What’s in a Grain?

1. What’s in a Grain?

2. Wheat has ears? • Wheat berries grow at the top of the wheat plant. The grains are tightly packed together in clusters and called ears. • Each ear of wheat is made up of 40-60 grains. The grains have to be separated from the ears and stalks before they can be turned into flour. Wheat berries are intact grains of wheat.

3. Parts of a grain • Bran: “outer shell” that protects the seed. Contains vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber • Endosperm: inner, contains carbohydrates • Germ: food for the seed. Contains vitamins B & E, fat and protein

4. Whole Grains vs. Refined • Whole Grains: Use the “whole” seed to make your grain products • Examples: • Whole wheat flour • Brown Rice • Whole wheat pasta • Refined Grains: use only the endosperm “starchy part” • Examples: • White bread • White rice • Regular pasta

5. Types of grains • Barley • Buckwheat • Bulgur • Corn • Couscous • Grano • Kamut • Millet • Oats • Quinoa (keen-wa) • Rice • Rye • Spelt • Wheat • Wild Rice

6. Barley

7. Barley • One of the oldest grains and still a staple of Middle Eastern diets. • Humans made bread from barley long before they used wheat. • Most barley sold for food is “pearled” barley used in soups. Barley is “pearled” by polishing off the out layers of bran.

8. Buckwheat

9. Buckwheat • The fruit of a leafy plant belonging to the same family as sorrel and rhubarb. • This nutritious food has a nutty flavor and is ideal for people allergic to the gluten in wheat. • Used by Americans for pancakes, by Russians for blintzes, and Japanese and Koreans for soba noodles. • Sometimes called groatsor kasha.

10. Bulgur

11. Bulgur • Bulgur is whole wheat processed by steaming, drying , and cracking the kernels. • Bulgur maintains the nutritional values of whole wheat and is used in salads and pilafs.

12. Oats

13. Oats • Originally a weed in between rows of wheat or barley. • 95% of the world’s oat crop is animal feed. • Our “oatmeal” is made from rolled oats- oat groats that are steamed and flattened. • Quick cooking oatmeal is made from groats that are cut into several pieces before steaming and are rolled into thinner flakes.

14. Quinoa (keen-wa)

15. Quinoa (keen-wa) • This pseudo-grain was grown by the Incas centuries ago. • It is rich in complete protein and many nutrients. • Can work as a rice substitute but cooks in half the time.

16. Rice

17. Rice • Half the world’s population eats rice three times a day. • In Chinese, the words for rice and culture are the same. • In Japanese the word for rice also means meal. • Brown rice is the entire grain of rice with only the inedible outer husk removed. • Brown rice is nutritious, high in fiber, and has a rich nutty flavor.

18. Rye

19. Rye • Rye was first seen as a weed • Rye was the basic grain of Britainsas well as countries of Northern and Eastern Europe. • Rye contains little gluten so 100%rye flour will not make a loaf of bread. Most rye bread is at least 80% wheat flour. Bread can have as little as 2% rye and still be called rye bread.

20. Wheat

21. Wheat • Wheat ranks first in production among the world’s grains and accounts for over 20% of all calories consumed by humans. • Common foods made with wheat are cereal, bread, crackers, pasta.