Grains

What Are Grains? Grains are plants in the grass family. Seeds or kernels of these plants are harvested and processed for food

Common North American Grains Wheat Corn Rice Oats Rye Barley Buckwheat Millet

Parts of the Grain Kernel

Nutrients in Grains Bran-Dietary fiber, B Vitamins, and minerals Germ-Protein, unsaturated fats, B- Vitamins, Vitamin E, iron, and zinc. Endosperm-Complex carbohydrates

Whole Grains Oatmeal Popcorn Whole wheat flour Brown Rice Whole Cornmeal

Refined Grains White Flour White Rice Cornmeal

Grain Processing Husk is removed Whole grain may be used Bran and germ is removed for refined grains These grains are enriched Nutrients removed in processing are added back Some flours are bleached-nutritional value is the same

Buying Grain Products Keep nutrition in mind Buy whole grains Choose enriched products Low in fat, added sugar, and sodium Check appearance

Principles of Cooking Grains Grains are made of layers of starch Prepared in liquid: Starch swells and softens Pasta in a lot of boiling liquid Rice in small amount of simmering liquid Follow package directions Do not rinse grains before or after cooking to preserve B Vitamins

Pasta Made from flour and water and formed into shapes Shapes add visual appeal Available made from enriched or whole wheat flour Some pastas are colored and flavored Shapes:

Pasta Noodles Noodles are made from flour, water and eggs Cholesterol can be eliminated by using egg whites only

Preparing Pasta Uncovered in a large amount of boiling water Salted or unsalted Cook until firm to the bite “al dente” Drain, do not rinse, loss of B Vitamins Thickness determines length of cooking time Fresh pasta cooks faster

Kinds of Processed Rice Brown-Whole grain-3x fiber of white rice White-the bran and germ removed Converted rice-Parboiled in the husk to save nutrients Instant rice-Pre-cooked and dehydrated

Rice Varieties Long grain-Most common in the US- dry and flaky when cooked Medium grain-More likely to stick together Short grain rice-Small and sticky when cooked

Cooking Rice Goal is for the grains to be tender Cook with the amount of liquid the rice will absorb Simmer the rice while it is cooking and absorbing liquid

Storing Grains Store dried grains in tight containers in a cool dry place Refrigerate fresh pasta Store prepared grain products in the refrigerator or freezer if not used quickly To freeze cooked pasta, add oil to prevent sticking to each other