Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.)
Amaranth was a staple of Aztec culture, until Cortez, in an effort to destroy
that civilization, decreed that anyone growing the crop would be put to death.
Seeds were smuggled out to Asia, where local dialects referred to Amaranth as
"king seed" and "seed sent by God" as a tribute to its taste
and sustenance. Amaranth kernels are tiny; when cooked they resemble brown caviar.
Today amaranth is making its way back, thanks to a lively, peppery taste and
a higher level of protein (16%) than most other grains. In South America, it
is often sold on the streets, popped like corn. Amaranth has no gluten, so it
must be mixed with wheat to make leavened breads. It is popular in cereals,
breads, muffins, crackers and pancakes.
Health bonus: Amaranth has a high level of very complete protein; its protein
contains lysine, an amino acid missing or negligible in many grains.
Barley (Hordum vulgare)
Barley is one of the oldest cultivated grains. Egyptians buried mummies with
necklaces of barley, and centuries later Edward I of England standardized the
inch as equal to “three barley seeds.” It is a highly-adaptable crop,
growing north of the Arctic circle and as far south as Ethiopia.
Barley has a particularly tough hull, which is difficult to remove without
losing some of the bran. Hulled barley, available at health food stores, retains
more of the whole-grain nutrients but is very slow-cooking. New varieties of
hull-less barley are starting to become available. Lightly pearled barley is
not technically a whole grain (as small amounts of the bran are missing) -
but it's full of fiber and much healthier than a fully-refined grain.
Health bonus: The fiber in barley is especially healthy; it may lower cholesterol
even more effectively than oat fiber.
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)
Buckwheat goes way beyond the pancake mixes we associate with it. Japan’s soba noodles, Brittany’s crêpes and Russia’s kasha are all made with buckwheat. Botanically, buckwheat is a cousin of rhubarb, not technically a grain at all - and certainly not a kind of wheat. But its nutrients, nutty flavor and appearance have led to its ready adoption into the family of grains. Buckwheat tolerates poor soil, grows well on rocky hillsides and thrives without chemical pesticides.
Health bonus: Buckwheat is the only grain known to have high levels of an
antioxidant called rutin, and studies show that it improves circulation and
prevents LDL cholesterol from blocking blood vessels.
Bulgur (Triticum ssp.)
When wheat kernels are boiled, dried, cracked, then sorted by size, the result
is bulgur. This wheat product is sometimes referred to as “Middle Eastern
pasta” for its versatility as a base for all sorts of dishes. Bulgur is
most often made from durum wheat, but in fact almost any wheat, hard or soft,
red or white, can be made into bulgur.
Because bulgur has been precooked and dried, it needs to be boiled for only
about 10 minutes to be ready to eat - about the same time as dry pasta.
This makes bulgur an extremely nutritious fast food for quick side dishes, pilafs
or salads. Perhaps bulgur’s best-known traditional use is in the minty
grain and vegetable salad known as tabbouleh.
Health bonus: Bulgur has more fiber than quinoa, oats, millet, buckwheat
or corn. Its quick cooking time and mild flavor make it ideal for those new
to whole grain cooking.
Corn (Zea mays mays)
Fresh corn on the cob. Popcorn. Corn cakes. Polenta. Tortillas. Corn muffins.
Though sometimes dismissed as a nutrient-poor starch - both a second-rate
vegetable and a second-rate grain - corn is lately being reassessed and
viewed as a healthy food. Traditional Latin cultures learned how to treat corn
with alkali, creating masa harina. This treatment liberates the niacin in corn,
so those who depend on it for sustenance will avoid pellagra. Eating corn with
beans creates a complementary mix of amino acids that raises the protein value
to humans.
Most of the corn grown in the U.S. is used to feed cattle and to make sweeteners.
But some finds its way into the grocery store. Avoid labels that say “degerminated”
when you’re looking for whole-grain corn.
Health bonus: A new study shows that corn has the highest level of antioxidants
of any grain or vegetable - almost twice the antioxidant activity of apples!
Farro / Emmer (Triticum turgidum dicoccum)
Emmer, an ancient strain of wheat, was one of the first cereals ever domesticated
in the Fertile Crescent, and centuries later, it served as the standard daily
ration of the Roman legions. But over the centuries, emmer was gradually abandoned
in favor of durum wheat, which is easier to hull.
By the beginning of the 20th century, higher-yielding wheat strains had replaced
emmer almost everywhere, except in Ethiopia, where emmer still constitutes about
7% of the wheat grown.
In Italy - and increasingly throughout the world - emmer is known
as farro or grano farro and is staging a comeback as a gourmet specialty. Semolina
flour made from emmer is still used today for special soups and other dishes
in Tuscany and Umbria, and farro is thought by some aficionados to make the
best pasta.
Grano (Triticum turgidum durum)
When durum wheat kernels (“wheat berries”) are lightly polished,
they become grano, a side-dish full of nutty flavor and al dente texture. Those
who have tried wheat berries (see below) know that they require soaking and
then cooking for an hour. But the minimal processing given to grano means that
some of the thick outer casing of the grain is removed, sacrificing a small
amount of bran in order to cut cooking time to about thirty minutes.
Grano is in fact the Italian word for grain, a name that evokes its origins.
In Italy, grano predates pasta (also made from durum wheat) but is still enjoyed
in traditional dishes, especially in Sicily and Apulia. Because it is missing
some of its bran, grano is not technically a whole grain, but is still a healthier
choice than a totally-refined grain.
Kamut® Grain (triticum turgidum turanicum)
Kamut® grain is another example of an heirloom grain, once pushed aside
by an agricultural monoculture but now returning to add variety to the food
supply. Brought back as a souvenir said to be from an Egyptian tomb, this wheat
variety was peddled without much success at the Montana State Fair in 1960 as
“King Tut’s Wheat.”
Years of selecting, testing and propagating eventually brought the grain -
now called Kamut, an ancient Egyptian word for wheat - to prominence. Today,
millions of pounds of this rich, buttery-tasting wheat are grown on organic
farms and made into over 450 whole-grain products around the world.
Health bonus: Kamut® grain has higher levels of protein than common
wheat, and more Vitamin E.
Millet (Panicum miliaceum)
Millet is rarely served to humans in the United States - here, it’s
the grain most often found in bird feeders. Yet it’s the leading staple
grain in India, and is commonly eaten in China, South America, Russia and the
Himalayas.
Millet has a mild flavor and is often mixed with other grains or toasted before
cooking, to bring out the full extent of its delicate flavor. Its tiny grain
can be white, gray, yellow or red.
Oats (Avena sativa)
Oats have a sweet flavor that makes them a favorite for breakfast cereals.
Unique among grains, oats almost never have their bran and germ removed in processing.
So if you see oats or oat flour on the label, relax: you're virtually guaranteed
to be getting whole grain.
In the US, most oats are steamed and flattened to produce "old-fashioned"
or regular oats, quick oats, and instant oats. The more oats are flattened and
steamed, the quicker they cook - and the softer they become. If you prefer
a chewier, nuttier texture, consider steel-cut oats, also sometimes called Irish
or Scottish oats. Steel-cut oats consist of the entire oat kernel (similar in
look to a grain of rice), sliced once or twice into smaller pieces to help water
penetrate and cook the grain. Cooked for about 20 minutes, steel-cut oats create
a breakfast porridge that delights many people who didn't realize they love
oatmeal!
Health bonus: Scientific studies have concluded that like barley, oats contain
a special kind of fiber called beta-glucan found to be especially effective
in lowering cholesterol. Recent research reports indicate that oats also have
a unique antioxidant, avenanthramides, that helps protect blood vessels from
the damaging effects of LDL cholesterol.
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa)
Quinoa (keen-wah) comes to us from the Andes, where it has long been cultivated
by the Inca. Botanically a relative of swiss chard and beets rather than a “true”
grain, quinoa cooks in about 10-12 minutes, creating a light, fluffy side dish.
It can also be incorporated into soups, salads and baked goods. Commercially,
quinoa is now appearing in cereal flakes and other processed foods. Though much
of our quinoa is still imported from South America, farmers in high-altitude
areas near the Rockies are also beginning to cultivate quinoa.
Quinoa is a small, light-colored round grain, similar in appearance to sesame
seeds. But quinoa is also available in other colors, including red, purple and
black. Most quinoa must be rinsed before cooking, to remove the bitter residue
of saponins, a plant-defense that wards off insects. Botanists are now developing
saponin-free strains of quinoa, to eliminate this minor annoyance to the enjoyment
of quinoa.
Health bonus: The abundant protein in quinoa is complete protein, which
means that it contains all the essential amino acids our bodies can’t make
on their own.
Rice (Oryza sativa)
White rice is refined, with the germ and bran removed. Whole-grain rice is
usually brown - but, unknown to many, can also be black, purple, red or
any of a variety of exotic hues. Around the world, rice thrives in warm, humid
climates; almost all of the US rice crop is grown in Arkansas, California, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Missouri and Texas.
Converted rice is parboiled before refining, a process which drives some of
the B vitamins into the endosperm so that they are not lost when the bran is
removed. As a result, converted rice is healthier than regular white rice, but
still is lacking many nutrients found in brown rice. Brown rice is lower in
fiber than most other whole grains.
Health bonus: Rice is one of the most easily-digested grains - one
reason rice cereal is often recommended as a baby’s first solid. This makes
rice ideal for those on a restricted diet or who are gluten-intolerant.
Rye (Secale cereale)
Long seen as a weed in more desirable wheat crops, rye eventually gained respect
for its ability to grow in areas too wet or cold for other grains. For this
reason it is a traditional part of cuisine in Northern Europe and Russia. Rye
was also widely grown in colonial America; some historians believe a fungus,
rye ergot, triggered hallucinations leading to the Salem witch trials.
Recently the Finnish bakery group Fazer started a three-year program to publicize
the health benefits of rye products, in a major push to increase rye consumption.
Rye is unusual among grains for the high level of fiber in its endosperm -
not just in its bran. Because of this, rye products generally have a lower glycemic
index than products made from wheat and most other grains, making them especially
healthy for diabetics.
Health bonus: The type of fiber in rye promotes a rapid feeling of fullness,
making rye foods a good choice for people trying to lose weight.
Sorghum / Milo (Sorghum spp.)
Farmers on the Great Plains from South Dakota to Texas appreciate that sorghum
thrives where other crops would wither and die; in drought periods, in fact,
it becomes partially dormant. Worldwide, about 50% of sorghum goes to human
consumption, but in the US, most of the crop is fed to animals, made into wallboard
or used for biodegradable packing materials.
That’s a shame, because sorghum, also called milo and believed to have
originated in Africa, can be eaten like popcorn, cooked into porridge, ground
into flour for baked goods, or even brewed into beer.
Health bonus: A gluten-free grain, sorghum is especially popular among those
with celiac disease.
Spelt (Triticum aestivum spelta)
Spelt is a variety of wheat widely cultivated until the spread of fertilizers
and mechanical harvesting left it by the wayside in favor of wheats more compatible
with industrialization. Spelt can be used in place of common wheat in most recipes.
Twelfth-century mystic St. Hildegard is said to have written, "The spelt
is the best of grains. It is rich and nourishing and milder than other grain.
It produces a strong body and healthy blood to those who eat it and it makes
the spirit of man light and cheerful. If someone is ill boil some spelt, mix
it with egg and this will heal him like a fine ointment." Today, the German
abbey she founded still sells spelt products and even spelt liqueur.
Health bonus: Spelt is higher in protein than common wheat. There are anecdotal
reports that some people sensitive to wheat can tolerate spelt, but no reliable
medical studies have addressed that issue.
Teff (Eragrostis tef)
It is estimated that teff is the principal source of nutrition for over two-thirds
of Ethiopians, who make it into the ubiquitous spongy injera flatbread. Teff
grains are minute - just 1/150 the size of wheat kernels - giving
rise to the grain’s name, which comes from teffa, meaning “lost”
in Amharic.
This nutritious and easy-to-grow type of millet is largely unknown outside
of Ethiopia, India and Australia. Today it is getting more attention for its
sweet, molasses-like flavor and its versatility; it can be cooked as porridge,
added to baked goods, or even made into “teff polenta.” Teff grows
in three colors: red, brown and white. All are whole-grain, because the kernel
is simply too small to mill easily.
Health bonus: Teff has over twice the iron of other grains, and twenty times
the calcium; one cup of cooked teff contains more calcium (387mg) than a cup
of milk.
Triticale (x triticosecale rimpaui)
Triticale (trit-i-kay-lee) is the new kid on the block, a hybrid of durum wheat
and rye that’s been grown commercially for only thirty-five years. Rye
and wheat have long cross-bred in nature, but the resulting offspring were sterile,
until a French scientist, in 1937 discovered how to induce fertility.
Triticale was over-hyped as a miracle crop in the 1970s, but initial interest
faded when crops were inconsistent and acceptance was slow. Today about 80%
of the world’s triticale is grown in Europe. It grows easily without commercial
fertilizers and pesticides, making it ideal for organic and sustainable farming.
Wheat (Triticum aestivum; Triticum turgidum)
Wheat has come to dominate the grains we eat because it contains large amounts
of gluten, a stretchy protein that enables bakers to create satisfying risen
breads. It’s al-most impossible to make an acceptable risen loaf without
at least some wheat mixed in.
Two main varieties of wheat are widely eaten. Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum
durum) is made into pasta, while bread wheat (Triticum aestivum vulgare) is
used for most other wheat foods.
Bread wheat is described as “hard” or “soft” according
to its protein content; as “winter” or “spring” according
to when its sown; and as “red” or “white” according to color
of the kernels. Hard wheat has more protein, including more gluten, and is used
for bread, while soft wheat creates “cake flour” with lower protein.
Winter and spring wheat differ largely in their growing areas, with northern
areas supporting spring wheat and more southerly climates able to plant winter
wheat, which is actually planted in the fall and harvested in the spring. Red
wheat has more strong-flavored tannins than milder white wheat; in this case
the word “white” does not mean that the grain has been refined.
Like the other grains above, wheat can be enjoyed in many different forms than
baked goods and pasta. Bulgur and grano (see above) make excellent side-dishes.
Wheat berries - whole wheat kernels - can also be cooked as a side
dish or breakfast cereal, but must be boiled for about an hour, preferably after
soaking overnight. Cracked wheat cooks faster, as the wheat berries have been
split open, allowing water to penetrate more quickly. Some stores also sell
wheat flakes, with an appearance similar to rolled oats.
Wild Rice (Zizania spp.)
Wild rice is not technically rice at all, but the seed of an aquatic grass
originally grown by indigenous tribes around the Great Lakes. Today some commercial
cultivation takes place in California and the Midwest, but much of the crop
is still harvested by Native Americans, largely in Minnesota.
The strong flavor and high price of wild rice mean that it is most often consumed
in a blend with other rices or other grains. Wild rice has twice the protein
and fiber of brown rice, but less iron and calcium.
© Reproduced with permission of the Whole Grains Council, 2008.