Spelt vs Barley: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Spelt has 5.5 g of protein, which is higher than barley's 2.3 g. Spelt contains 127 calories, while barley has 123 calories.

Spelt and barley are both whole grains that offer various nutritional benefits. This comparison highlights their differences in calories, protein, carbohydrates, and other key nutrients.

What Is the Difference Between Spelt and Barley?

Spelt is an ancient grain, a type of wheat that is known for its nutty flavor and high nutritional value. It is often used in bread, pasta, and other baked goods. Barley is a cereal grain that is commonly used in soups, stews, and as animal feed. It is valued for its high fiber content and versatility in cooking.

Spelt vs Barley: Nutrition Side by Side

Below is a side-by-side comparison of spelt and barley, detailing their nutritional content per 100 g.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Spelt (cooked)	Barley (cooked, pearled)
Calories	127 kcal	123 kcal
Protein	5.5 g	2.3 g
Carbs	26.4 g	28.2 g
Sugar	0 g	0.3 g
Fat	0.8 g	0.4 g
Fiber	3.9 g	3.8 g
Sodium	5 mg	3 mg

Which Is Better, Spelt or Barley?

For weight loss: Spelt has 127 calories, while barley has slightly fewer at 123 calories, making barley a marginally better option for weight loss.

For muscle and protein: Spelt contains 5.5 g of protein, significantly higher than barley's 2.3 g, making it a better choice for muscle building.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Barley has 28.2 g of carbohydrates compared to spelt's 26.4 g, and both grains have low sugar content, with barley at 0.3 g and spelt at 0 g.

How to Track Spelt and Barley Accurately

Portion sizes and macro content can often be misjudged, leading to inaccurate dietary assessments. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers provided are rounded reference values for educational use and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a professional for dietary guidance. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which grain has more protein?

Spelt has 5.5 g of protein, while barley has 2.3 g.

Which grain has fewer calories?

Barley has 123 calories, while spelt has 127 calories.

What is the carbohydrate content in spelt?

Spelt has 26.4 g of carbohydrates per 100 g.

How much fiber is in barley?

Barley contains 3.8 g of fiber per 100 g.

What is the fat content in spelt?

Spelt has 0.8 g of fat per 100 g.

How much sugar is in barley?

Barley contains 0.3 g of sugar per 100 g.

Key Takeaways

• Spelt has 127 calories per 100 g.
• Barley has 123 calories per 100 g.
• Spelt contains 5.5 g of protein.
• Barley contains 2.3 g of protein.
• Spelt has 26.4 g of carbohydrates.
• Barley has 28.2 g of carbohydrates.