Grains Of Interest

A triple treat — nutritious, delicious and numerous — grains are powerhouses of nourishment and each of the many varieties offers unique flavour and texture.

- Janai Velez

Add some crunch to yoghurt with barley; make salads more filling with freekeh; and enjoy the nutty flavour of buckwheat in pancakes. The diversity of grains means there’s a good chance you’ll find one that’s perfect for every meal, snack and dessert.

To take full advantage of all the grains on offer, have a closer look in the health-food aisle where you’ll find an array of interesting grains, from ancient to modern, exotic to staple, gluten-free to high-fibre.

Felicity Curtain, nutrition manager of the Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council and an accredited practising dietitian, suggests setting yourself a challenge to try a different grain each month, and to stay inspired with new recipes and food ideas.

People with a gluten intolerance or coeliac disease don’t need to miss out on the wonders of grains, either, as there are many gluten-free varieties on the market, such as rice, quinoa, buckwheat, corn and amaranth.

“Grains, but particularly wholegrains, are really packed with nutrients that are good for our health,” says Curtain. She explains that they’ve got more than 26 nutrients naturally inside them, including carbohydrates, fibre, protein, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

“I guess the best part is that grains are a really easily accessible food. They can be found in every supermarket, we can keep them on our shelves, and we probably all have some form of grain every day. They’re really simple to incorporate [in our diets] and there’s a big benefit to be had from eating our grains.”

Just remember that the wholegrain varieties will give you the best health benefits. “The more refined and processed grains are, the lower their nutritional value,” says Curtain.

Choose multigrain bread and brown rice for meals and wholegrain crackers and popcorn for snacks.