My diet:

Durum wheat

No E-numberGrains & floursOrigin: Plant
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Every diet

VeganYes
Gluten-freeNo

Durum wheat contains gluten.

HalalYes
KosherYes
KetoNo

A cup of cooked durum has around 40 grams of carbohydrate.

Low-FODMAPDepends

A small portion is low FODMAP, a large serving is not.

The short answer
Durum wheat is the hard wheat behind pasta, semolina and couscous, and it is safe as a whole grain. It contains gluten, so it is out for celiac disease, and it is a wheat grain like any other.
Generally safe

Fine for most people at normal amounts.

E-numberNone
Comes fromPlant
What it doesGrains & flours
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledDurum wheat, Durum wheat flour

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDANot evaluated as an additive
🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive
🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive
CaliforniaNo extra rules

Durum wheat is a grain and a food rather than an additive, so it has no E-number and none of the three regulators has evaluated it as an additive. It is, however, one of the cereals that has to be declared as an allergen, and in the European Union durum wheat semolina carries its own legal name on the label because it makes a distinguishable product.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

Durum is higher in protein than the soft wheat used for bread, and that protein makes a dough that holds its shape when it is cooked. A cup of cooked durum pasta carries around 40 grams of carbohydrate and 2 grams of fiber, though a tightly packed cup pushes the carbohydrate past 45. On a label it arrives as semolina, as durum wheat flour, or as whole durum in a wholegrain pasta.

Where it comes from: The hardest of the wheat species, bred for the dry fields of the Mediterranean and North Africa. Its grain is amber and vitreous, and it is milled into the coarse semolina that gives pasta its texture rather than into the flour used for bread.

Why it’s in food

  • Pasta and dried noodles
  • Semolina for couscous
  • Cracked wheat and bulgur
  • Durum wheat bran
  • Pita and flatbreads

Often found in

PastaCouscousBulgur wheatCrackersPita bread

Also listed as: Durum wheat, Durum wheat flour, Durum wheat pasta, Whole durum wheat, Durum wheat couscous

Health & gut impact

ProteinBenefit

Durum has more protein than bread wheat, around 12 to 14 percent of the dry grain, and a cup of the dry grain, 192 grams, carries 26 grams of it. That is one of the reasons it is worth buying in the whole-grain form where the label allows it.

USDA FoodData Central, durum wheat

Celiac diseaseConcern

Durum carries the gluten proteins gliadin and glutenin, and celiac disease is an immune reaction to exactly those proteins, so there is no safe portion of durum for someone with the condition. Packaged products labelled gluten-free are legally held to 20 milligrams per kilogram.

NHS, coeliac disease

Fiber and whole grainBenefit

Refined semolina is close to white flour, with most of the fiber and the minerals milled away, at 3.9 grams per 100 grams. Whole durum keeps the bran and the germ and carries around 7 grams per 100 grams, close to twice as much, and is the version worth buying if the point of the grain is the grain.

USDA FoodData Central, durum wheat

FODMAP portionUnder study

A small portion of cooked durum is low FODMAP and a large serving is not, because the fructans build up with the portion size. The rule that matters here is the serving rather than the grain itself.

NHS, irritable bowel syndrome

What can I use instead?

Rice flour

Ratio: Use about a quarter less, as it drinks more liquid

Best for: A gluten-free thickener and binder

Corn flour

Ratio: One for one in a sauce or for dusting

Best for: Coating and thickening without gluten

Buckwheat

Ratio: Cook it as a whole grain in place of couscous

Best for: A gluten-free grain with a nutty flavor

Related

More grains & flours:

BuckwheatBuckwheat is not wheat at all, and it is safe for celiac disease because it contains no gluten. It is high in rutin and magnesium, it is used for soba noodles and kasha, and in Europe it has to be labeled as such so it is not mistaken for a wheat product.Generally safeCouscousCouscous is rolled durum wheat semolina, so it is wheat in another shape and it contains gluten. It cooks in minutes and it is high in fructans, which puts it near the top of the low-FODMAP cut list.Generally safeMilletMillet is a small-seeded grass, eaten as a porridge or as a rice substitute. It is naturally gluten-free, cheap, quick to cook and low FODMAP in a normal serving, and it holds onto its texture better than most grains when reheated.Generally safePea starchPea starch is the fine white powder milled from yellow peas, and it is a pure starch with a neutral taste. It is gluten-free and low FODMAP, but it is essentially pure carbohydrate and it thickens a sauce more smoothly than wheat starch.Generally safe

Common questions

Is durum wheat the same as wheat?

It is wheat, just a different species of it. Durum is the hard variety bred for pasta and semolina, while the wheat in bread is a softer kind that gives dough its rise.

Can I eat durum wheat with celiac disease?

No. Durum contains the same gluten proteins as any other wheat, and celiac disease is an immune reaction to them. A gluten-free diet excludes durum completely.

Is semolina gluten-free?

No. Semolina is simply durum wheat milled coarsely, so it carries the same gluten as the flour it came from. Couscous made from semolina is a wheat product, not a gluten-free one.

What is durum wheat used for?

Mostly pasta and semolina, and from there couscous, bulgur and crackers. Its hard, high-protein grain is what makes pasta dough hold together instead of turning to paste in the pan.

Is Durum wheat safe?

Generally safe (88/100). Durum wheat is a grain and a food rather than an additive, so it has no E-number and none of the three regulators has evaluated it as an additive. It is, however, one of the cereals that has to be declared as an allergen, and in the European Union durum wheat semolina carries its own legal name on the label because it makes a distinguishable product.

Is Durum wheat gluten-free?

No. Durum wheat contains gluten.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • USDA FoodData Central, durum wheat
  • NHS, coeliac disease
  • NHS, irritable bowel syndrome