Flour vs. Pasta

Nutrition comparison of Flour and Pasta


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

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

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

  • Both pasta and flour are high in calories, carbohydrates, dietary fiber and protein.
  • Pasta has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate.
  • Pasta is a great source of potassium.
  • Pasta is an excellent source of iron.
Detailed nutritional comparison of flour and pasta 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: Flour (Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, unenriched) and Pasta (Pasta, dry, enriched) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Flour src
Image of Pasta src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Both pasta and flour are high in calories. Pasta is very similar to flour for calories - pasta has 371 calories per 100 grams and flour has 364 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, flour is heavier in carbs and similar to pasta for protein and fat. Flour has a macronutrient ratio of 12:86:3 and for pasta, 14:82:4 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Flour Pasta
Protein 12% 14%
Carbohydrates 86% 82%
Fat 3% 4%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Both pasta and flour are high in carbohydrates. Pasta is very similar to pasta for carbohydrates - pasta has 74.7g of total carbs per 100 grams and flour has 76.3g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Both pasta and flour are high in dietary fiber. Pasta has 19% more dietary fiber than flour - pasta has 3.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and flour has 2.7g of dietary fiber.

sugar

Pasta and flour contain similar amounts of sugar - pasta has 2.7g of sugar per 100 grams and flour has 0.27g of sugar.

Protein

protein

Both pasta and flour are high in protein. Pasta has 26% more protein than flour - pasta has 13g of protein per 100 grams and flour has 10.3g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both pasta and flour are low in saturated fat - pasta has 0.28g of saturated fat per 100 grams and flour has 0.16g of saturated fat.

Vitamins

Vitamin E

Pasta and flour contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - pasta has 0.11mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and flour has 0.06mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Pasta and flour contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - pasta has 0.1ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and flour has 0.3ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Pasta has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate. Both flour and pasta contain significant amounts of pantothenic acid.

Flour Pasta
Thiamin 0.12 MG 0.891 MG
Riboflavin 0.04 MG 0.4 MG
Niacin 1.25 MG 7.177 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.438 MG 0.431 MG
Vitamin B6 0.044 MG 0.142 MG
Folate 26 UG 237 UG

Minerals

calcium

Pasta and flour contain similar amounts of calcium - pasta has 21mg of calcium per 100 grams and flour has 15mg of calcium.

iron

Pasta is an excellent source of iron and it has 182% more iron than flour - pasta has 3.3mg of iron per 100 grams and flour has 1.2mg of iron.

potassium

Pasta is a great source of potassium and it has 108% more potassium than flour - pasta has 223mg of potassium per 100 grams and flour has 107mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

carotenoids

Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]

For specific types of carotenoids, both flour and pasta contain small amounts of lutein + zeaxanthin.

Flour Pasta
lutein + zeaxanthin 18 UG 18 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, both flour and pasta contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA).

Flour Pasta
alpha linoleic acid 0.022 G 0.024 G
Total 0.022 G 0.024 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both flour and pasta contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.

Flour Pasta
linoleic acid 0.391 G 0.54 G
Total 0.391 G 0.54 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Flour or Pasta .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Flour (Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, unenriched) and Pasta (Pasta, dry, enriched) .

Flour g

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G trans fat G
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choline
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G Water G
G Starch G
G Alcohol G


FAQ

Does pasta or flour contain more calories in 100 grams?
Both pasta and flour are high in calories. Pasta is quite similar to flour for calories - pasta has 371 calories in 100g and flour has 364 calories.

Does pasta or flour have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both pasta and flour are high in carbohydrates. pasta is very similar to pasta for carbohydrates - pasta has 74.7g of carbs for 100g and flour has 76.3g of carbohydrates.

Does pasta or flour contain more iron?
Pasta is an abundant source of iron and it has 180% more iron than flour - pasta has 3.3mg of iron in 100 grams and flour has 1.2mg of iron.

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