Oats vs. Wheat Flour

Nutrition comparison of Oats and Wheat Flour


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of oats versus wheat flour (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in oats and wheat flour:

  • Both wheat flour and oats are high in calories, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, iron and protein.
  • Oat is a great source of calcium.
  • Oat is an excellent source of potassium.
  • Wheat flour has more riboflavin, niacin and folate, however, oat contains more pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.
Detailed nutritional comparison of oats and wheat flour is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Oats (Oats (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) and Wheat Flour (Wheat flour, white, bread, enriched) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Oats src
Image of Wheat Flour src

Here's an infographic summarizing the nutritional differences between oats and wheat flour. marks particularly rich nutrients.


Calories and Carbs

calories

Both wheat flour and oats are high in calories. Oat has a little more calories (8%) than wheat flour by weight - wheat flour has 361 calories per 100 grams and oat has 389 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, oats is lighter in carbs, heavier in fat and similar to wheat flour for protein. Oats has a macronutrient ratio of 17:67:16 and for wheat flour, 14:82:4 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Oats Wheat Flour
Protein 17% 14%
Carbohydrates 67% 82%
Fat 16% 4%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Both wheat flour and oats are high in carbohydrates. Wheat flour has a little more carbohydrates (9%) than oat by weight - wheat flour has 72.5g of total carbs per 100 grams and oat has 66.3g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Both wheat flour and oats are high in dietary fiber. Oat has 342% more dietary fiber than wheat flour - wheat flour has 2.4g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and oat has 10.6g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Wheat flour and oats contain similar amounts of sugar - wheat flour has 0.31g of sugar per 100 grams and oat does not contain significant amounts.

Protein

protein

Both wheat flour and oats are high in protein. Oat has 41% more protein than wheat flour - wheat flour has 12g of protein per 100 grams and oat has 16.9g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Wheat flour and oats contain similar amounts of saturated fat - wheat flour has 0.24g of saturated fat per 100 grams and oat has 1.2g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin A

Wheat flour and oats contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - wheat flour has 0.6ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and oat does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Wheat flour has more Vitamin E than oat - wheat flour has 0.4mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and oat does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin K

Wheat flour and oats contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - wheat flour has 0.3ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and oat does not contain significant amounts.

The B Vitamins

Wheat flour has more riboflavin, niacin and folate, however, oat contains more pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6. Both oats and wheat flour contain significant amounts of thiamin.

Oats Wheat Flour
Thiamin 0.763 MG 0.812 MG
Riboflavin 0.139 MG 0.512 MG
Niacin 0.961 MG 7.554 MG
Pantothenic acid 1.349 MG 0.438 MG
Vitamin B6 0.119 MG 0.037 MG
Folate 56 UG 183 UG

Minerals

calcium

Oat is a great source of calcium and it has 260% more calcium than wheat flour - wheat flour has 15mg of calcium per 100 grams and oat has 54mg of calcium.

iron

Both wheat flour and oats are high in iron. Wheat flour is very similar to wheat flour for iron - wheat flour has 4.4mg of iron per 100 grams and oat has 4.7mg of iron.

potassium

Oat is an excellent source of potassium and it has 329% more potassium than wheat flour - wheat flour has 100mg of potassium per 100 grams and oat has 429mg of potassium.

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, oat has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than wheat flour per 100 grams.

Oats Wheat Flour
alpha linoleic acid 0.111 G 0.043 G
Total 0.111 G 0.043 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, oat has more linoleic acid than wheat flour per 100 grams.

Oats Wheat Flour
linoleic acid 2.424 G 0.685 G
Total 2.424 G 0.685 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.

Note: The specific food items compared are: Oats (Oats (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)) and Wheat Flour (Wheat flour, white, bread, enriched) .

Oats 156g

( cup )
Daily Values (%)

Wheat Flour 137g

( cup )
607KCAL 30%
23% calories
495KCAL 25%
103G 41%
4% carbohydrates
99G 40%
17G 66%
415% dietary fiber
3.3G 13%
sugar >999% 0.42G
11G 17%
378% total fat
2.3G 4%
1.9G 11%
476% saturated fat
0.33G 2%
3.4G >999% monounsaturated fat 0.19G
4G 300% polyunsaturated fat 1G
3.1MG 0.2%
15% sodium
2.7MG 0.2%
Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamin A >999%
0.82UG 0.1%
84MG 8%
300% calcium
21MG 2%
7.4MG 41%
23% iron
6MG 34%
276MG 89%
712% magnesium
34MG 11%
669MG 29%
388% potassium
137MG 6%
1.2MG 108%
9% thiamin (Vit B1)
1.1MG 101%
0.22MG 20%
riboflavin (Vit B2) 218%
0.7MG 64%
1.5MG 11%
niacin (Vit B3) 567%
10MG 74%
0.19MG 14%
279% Vitamin B6
0.05MG 4%
2.1MG 42%
250% pantothenic acid (Vit B5)
0.6MG 12%
87UG 22%
folate (Vit B9) 189%
251UG 63%
Vitamin E >999%
0.55MG 4%
Vitamin K >999%
0.41UG 1%
26G 53%
62% protein
16G 33%
choline >999%
14MG 3%
0.98MG 81%
292% copper
0.25MG 21%
7.7MG 426%
600% manganese
1.1MG 60%
816MG 117%
514% phosphorus
133MG 19%
selenium >999%
54UG 99%
6.2MG 77%
417% zinc
1.2MG 15%
13G Water 38% 18G


NO SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS (either food): Starch, Alcohol, chlorine, chromium, fluoride, iodine, molybdenum, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, biotin (Vit B7), Vitamin B12, cholesterol, trans fat.

FAQ

Does wheat flour or oats contain more calories in 100 grams?
Both wheat flour and oats are high in calories. Oat has a little more calories ( 10%) than wheat flour by weight - wheat flour has 361 calories in 100g and oat has 389 calories.

Does wheat flour or oats have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both wheat flour and oats are high in carbohydrates. wheat flour has a little more carbohydrates ( 10%) than oat by weight - wheat flour has 72.5g of carbs for 100g and oat has 66.3g of carbohydrates.

Does wheat flour or oats contain more iron?
Both wheat flour and oats are high in iron. Wheat flour is very similar to wheat flour for iron - wheat flour has 4.4mg of iron in 100 grams and oat has 4.7mg of iron.

Does wheat flour or oats contain more potassium?
Oat is a rich source of potassium and it has 330% more potassium than wheat flour - wheat flour has 100mg of potassium in 100 grams and oat has 429mg of potassium.