Examples of whole grains include a variety of cereal grains and pseudocereals that contain all three parts of the grain: the bran, germ, and endosperm. Common whole grains are:
- Whole wheat (including spelt, durum, farro, emmer, einkorn, Kamut)
- Whole oats (including hull-less or naked oats)
- Whole-grain rye (dark rye flour, rye meal, pumpernickel)
- Barley (hulled or whole barley, not pearled)
- Brown rice and wild rice (wild rice is actually a seed of aquatic grass)
- Buckwheat (a gluten-free pseudocereal)
- Bulgur wheat (cracked wheat)
- Millet (gluten-free ancient grain)
- Amaranth (complete protein pseudocereal)
- Teff (gluten-free seed considered a grain)
- Corn/maize (whole kernel corn)
Whole grains are found in many forms, including whole-grain breads, pastas, and cereals, and are valued for their fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
. When choosing whole grains, look for labels indicating "whole" to ensure the entire grain is included rather than refined versions
. In summary, whole grains encompass a broad range of grains and seeds such as wheat, oats, rye, barley, rice, corn, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, and teff, all of which retain their nutrient-rich bran and germ layers
