7 Whole Grains to Add to Your Diet

While many people steer clear of whole grains, they’d do well to give them a second look. The average person eats refined grain products like white flour and white rice and avoids whole grains like the plague. Meanwhile low-carb dieters swear off whole grains in favor of high protein options like meat and poultry under the false belief that all grains are evil to the dieter (whole grains actually help stabilize blood sugar — critical to the success of any weight loss regime). And many other people simply avoid whole grains because they don’t know what to do with them or how to prepare them. There are many delicious and highly nutritious whole grains to choose from, so adding whole grains to your diet needn’t be daunting.

There are many options, here are seven whole grains to get you started:

Barley
Used as far back as the Stone Age for currency, food, and medicine, barley is a great addition to a healthy diet. Because barley contains plentiful amounts of both soluble and insoluble fiber, it helps aid bowel regularity. It contains 96 calories, 22 grams of carbohydrates, and 3 grams of fiber per half-cup of cooked barley. Unrefined barley contains abundant amounts of potassium. It also has lots of magnesium, manganese, vitamin E, B-complex vitamins, zinc, copper, iron, calcium, protein, sulfur, and phosphorus. This versatile ingredient can be added to soups, stews, cereal, salads, pilaf, or ground into flour for baked goods or desserts.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Jennifer E.

11:13PM PDT on Aug 1, 2012

I would like to find good quality rye products, too, Heidi. I also find they are usually contaminated with wheat etc.

August 1
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Dale O.

8:21AM PDT on Jul 31, 2012

Tasty items here, have tried them all.

July 31
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Heidi A.

8:32PM PDT on Jul 24, 2012

Very good article Ms. Schoffro. I am a bit suprised Rye didn't make the list. I grew up in Germany eating dark whole Rye bread. I can't find it anywhere in the U.S. All the Rye breads are mixed with other flours. I remember eating it with butter and jam as a snack and with my meals at dinner. For me it was delicious.

July 24
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Mercedes P.

2:21AM PDT on Jun 30, 2012

Great article, thank you!

June 30
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Past Member .

6:59PM PDT on Sep 23, 2011

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September 23
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Robert T.

8:40PM PDT on Sep 5, 2011

This is great, thanks

September 5
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Anthony C.

1:34PM PDT on Aug 18, 2011

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