Healthy Options: Learning about Other Whole Grains

In past months, you have received information about the whole grains wheat, rice and oats. This month, as follow-up to Sister Hays’ class on storing and using a multigrain flour mix, here is some information and resources related to those “other” grains. This information is taken from the Whole Grains Council. For more information visit their site at: www.wholegrainscouncil.org

List of whole grains
The following, when consumed in a form including the bran, germ and endosperm, are examples* of generally accepted whole grain foods and flours. Click here to learn more about each one.

1. Amaranth
2. Barley
3. Buckwheat
4. Corn, including whole cornmeal and popcorn
5. Millet
6. Oats, including oatmeal
7. Quinoa
8. Rice, both brown rice and colored rice
9. Rye
10. Sorghum (also called milo)
11. Teff
12. Triticale
13. Wheat, including varieties such as spelt, emmer, farro, einkorn, Kamut®, durum and forms such as bulgur, cracked wheat and wheatberries
14. Wild rice

* Note: This list is not meant to be comprehensive, but to include those grains most familiar to consumers. Other cereal grasses from the Poaceae (or Gramineous) family, such as canary seed, Job's tears, Montina, fonio, etc. are also whole grains when consumed with all of their bran, germ and endosperm.Oilseeds and legumes (such as flax, sunflower seeds, soy, chickpeas, etc.) are not considered whole grains.

What are the Health Benefits?
Studies show that eating whole grains instead of refined grains lowers the risk of many chronic diseases. While benefits are most pronounced for those consuming at least 3 servings daily, some studies show reduced risks from as little as one serving daily. The message: every whole grain in your diet helps!

The main benefits of whole grains
The benefits of whole grains most documented by repeated studies include:

• stroke risk reduced 30-36%
• type 2 diabetes risk reduced 21-30%
• heart disease risk reduced 25-28%
• better weight maintenance

Other benefits indicated by recent studies include:

• reduced risk of asthma
• healthier carotid arteries
• reduction of inflammatory disease risk
• lower risk of colorectal cancer
• healthier blood pressure levels
• less gum disease and tooth loss

Make Easy Substitutions

• Replace one third of the flour in a recipe with quick oats or old-fashioned oats.
• Add half a cup of cooked bulgur, wild rice, or barley to bread stuffing.
• Add half a cup of cooked wheat or rye berries, wild rice, brown rice, sorghum or barley to your favorite canned or home-made soup.Use whole corn meal for corn cakes, corn breads and corn muffins.

Try New Foods

• Make risottos, pilafs and other rice-like dishes with whole grains such as barley, brown rice, bulgur, millet, quinoa or sorghum.
• Enjoy whole grain salads like tabbouleh.
• Buy whole grain pasta, or one of the blends that’s part whole-grain, part white.
• Try whole grain breads. Kids especially like whole grain pita bread.Look for cereals made with grains like kamut, kasha (buckwheat) or spelt.