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GRAIN GLOSSARY
Amaranth: This grain has been known to be the sacred grain of the Aztecs. It was grown for nearly 8,000 years but disappeared during the Spanish conquest. Amaranth supplies all the essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. It can be popped like popcorn, toasted and added to other grains or ground into flour.
Barley:
This is one of the easily digested grains due in large to its lack of fiber content.
Barley is an excellent grain for those who suffer from allergies to other grains.
Whole Barley has the bran intact and is darker, chewier and more nutritious than
the more processed pearled barley.
Pearled Barley is more processed and has
the outer bran shaved off. The "pearled" name comes from barley where
its bran and fiber have been removed until only a small, round white "pearl"
of starchy endosperm remains.
Brown Rice is considered by some to be the most perfect grain. It has a balance of nutrients that make it a superior food. Brown rice is the grain highest in B-complex vitamins.
Buckwheat Actually a seed of a weed like plant related to rhubarb. Similar to wheat in nutrition. Unroasted groats can be boiled, toasted or milled into flour. It's very rich in Amino Acids.
Bulgar This is whole grain that has been cracked, cooked and the dried.
Corn Cornmeal was a staple of the early pioneers. Cornmeal can be used to make both yeast breads and quick breads. It's best to mill your own as the cornmeal from the store has been degerminated and both the bran and germ have been sifted out!
Coucous This is a pasta made with cracked durum wheat. Yellow couscous is made from refined durum wheat while buff-colored couscous is made from whole durum wheat and has a richer, nuttier flavor.
Kamut is the Ancient Egyptian word for wheat. It is thought to have originated in the Nile Valley in Egypt about 6000 years ago. Kamut has a larger kernel than wheat and contains higher levels of protein and slightly higher levels of lipids and minerals.
Millet used to be the staple of the Northern Chinese until about 907 A.D. It has been cultivated since 4,000 BC. Millet has lots of calcium and is considered a complete food.
Oats are a great source of many nutrients including B vitamins, calcium, protein, unsaturated fat and fiber. Although believed to be introduced in Europe around A.D. 100 it was mainly a crop for livestock. It is easily incorporated into many recipes and is GREAT freshly flaked!
Rye is nutritionally similar to wheat. It has the highest percentage of the amino acid lysine. It contains 11 B vitamins, vitamin E, protein and iron. This is a very hearty grain with a strong flavor
Quinoa This grain is considered a SuperGrain, and was a staple of the Incas. It comes closer than any other vegetable or animal food in supplying all life-sustaining nutrients. It's actually not a true grain but technically a fruit.
Spelt is an Ancient Red Wheat. It's among the original grains know to man and has been around Europe for over 9,000 years. Can be substituted for wheat in all your recipes.
Tef is tiny and tastes like hazelnuts. It's very high in calcium, iron, copper and zinc. Brown Tef is most common in the US and is the most flavorful.
Triticale
is a combination of wheat and rye. It has a much higher protein content and better
balance of essential amino acids than either wheat or rye. Triticale has a nut-like
taste and is great either flaked or milled into flour.
Wheat goes all the way back to Ancient Egypt and has been popular since. Wheat can be cracked, rolled, steamed or milled into flour. It is the most popular grain due to its great leavening and handling qualities. Hard Red Winter Wheat-Most of the wheat is this type, moderate protein content, great for bread, rolls, and making all-purpose flour. Hard Red Spring Wheat-The highest protein wheat, great for breads. Soft Red Winter Wheat-Low protein wheat, great for cakes, pastries, flatbreads and crackers. Hard White Wheat-High protein, no pigment as in Red Wheat, great for bread! This is my favorite for breads. Durum Wheat-Very hard high-protein wheat, great for making semolina flour for pasta.
Wild
Rice this is the only grain native to North America. Has a very dramatic flavor,
which varies depending on where it was grown and the harvesting methods.
For
a listing of places to get grain please visit our GRAIN
Co-op page.