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" Whole grains are the most minimally processed versions of any grain. All the edible parts \u2014 the bran, the endosperm, and the germ \u2014 are intact, just the way the grain grows in the field. The majority of the grains that we eat today are refined, a process that strips away many of the nutrients. Whole grains, in contrast, retain all their fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Nearly every supermarket now stocks even the exotic varieties like quinoa and wheat berries (see the glossary below for info on these once obscure whole grains). Store in tightly covered containers, and refrigerate during the warmer months.  Amaranth is a tiny grain native to Mexico. It&amp;#039;s one of the few whole grains that contain all of the essential amino acids, making it an ideal source of protein. Choose it as a hot cereal, add to soups as a thickener, or use as a flour in pancakes and quick breads. Buckwheat isn&amp;#039;t actually a wheat, but a fruit seed in the rhubarb family. It&amp;#039;s quick-cooking, gluten-free, and a good source of fiber and magnesium. Most familiar to Americans in the form of buckwheat pancakes, it&amp;#039;s a grain with global popularity, found in everything from Japanese soba noodles to Russian porridge. Bulgur cooks so quickly (in less than 15 minutes) because it has been boiled, dried, and cracked before reaching the supermarket. Perfect for fast side dishes and salads \u2014 and the main ingredient in tabbouleh, a Middle Eastern dish \u2014 bulgur has a mild flavor that makes it a great starter grain for kids (and husbands) who are picky eaters. Cracked wheat, often confused with bulgur, is actually raw wheat kernels that have been cracked to speed the cooking process. Farro (emmer wheat), nicknamed the Pharaoh&amp;#039;s wheat, was a culinary cornerstone of ancient Egyptian and Roman menus. It gradually fell out of favor because it was low-yield and difficult to hull. Now grown primarily in Italy, where it&amp;#039;s known as farro, this nutty-flavored grain is undergoing a resurgence as a gourmet grain. Try it in soups, or use as an alternative to Arborio rice in risotto. Quinoa (pronounced keen-WAH), grown in the South American Andes since 3,000 BC, is a nutrient-dense supergrain. Mild and slightly sweet, quinoa needs to be rinsed thoroughly prior to cooking in order to remove its bitter-tasting coating. A complete protein, it cooks in less than 15 minutes and can substitute for rice in most dishes. Wheat berries are actually whole kernels of wheat. When processed to remove the bran and the germ, then ground into powder, they become white flour. If they are unprocessed, they&amp;#039;re a whole grain. Chewy, with a hint of nuttiness, the kernels are versatile add-ins to salads, soups, and side dishes. Wheat berries need at least an hour to cook, although that time can be reduced if they&amp;#039;ve been soaked overnight.   Searching your supermarket for whole-grain foods can be confusing \u2014 especially since an oat waffle may be packed with whole grains, but a slice of 100 percent wheat bread isn&amp;#039;t. Here, tips for separating the wheat from the chaff.  Seek out the bright-yellow Whole Grain Council stamp. It was launched by the WGC in 2005 and states exactly how many grams of whole grains are contained in a serving of the product. Found on more than 600 packaged items, the stamp isn&amp;#039;t an official standard and isn&amp;#039;t endorsed by the FDA. But it&amp;#039;s a clear, legitimate indicator of just how much whole grain you&amp;#039;re getting. Beware of buzzwords. Even though breads and crackers may be labeled as multigrain, 9-grain, and 12-grain, there&amp;#039;s no guarantee that any of them are whole grain. These foods may contain highly processed grains \u2014 stripped of much of their fiber and nutrients \u2014 rather than whole grains. The best way to verify that a product has whole grains is to scrutinize the ingredients panel carefully. If an item is whole grain, the word whole will typically precede the grain&amp;#039;s name, i.e., whole rye or whole cornmeal. Which is why a loaf that&amp;#039;s labeled 100% wheat bread, or that lists wheat flour in the ingredients, falls short. Go easy on the sweet stuff. Manufacturers are slapping the words whole grains on newly reformulated foods that are marginally nutritious at best. Yes, some cookies, for instance, contain whole-grain flour, but that doesn&amp;#039;t offset all the sugar, fat, and calories. Remember: Whole-grain junk food is still junk food.  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.delish.com/cooking/nutrition/a1178/grain-glossary/>