Wholemeal pasta — cooked: how many calories?

Wholemeal pasta — cooked carries 124 calories per 100 grams; a typical portion (180 g) comes to 223 calories. The tables below give the same figure in cups, spoons and slices.

100 g124kcal
  • Protein5.3 g
  • Carbs27.0 g
  • Fat0.5 g
  • Fibre4.5 g
1 portion · 180 g223kcal
  • Protein9.5 g
  • Carbs48.6 g
  • Fat0.9 g
  • Fibre8.1 g

Where do the calories come from?

  • Protein 16%
  • Carbs 81%
  • Fat 3%

The shares are calculated from the calorie value of the macros: protein and carbohydrate are 4 calories per gram, fat is 9. Fibre is counted inside the carbohydrate and there is no alcohol in this list, which is why the three shares always add up to one hundred percent.

What do these numbers mean on the plate?

Wholemeal pasta — cooked carries 1.2 calories per gram: 100 calories come to 81 grams. This is the typical range of cooked home food — as the portion grows the calories grow with it, and both move at the same pace.

A typical portion is 180 g. Because tables are written per 100 grams, counting the portion as 100 grams too is a common mistake; for Wholemeal pasta — cooked that means understating the calories by 44%.

In calories, one portion (180 g · 223 kcal) comes to: 170 g Anchovy. Anchovy page

One portion every day adds up to 81,468 calories a year — roughly a 10.6 kg difference. This is a linear estimate and an upper bound: as weight changes, daily needs change with it. Build your own timeline

Most of the weight of cooked grain is water. Confusing dry weight with cooked weight can misstate the calories several times over; the values here are for the cooked state.

Household measure equivalents

MeasureGramCaloriesProtein
Tablespoon (15 ml)8.7 g11 kcal0.5 g
Small glass (100 ml)58 g72 kcal3.1 g
Glass (200 ml)116 g144 kcal6.1 g
US cup (240 ml)139 g173 kcal7.4 g
Bowl (300 ml)174 g216 kcal9.2 g
1 serving180 g223 kcal9.5 g

A cup measures 200 millilitres, not 200 grams; the grams in the table therefore come from the food's own bulk density rather than from volume. Packing the cup down or chopping more finely shifts the figure by 10-20%. Convert your own measure

How much of the daily reference intake?

NutrientDaily reference100 g1 portion · 180 g
Calories2,000 kcal6%11%
Fat70 g1%1%
Carbs260 g10%19%
Protein50 g11%19%
Fibre25 g18%32%

The reference values are the figures EU Regulation 1169/2011 gives for an average adult — the %RI column on labels rests on the same numbers. They are not a personal target; the fibre row is not in the regulation, the 25 grams there is EFSA's adequate intake for adults. Work out your own calorie needs

Where does it sit within its group?

It is number 5 of the 8 foods in the Cooked grains and starches group by calories per 100 grams. The group averages 142 kcal; Wholemeal pasta — cooked is 13% below that average.

Lighter options at the same 180 grams

FoodCaloriesDifferenceProtein
Bulgur pilaf — cooked149 kcal−74 kcal5.6 g
Potato — boiled157 kcal−67 kcal3.4 g
Quinoa — cooked216 kcal−7 kcal7.9 g

The “good swap” mark only appears when an option lowers the calories without also lowering protein and fibre per 100 calories. Unmarked rows save calories but give up nutrient density. Try it with your own portion

How long does it take to burn one portion (180 g)?

  • Walking — brisk (5.6 km/h)55 min
  • Running — 8 km/h (7:30 min/km)25 min
  • Cycling — 16-19 km/h31 min

The maths assumes 70 kg and is NET rather than gross: the resting calories that would burn without any exercise are not counted, because they do not pay for this portion. The heavier you are, the shorter the times. Calculate with your own weight

Foods with similar calories

Which claims could its label carry?

EU Regulation 1924/2006 ties every label claim to a numeric threshold. Wholemeal pasta — cooked meets 3 of them:

  • Fat-free100 g → 0.5 g fat · threshold: at most 0.5 g
  • Protein source17% of its calories come from protein · threshold: at least 12%
  • Source of fibre100 g → 4.5 g fibre · threshold: at least 3.0 g

A claim on a label rests on that product's OWN laboratory analysis, whereas the numbers here come from average composition tables. The list is therefore not a permit but an estimate of which side of the threshold a product sits on. For drinks, the calorie and fat thresholds are set per 100 millilitres and are lower. Interpret your own label

Apply these numbers to your own portion

The values are averages taken from standard composition tables; a 10-15% difference between two products with the same name is normal, and the cooking method can double that gap. This page is for information and is not medical advice.