Bringing Whole Grains Back
January 15, 2008, 10:33 am
Filed under: whole grain
Filed under: whole grain
By Yvona Fast, E Magazine
Although things are slowly changing, 42 percent of Americans still eat no whole grains at all-and only seven percent of us get the recommended three servings per day. But when I serve millet or quinoa as a side dish or incorporated into a casserole, my friends quip, “You’re feeding us bird seed again!” Birds, it seems, know what’s good for them. Most Americans are familiar with millet only as an ingredient in birdseed, but this was one of the earliest cultivated grains. Today, it sustains one third of the world’s population, and is widely used in Asian, African and Eastern European cuisine. Soothing and easily digested, it is one of the least allergenic, non-glutinous grains available.
Another ancient grain, buckwheat, is not a true grain or grass, but a fruit seed related to rhubarb and sorrel. This hardy plant grows well on poor, acidic soils, is tough enough to push out most competitors, and is one of the few commercially grown crops that don’t require chemicals in the field or in the processing plant. Although a rarity in the U.S., buckwheat is common in many parts of the world. French galettes, Japanese soba noodles, Russian bliny and Ukrainian hrechanyky are all made with buckwheat. Kasha, or roasted buckwheat groats, is a common side dish among Eastern Europeans.
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