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There’s a good reason your parents pushed you to eat your breakfast cereal or oatmeal starting at a young age. Consuming whole grains on a regular basis has been found to reduce the risk of type two diabetes, colorectal cancer, heart disease, and obesity. Whole grains provide a tremendous amount of important nutrients, from fiber to vitamin B12, to several minerals. One of the most important parts of a whole grain is the outer coating, which contains all of the fiber. Unfortunately, when you eat “white carbs” like white rice, bread, or pasta, that bran has been removed during the refining process, which is why such foods can lead to issues like bloat and constipation. Whole grains need to remain intact in order to deliver all of their benefits.
There is a whole world of whole grains beyond brown rice and oatmeal. Familiarizing yourself with it can help inspire you to try new recipes, and can give you some interesting side dishes, bases, and add-ons to some of your already favorite foods. During a time when so many are cooking most of their meals at home right now because of a pandemic, we can all use a little help finding new inspiration in the kitchen. Here are unique grains you should be eating more of.
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Bulgur
You’ve likely encountered Bulgur in the Mediterranean dish Tabbouleh – a grain-centric salad containing lemon juice, parsley, mint, and other spices. It also makes a nice thickening agent for homemade veggie patties or tastes great as your stuffing in stuffed peppers. It’s an excellent source of manganese, iron, and magnesium, as well as fiber.
