The edible seeds of plants in the cereal family are known as grains. Although there are many different kinds of grains including wheat, oats, quinoa, rye, and rice are the most widely consumed.
Additionally, grains are the largest source of food and nourishment in the world. This is due to grains being a fantastic source of vitamins, fiber, and minerals.
They can be a crucial and simple to-prepare component of a balanced diet.
Grains have a variety of health advantages. Fiber from grains is a good source for regulating digestion and bowel movements.
In addition to that, many different types of grains are available for you to incorporate into your diet. There are some grains we see more often than others, yet there are a lot more grains than you may first think of.
In this article, we are going to discuss the 13 different types of grains that you will commonly cross and that you can incorporate into your diet.
Wheat
The cereal grain known as wheat is produced throughout the world. It is a significant source of nourishment for both people and animals, along with rice.
Fiber, phosphorus, selenium, manganese, copper, and folate are all present in wheat in good amounts.
Wheat has a low glycemic index, which means that it doesn’t raise blood sugar levels. Flavor-wise, wheat tastes slightly nutty and sweet.
Whole wheat flour seems to have a fibrous and nutty texture, whereas enriched wheat flour has a blander flavor.
Given its versatility, wheat can be utilized in a wide range of recipes. It can be employed to create pasta, bread, pastry flour, and other types of flour for baking.
Additionally, beer and whiskey can be produced using wheat.
Brown And White Rice
The staple crop in the globe is rice, along with wheat. Over half of the world’s population is fed on this grain, which is grown mostly in farmlands in Asia.
It is known that brown rice is rich in lignans, fiber, manganese, ferulic acid, niacin, thiamine, selenium, and magnesium. While white rice is treated, so many of these advantages are lost.
Rice has a distinct flavor that changes based on the variety. It can have a faintly sweet, nutty, or earthy flavor.
Typically, white rice tends to be sugary, bland, and sticky, but brown rice typically has a nuttier, earthier flavor. The most typical ways to eat rice are as rice pudding or as a side dish.
Oats
The climates where oats are generally produced are cooler ones. Oats are sown in the spring, and they are harvested in the autumn.
Oats are a kind of grain that is rich in protein, fiber, and antioxidants. In addition, oats are a significant source of copper, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.
The flaky texture and unremarkable flavor of oats alone are well known. They can be turned into a delectable delicacy by baking with them or combining them with other ingredients.
They can be used to make biscuits or other dishes, or eaten raw as cereal.
Rye
Specialized bread, vodka and whiskey, all frequently contain the grain known as rye. High in fiber, thiamine, Vitamin B6, niacin, riboflavin, and folate, rye is a great type of grain to use.
Although many bakers add bitter caraway seeds to rye, the grain’s true flavor is earthy and peppery.
Rye can be utilized in baking and cooking, but it is most frequently consumed as bread. It is a well-liked sandwich bread.
In addition, it serves as the base for various spirits, including several vodkas and whiskey.
Barley
Barley is still a great option for anyone searching for a versatile grain, despite its fading popularity. A grain which is high in fiber and antioxidant content is barley.
Thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, iron, and magnesium are all abundant in it.
Barley has a nutty, earthy, and somewhat sweet flavor. It possesses a chewy texture and is typically eaten with the husk, which also adds to the chewiness.
Hence, barley is often enjoyed as a cereal or added into salads or soups.
Quinoa
This grain, which is indigenous to South America’s Andes Mountains, has recently gained worldwide acclaim for its flavor and assortment of health advantages.
This is a grain with a high fiber, antioxidant, and protein content. Additionally, it is an excellent source of copper, thiamine, vitamin B6, and iron.
Quinoa has a distinctive flavor. Its high protein content is evident in its chewy and fluffy texture. To avoid a bitter taste, it is crucial to cook it properly. Frequently, they are served as a side dish with any meal.
Corn
In addition to rice and wheat, corn was first cultivated by Native Americans. It is considered to be one of the sweetest grains. Also, it is often referred to as maize.
Young corn has golden, sweet, and juicy kernels that are excellent for eating simply, such as corn on the cob. While, flour is made from older corn with a high starch content.
Once the corn has reached maturity and dried out, you can create tortillas and breakfast cereals.
Furthermore, you can also make cornmeal using corn. However, to make cornmeal, the corn or maize needs to be cleaned and all germs removed.
Then the clean corn can be processed and created into cornmeal. This cornmeal can then be used to produce popcorn, polenta, cornbread and grits.
Amaranth
Since amaranth does not come from the Poaceae family, it is a pseudo-grain. Amaranth is suitable for those with celiac disease because it doesn’t contain gluten.
Hence, it’s become more common in gluten-free baking. In addition to that, Amaranth is actually full of protein. This indicates that it includes each of the nine necessary amino acids.
The Aztecs originally relied on amaranth as their main crop. Small amaranth kernels have a peppery flavor and resemble couscous in appearance.
They taste great in puffed amaranth granola bars and gluten-free amaranth muffins, since they contain roughly 14% protein.
Teff
Teff, a variety of millet that was likely cultivated 6,000 years ago. It is a main grain that is native to Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Teff has a molasses-like taste and is gluten-free. Given that they are too tiny to be ground, these small grains are often used whole.
Teff is made into injera, a fluffy bread resembling a crêpe, after being fermented. Teff grains might be devoid of gluten, but they are rich in calcium and iron.
Spelt
Spelt has been produced in southern Germany from 4,000 BCE. Spelt flour was the most popular variety of wheat flour before industrialization.
To ensure you’re receiving the full grain, look for “whole spelt”. This kind of flour is high in protein, and can be used to make pizza bases and bread. Additionally, it works well in grain salads.
Farro
A hearty, nutty grain known as farro can be consumed pearled, whole or semi-pearled. It creates a complete protein when combined with beans, making it perfect for vegetarians and vegans.
Farro is highly regarded nowadays because it keeps its slightly firm quality for a very long time after cooking.
As a result, farro is the ideal foundation for all types of grain bowls. Before cooking, this high-protein farro has to soak overnight.
In fact, semi-pearled farro cooks more quickly than whole-grain farro. Also, semi-pearled farro is more nutrient-rich than pearled farro.
Additionally, compared to pasta, brown rice, and couscous, farro contains more protein and nutritional fiber.
Sorghum
The gluten-free grain sorghum resembles corn in appearance, but is smaller. In order to produce Indian jowar dhani, sorghum needs to be popped.
Sorghum, which presumably originated in Africa and is a genuine grain in the Poaceae family. It is also gluten-free.
Usually, sorghum is pounded for use in baking or in oatmeal.
Einkorn
The German word einkorn means “one kernel.” It is believed that Einkorn was probably the very first variety of wheat ever to be grown.
Compared to modern wheat, einkorn contains more nutrients. In soups and stews, as well as in grain salads, it can be utilized.
For making bread, you should use ground whole einkorn. It is important to note that you shouldn’t use pearled einkorn for bread making, as that isn’t a whole grain.
Conclusion
There are various types of grains out there that you can choose from. All of them have slightly different flavors and textures that you can enjoy in your cooking or baking.
Not all grains contain gluten. Which means if you have an intolerance, you can still find a grain to use that won’t cause any issues.
In this article, we have offered you 13 different types of grains that you can come across.
We hope this article has been useful in improving your knowledge on the different types of grains that are out there and that you could be using.
