By Suzanne Havala Hobbs, DrPH, MS, RD
Q: I know that whole grains are really good for me, but I'm bored with my usual oatmeal and rice dishes. What are some other ones I can try?
A: There are plenty of choices beyond what most of us consider the basics—usually whole wheat bread, oatmeal and other breakfast cereals, but to find the more uncommon grains, you may need to make a trip to a big natural foods store or local ethnic food market (you may have to stock up when you get the chance) to purchase the so-called ancient grains. Most of these are unfamiliar to Americans but have been eaten in other parts of the world for thousands of years. See our chart on the next page for examples.
The US Department of Agriculture's revised 2005 Dietary Guidelines advise all of us to choose whole grains at least half the time (that's three to four servings daily). When grains are processed, the outer hull is removed, taking with it protective phytochemicals—healthful nutrients. Some processed grains are enriched by adding back some of the vitamins and minerals. This leaves processed grains-including white rice, breads, cereals and pasta made from refined flour—with fewer nutrients and far less fiber than the grains contain in their natural state.
If you replace refined grains with whole grain breads, noodles, cereals and brown rice, you may reduce your risk of coronary artery disease, cancer and diabetes. A study of 34,000 women at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health has found those who eat one daily serving of a whole grain food have a significantly lower risk of death from all causes compared to women who eat fewer whole grains.
Grains vary in their nutritional composition, but all of them are good sources of B vitamins, some protein and several minerals including calcium, magnesium and potassium. In their whole form, grains are also a substantial source of dietary fiber, contain little or no saturated fat and cholesterol and are low in sodium.
Grains differ in flavor too. Some, in fact, are so strong that they taste best mixed with other grains. Amaranth, for instance, has a distinctive flavor, depending upon the variety. You'll either like it or you won't. It may take more than one try before you can appreciate the unique flavors of some of the less familiar types.
To keep your whole grains fresh, store them in airtight containers away from sunlight in a cool, dry place.
Have You Tried These?
These whole grains add variety to your plate. Some are free of gluten (a protein in wheat that helps bread rise)—important because some people don't tolerate gluten. Many of these grains can be ground into flours and used in place of all-purpose wheat flour. But avoid amaranth, spelt and teff flours in yeast breads. They're no- or low-gluten, and too little gluten results in bread that is dense and brick-like, or won't hold its shape.
GRAIN |
FLAVOR |
USE IT IN |
KEY NUTRIENTS per 1/4 cup uncooked |
LITTLE EXTRAS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMARANTH | Mild and nutty to slightly peppery; can have a sticky texture | Whole grain hot cereals, casseroles, side dishes Flour crackers, pancakes, muffins, quick breads, other baked goods | 7g protein, 7g fiber. One of the only grains that contains the essential amino acid lysine | Gluten-free. Common in Central and South America (was a staple of the Aztecs). The plant produces thousands of tiny seeds, which are used whole or ground into flour. |
| BARLEY | Chewy texture with a mild earthy, nutty flavor | Whole grain soups, casseroles and stews | 6g protein, 8g fiber, 15mg calcium, 208mg potassium | Comes in two forms: pearl, which is refined, and hulled, which has only the outermost hull removed so it's more nutritious. Contains gluten. |
| KAMUT(kah-MOOT) | Rich, nutty, buttery flavor with a chewy texture | Whole grain cereal Flour pasta, crackers |
3g protein, 3g fiber | Got its start in ancient Egypt; has been used in Europe for centuries. Flour contains minimal gluten; the whole grain contains slightly more. |
| MILLET | Mild and slightly sweet flavor | Whole grain hot cereal, baked goods Flour baked goods | 5g protein, 4g fiber, 2mg niacin (a B vitamin; sounds small, but you only need about 14–16mg daily) | A staple in almost 1/3 of the world. A handful of these round, bright yellow seeds adds color and crunch to muffins and breads. Gluten-free. |
| QUINOA (KEEN-wah) | Delicate, nutty flavor; chewy texture | Whole grain pilaf, casseroles, salads, side dishes, hot cereal; unwashed bulk quinoa should be rinsed well before using (packaged is likely prewashed) | 5g protein, 2.5g fiber, 25mg calcium, 4mg iron, 314mg potassium | Cultivated in Central and South America but used all over the world today because it's so tasty and, for a grain, rich in protein. Gluten-free. |
| RICE, brown | Depending on variety, texture varies from sticky to dry, and flavor from mild to aromatic and popcorn-like | Whole grain side dishes, pilaf, casseroles, salads, puddings | 3.5g protein, 1.5g fiber, 2mg niacin | Try brown arborio, long-grained, basmati and jasmine varieties. Gluten-free. |
| RYE, dark | Strong, distinctive flavor | Flour breads, baked goods | 4g protein, 7g fiber, 233mg potassium, 2mg niacin | Contains low levels of gluten; makes dense breads. |
| SPELT | Mellow, nutty flavor | Whole grain hot cereals Flour muffins, pancakes, other non-yeast baked goods | 4g protein, 4g fiber | Used for generations in Europe for baking. Contains gluten but some wheat-sensitive people can tolerate spelt. |
| TEFF | Sweet and malty | Whole grain cooked cereals. Flour non-yeast quick and flat breads, muffins, pancakes | Flour 4g protein, 4g fiber Grain 6g protein, 6g fiber | A tiny white, brown or red grain; used to make traditional Ethiopian flat bread called injera. Gluten-free. |
| WHEAT BERRIES | Chewy with a slightly sweet, nutty flavor | Whole grain hot cereal, pilafs Flour baked goods | 7g protein, 5g fiber | Whole wheat grains with only the outer hull removed. Contains gluten. |
Article by Suzanne Havala Hobbs from Vegetarian Times, October 2005.
Copyright© Vegetarian Times. Reprinted with permission.
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Dellexzander (05/10/2009 00:22:48 AM)
Good info. THnx!
Janet (02/11/2009 20:26:57 PM)
Include Buckwheat
Michelle (01/27/2009 14:22:01 PM)
Good outline of whole grain sources. Thanks for sharing.
Craftymom58 (09/17/2008 12:02:33 PM)
This is a great article, I didn't know a lot about most of these grains. Thanks for putting it here to read !