Although most Americans consume enough grains each day, they don't always choose the best kinds. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, half of your daily grain intake should come from whole-grain sources, which provide carbohydrates to fuel your muscles and nutrients to prevent health problems. Consult the USDA's nutrient chart to determine how many servings of grains you need each day.
Wheat
Wheat is the most abundant grain in the average American diet. However, the majority of wheat intake comes from refined sources, like white bread. Refined grains are missing the germ and bran of the grain, which contains many of its important nutrients and most of the fiber content. Whole wheat is especially high in fiber compared to other grains. For optimal health benefit, replace white bread with products made with whole-wheat flour, which contains the entire wheat grain. Other whole-wheat foods include bulgur and wheat berries.
Oats
Oats come in a variety of types, including steel cut, rolled and quick oats. Although quick oats still contain the whole grain, they are rolled much thinner than other varieties, which allows for a quicker cooking time and a more soupy consistency. According to the Whole Grains Council, all types of oats are nutritionally the same but differ in terms of texture. Oats are an excellent source of protein, iron and zinc, and are also known for their cholesterol-lowering benefits.
Amaranth
Since the 1980s, more farmers have begun to cultivate amaranth in the United States because of increased awareness of its health benefits, as noted by the University of Wisconsin Extension. Amaranth is most commonly ground to produce flour, but it can also be eaten as a breakfast cereal or popped to make popcorn. According to Ask Dr. Sears, amaranth is the most nutritious grain, with its high protein, fiber, calcium, iron and zinc content. Amaranth also contains lysine, an essential amino acid that cannot be made by the human body and is not found in many other grains.
Quinoa
Quinoa was a primary nutritional staple of the Incan tribes in South America, and the name quinoa means "mother grain" in their language. Like amaranth, quinoa is an excellent source of lysine, as well as other essential amino acids. In fact, quinoa's amino acid profile is more similar to milk protein than it is to other types of grain. It also contains high amounts of calcium, iron and zinc. It can be used to make flour, cereal, soup and even alcohol.
References
- Ask Dr. Sears: Best Grains: How They Rank
- United States Department of Agriculture: How Many Grain Food Are Needed Daily?
- Whole Grains Council: Types of Oats
- MayoClinic.com: Cholesterol: Top 5 Foods to Lower Your Numbers
- University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension; Amaranth; D.H. Putnam et al.
- University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension; Quinoa; E.A. Oelke et al.
