicken soup with wheat berries or enjoy it for lunch or as a side dish in our recipe for Greek style wheat berry and lentil salad.
