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It’s no news to anyone that whole grains are part of a healthy diet. Nutrient dense and full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals; countless research studies have provided evidence that whole grains help reduce our risk for cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disorders, diabetes, and colon cancer. The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which were released in 2005, recommend that we eat 3 servings of whole grains each day.
But what exactly is “whole grain?” A grain has three parts: (1) The outermost layer is the bran. It is fiber rich, full of B vitamins, and contains anywhere from 50-80% of the grain’s minerals. (2) The endosperm is the starchy part of the grain and is full of carbohydrates, protein, and some vitamin B. and (3) The germ contains vitamins B and E, trace minerals, phytochemicals and unsaturated fats. If all three parts of the grain are in a food product, it is considered to be whole grain.
When purchasing commercial products, don’t rely on package labeling to assure you that a product is in fact whole grain. Words like “multi-grain,” “stone ground,” and “five grain” on the package’s label can mean that the products may or may not contain whole grains. To be certain that you are getting a whole-grain product, check the list of ingredients and look for the words “whole” or “100% whole” (i.e. “whole wheat”). Select products which have the grain listed first among the ingredient listing.
Most Americans don’t eat enough whole grains, with the average person eating less than one serving per day. Adding whole grains to your diet may be easier than you think. There are plenty to choose from including corn (including popcorn), wheat, wild rice, millet, quinoa, brown rice, oats, barley, buckwheat, and amaranth. Here are some suggestions for adding more whole grains to your diet:
• Use brown rice, wild rice, barley, wheat berries, or quinoa instead of white rice in rice pilafs.
• For a snack, air-popped popcorn is a great whole grain choice. So is amaranth which can be popped just like popcorn.
• Instead of crackers, serve air-popped popcorn along side a steaming mug of tomato soup.
• Add barley or wheat berries to soups and stews in place of potatoes.
• Steel cut oats, quick oats, and rolled oats are all whole grains. Make a batch of oatmeal cookies using rolled oats to have on hand for a quick snack instead of pre-packaged cookies.
• Cook grains in batches and freeze them in individual portion sized containers so that they’ll be readily available for a quick addition to a lunch or dinner. Cooked grains freeze very well. When they thaw out, they’ll be as delicious, served at room temperature or reheated, as the day you made them.
• Toss warm or room temperature cooked wheat berries with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and mix with diced raw carrots, green onions, and red or yellow bell peppers. Mix in some shredded, cooked chicken and serve over dark mixed greens for a delicious meal.
• Replace ¼ to ½ of the ground meat in a Shepherd’s Pie with cooked barley, wild rice, or wheat berries.
• Go exploring in the bulk foods section of the market and get creative. Select one whole grain a month and experiment with it as an alternative in some of your current favorite grain recipes such as Tabbouleh.
On a recent snowy morning, I woke up craving the comfort of a hot oatmeal breakfast. But, there was no oatmeal in the house. I did have some wheat berries and decided to try them in place of the oatmeal. The hearty dish has now become my favorite breakfast. I think you’ll enjoy it, too.
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
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The Whole Truth About Whole Grains
But what exactly is “whole grain?” A grain has three parts: (1) The outermost layer is the bran. It is fiber rich, full of B vitamins, and contains anywhere from 50-80% of the grain’s minerals. (2) The endosperm is the starchy part of the grain and is full of carbohydrates, protein, and some vitamin B. and (3) The germ contains vitamins B and E, trace minerals, phytochemicals and unsaturated fats. If all three parts of the grain are in a food product, it is considered to be whole grain.
When purchasing commercial products, don’t rely on package labeling to assure you that a product is in fact whole grain. Words like “multi-grain,” “stone ground,” and “five grain” on the package’s label can mean that the products may or may not contain whole grains. To be certain that you are getting a whole-grain product, check the list of ingredients and look for the words “whole” or “100% whole” (i.e. “whole wheat”). Select products which have the grain listed first among the ingredient listing.
Most Americans don’t eat enough whole grains, with the average person eating less than one serving per day. Adding whole grains to your diet may be easier than you think. There are plenty to choose from including corn (including popcorn), wheat, wild rice, millet, quinoa, brown rice, oats, barley, buckwheat, and amaranth. Here are some suggestions for adding more whole grains to your diet:
• Use brown rice, wild rice, barley, wheat berries, or quinoa instead of white rice in rice pilafs.
• For a snack, air-popped popcorn is a great whole grain choice. So is amaranth which can be popped just like popcorn.
• Instead of crackers, serve air-popped popcorn along side a steaming mug of tomato soup.
• Add barley or wheat berries to soups and stews in place of potatoes.
• Steel cut oats, quick oats, and rolled oats are all whole grains. Make a batch of oatmeal cookies using rolled oats to have on hand for a quick snack instead of pre-packaged cookies.
• Cook grains in batches and freeze them in individual portion sized containers so that they’ll be readily available for a quick addition to a lunch or dinner. Cooked grains freeze very well. When they thaw out, they’ll be as delicious, served at room temperature or reheated, as the day you made them.
• Toss warm or room temperature cooked wheat berries with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and mix with diced raw carrots, green onions, and red or yellow bell peppers. Mix in some shredded, cooked chicken and serve over dark mixed greens for a delicious meal.
• Replace ¼ to ½ of the ground meat in a Shepherd’s Pie with cooked barley, wild rice, or wheat berries.
• Go exploring in the bulk foods section of the market and get creative. Select one whole grain a month and experiment with it as an alternative in some of your current favorite grain recipes such as Tabbouleh.
On a recent snowy morning, I woke up craving the comfort of a hot oatmeal breakfast. But, there was no oatmeal in the house. I did have some wheat berries and decided to try them in place of the oatmeal. The hearty dish has now become my favorite breakfast. I think you’ll enjoy it, too.
Wheat Berry Breakfast Bowl
Made with walnuts, currants, hard red winter wheat berries, water, cinnamon, honey, pure maple syrup, or dark brown sugar
Made with walnuts, currants, hard red winter wheat berries, water, cinnamon, honey, pure maple syrup, or dark brown sugar
Serves/Makes: 2
- 3/4 cup hard red winter wheat berries
- 3 cups rapidly boiling water
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon honey, pure maple syrup, or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup currants (or your favorite dried fruit)*
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (or your favorite nut)
Stir the wheat berries into rapidly boiling water. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Drain well.
Pour the wheat berries into a small mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients, divide among individual serving bowls, and serve warm.
* Sliced bananas or diced apples would be a good substitute for the dried fruit.
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©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/victoria-wesseler/480-whole-grain-facts/