Not all grains are created equal. There are whole grains, cracked grains, and grain products, and then there are refined grains from which you want to stay far away. The USDA daily recommendation for grains is three to five servings, with half of those being from whole grains. What they fail to mention is that most of the “whole” grains that we eat tend to not be whole at all. A whole grain has the bran, germ, and endosperm still intact. So bread or flour is not a whole grain. Not that you can’t eat bread every once in a while, but most of your complex carbohydrates should be actual whole grains. Their health benefits are immense. Whole grains are excellent at sustaining blood sugar, supplying good fiber to keep everything running smoothly, giving you lasting energy, and lowering cholesterol, and are full of many beneficial vitamins and minerals. Below are some of my fave grains.
There are endless types of rice: brown rice is the staple grain and comes in short, medium, long, basmati, and jasmine. The first two are for daily use; the last three I tend to eat in warmer months because they are light and cook quickly. Then there are fancier rice varieties, such as black forbidden, Bhutanese red, Arborio, and wild rice. Use different kinds of rice to add variety to your cooking.
Quinoa is actually a seed, but it gets thrown in the whole grain section. It’s probably my favorite grain next to Lundberg’s “Golden Rose” medium brown rice. It has the highest amount of protein of all the grains and is one of your best sources of plant-based protein. So have your fill! It's great for warmer months because of its quick cooking time.
Millet is the most underappreciated of the grains and is usually associated with bird food. It is naturally sweet, making it great for the pancreas and those with blood sugar disorders. It’s good all year round and is excellent in soups, for soft grain dishes, paired with sweet vegetables, or used as a base for burgers and croquettes.
Barley is one of those grains you either love or you don’t. It is hearty, and its energy is known for being relaxing. It’s great mixed with other grains and in soups. Be sure to get hulled barley, rather than pearled barley, which has been stripped of its fiber and minerals. My favorite barley-esque grain is hato mugi. It may be hard to find, and can be quite expensive since it comes from East Asia, but once you try it, you will know why it’s my favorite. The taste and texture is unlike any other grain I’ve tried.
Yes, corn is a grain! It’s naturally sweet and delicious. It’s been getting a bad rap lately since it’s one of the highest GMO crops and is used to make nasty products like high fructose corn syrup. If you can get it organic, local, and non-GMO, I think it’s great to have in the summer when it’s usually grown. The cracked grain polenta, or corn grits, is found in this cookbook, which is easier to digest than corn, and nourishing to the heart.
Rarely does anyone actually eat whole oats anymore. The oats you probably know are steel-cut or rolled oats. These are more of a cracked-grain than whole, but don’t worry. You get some of the benefits that oats give; high in protein, minerals, vitamins, and cholesterol-lowering fiber.
I rarely eat buckwheat as a whole grain, but I love eating soba noodles as an alternative that adds variety to my diet. Noodles are grain products, and I eat them on occasion. Using buckwheat flour adds a new dimension to baked goods.
We all know what wheat is, but most of our wheat comes in the form of flour, bread, crackers, cereals, and seitan. Ideally, if you are eating these grain products, make sure they are made with whole wheat and whole grains, rather than enriched or refined grains. If you have a gluten intolerance, you can try the many gluten-free breads that are now available at any natural food store. Wheat berries, the actual whole-wheat grain, is hearty and mixes well with brown rice.
Spelt is becoming a popular grain to use as flour in breads and desserts. It’s naturally wheat-free but does have gluten in it.
These are the tiniest grains. They make the perfect breakfast porridge, and they mix well with other grains. They are high in calcium and protein, and have a rich, nutty flavor.
Whole-grain pastas are great to have on occasion or when you need to make something quickly. I really love brown rice and quinoa pasta, which are both gluten-free and available at any natural food store. Couscous and bulgur are also grain products that require very little preparation time. These are not whole grains, so you want to eat them sparingly and not as your sole source of complex carbohydrates.