Simply put, grains are glucose sources of foods that stem from plants. Whole grains contain all the essential parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed, making them an extremely healthy source of nutrients. The cereals,...
Grains used to be at the basis of the food pyramid and now correspond to over a quarter of the plate recommended by the USDA at ChooseMyPlate.gov. Most Americans have grains every day, if not at every meal. Bagels, toast, breakfast cereals,...
The American public has a love affair with grains--think French bread, breakfast cereal and pizza dough--but a lot of those grains are refined. That means the texture is light, but many nutrients are removed, according to the United States Dept....
The term "whole grain" is often loosely thrown around when the subject of healthy eating comes up. Not all whole wheat bread, actually contains whole grains. A grain is only considered "whole" when it includes all three parts: the germ, the bran...
Whole grains, such as wheat, barley, rye, millet, oat and brown rice, are vital dietary sources of nutrients that include vitamins, minerals and fiber. Whole grains contains the entire grain seed of the plant, including the bran, germ and...
Pulses are part of the food grain family known as legumes and include foods such as chickpeas, peas, lentils, beans and peanuts. Pulses are an important source of nutrition throughout the world but are not a common component of the typical Western...
Amaranth is an 8,000 year old grain that was once a staple of Aztec diets. The amaranth plant related to Swiss chard, quinoa, beets and spinach produces thousands of tiny seeds that actually make up this grain-like product. Although not commonly...
Whole grain rice, also known as brown rice, is a healthier option than white rice. Like other whole grains, it has more fiber, more vitamins and more minerals than refined grains. Switching from white rice to brown rice could also be beneficial to...
Whole grain or whole wheat pasta, such as spaghetti, is made from flour that contains the entire grain kernel, the germ, endosperm and bran, according to the Wheat Foods Council. Whole grain pasta is rich in many nutrients essential for human...
Whole grains are minimally processed and include wheat, rye and barley. Minimal processing means the bran and germ of the grains are not removed. These foods include whole-grain breads, whole-wheat pastas, brown rice, whole-grain tortillas and...
Before you get all wrapped up in the hype regarding carbs, get to know your complex carbohydrates. Complex carbs are those which not only contain carbs but also fiber and vitamins and minerals. Complex carbs take longer to break down, meaning...
Although some believe carbohydrates are detrimental for dieting, carbohydrate-rich foods, such as grains, are beneficial for a variety of health goals. Grains come in a variety of forms -- bread, rice and pasta, for example -- but many different...
Rice provides your body with carbohydrates needed to maintain energy levels, and enriched or fortified rice also contains additional nutrients such as folic acid. To enjoy the benefits of these grains while also improving the taste, you can turn...
Examples of grains include bread, cereal, pasta, rice, barley, oatmeal and bulgur. Grains provide essential nutrients and may have other benefits, and a 2,000-calorie diet should include 6 oz. of grains per day, according to the 2010 Dietary...
Blood platelets are cell fragments in your blood that clots when prompted to prevent excessive bleeding. When your body starts to bleed, blood platelets, fibrinogen, mineral calcium and vitamin K cause blood clotting, which can help to save your...
Naturally occurring antioxidants help fight diseases in the body, boost immunity, and repair damaged cells. These antioxidants can be found in a variety of whole foods that nutritionists have been recommending for years, including fruits, legumes...
While there's nothing inherently wrong with eating beans and brown rice each day, you may end up suffering from dietary boredom as a result. After eating almost anything day in and day out, you can get sick of it. But both beans and brown rice are...
The Ornish diet is a weight loss and wellness diet, created by cardiologist Dean Ornish, M.D. In his book, "Eat More, Weigh Less," Ornish recommends a vegetarian diet consisting of 10 percent fat, 20 percent protein and 70 percent carbohydrates....
Investigators reporting in the February 2011 issue of "The Archives of Internal Medicine" found that a high-fiber diet has a tremendous advantage by reducing the risk of death from any type of disease. They analyzed data from the National...
Whole grain foods are a recommended addition to any diet and they provide healthy carbohydrates. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, recommends following a diet plan that includes obtaining 45 to 65 percent of your daily...
When kids eat many of their favorite foods, such macaroni and cheese, popcorn, pizza and hamburgers, they are eating grains, even though they might not know it. Grains contain several nutrients important for healthy body function and protection...
Your blood sugar is determined by how much glucose you have in your blood. Certain foods, physical activity and medical conditions, such as diabetes, can all influence your blood sugar levels. If you have high blood sugar, it is important to take...
Carbohydrates, protein and fat form a dietary triumvirate called macronutrients. These three basic components of food each play a vital role in nutrition, and eliminating one or another as part of following a fad diet can have negative effects on...
If you have a wheat allergy, you are sensitive to proteins found only in wheat. If you have gluten intolerance or celiac disease, you are sensitive to gluten found not only in wheat, but also in rye and barley. With a wheat allergy, the only...
Buckwheat is actually a fruit seed related to rhubarb, not a cereal grain. However, like a cereal grain, it is nutritious, available year-round, may be ground into flour, made into a "porridge" or served as an alternative to rice as a...
You may have heard that whole wheat tortillas are better for you than tortillas made with white flour. Whole grain products such as whole wheat tortillas, brown rice, quinoa, cornmeal, wild rice, barley and oatmeal are nutritionally superior to...
If you are looking to add a nutritional boost to your diet, wheat germ is a healthy addition. Wheat germ is only a small part of the wheat grain, and yet it packs a nutritional punch as it is nutrient dense -- meaning it contains a lot of...
Certain people cannot eat simple carbohydrate due to health conditions, such as high blood glucose or diabetes. Others choose to reduce their risk of developing these conditions by opting for whole grain complex carbohydrates. Whole grain pasta...
The Paleo diet is modeled after the eating habits of the hunter-gatherers who lived and thrived during the Paleolithic era. During this time, there was no agriculture, so people had to survive on what they could hunt and what plants they could...
Grains and cereals, including wheat and rice, are the foundation of a healthy diet and the food pyramid. Try these tips for buying grains and whole grain in this healthy shopping video.
