Goodness of Grains

Grains: An integral part of Indian diet

Cereals, millets and pulses are major sources of many nutrients including protein. They also serve as the main source of energy in Indian diets contributing to about 70-80% of daily energy intake of majority of Indians. The commonly consumed cereals and millets consumed in India are rice, wheat, maize, jowar, bajra and ragi.³

India ranks second in the world in the product of rice and wheat followed by maize. Bajra / pearl millet is the oldest known millet to mankind. Currently, India is the largest producer of this staple.⁴

Grains nourish!

Grains contain carbohydrates, the main energy source for our brain and muscles, protein, the building block of all cells, B vitamins, fibre and protein which are all key elements to a healthy diet. Combining cereals, millets and pulses provides most of the amino acids, which complement each other to provide better quality proteins.

Nutritional profile of commonly consumed grains:

1. Wheat

• Whole wheat is a source of complex carbohydrates. Typically contains 11-12% protein, 12% of dietary fibre³
• Wheat bran is a good source of insoluble dietary fibre, B-vitamins and minerals⁵
• Numerous scientific studies have shown that wheat bran is the gold standard for promoting bowel regularity⁶

2. Corn/Maize

• Protein content varies from 8 to 11%. Most of it is concentrated in the kernel. The nutritional quality of maize as a food is determined by the amino acid make-up of its protein⁷
• Yellow maize is the only grain with significant amounts of carotenes. These act as antioxidants and are converted to vitamin A in the body⁸

3. Rice

• Starch is the major constituent of milled rice at about 90% of the dry matter⁸
• Lipid/fat content of rice is mainly in the bran fraction (20 percent, dry basis). Rice bran oil has been shown to have a cholesterol lowering effect and its main component is oryzanol⁸.

4. Oats

• Is a good source of β – glucan, a soluble fibre which has cholesterol lowering effects and therefore considered heart healthy⁹
• Lipid content of oats (5-9%) is higher than any other cereal crops and are rich in unsaturated fats, including the essential fatty acid linoleic acid⁹
• Oats contain unique antioxidants, called avenanthramides, as well as the vitamin E-like compounds, tocotrienols and tocopherols⁹

5. Barley

• Contains the highest amount of dietary fibre (15.6%) among the cereals³
• Β-glucans content of barley ranges from 2.5% to 11.3% and oats if 2.2-7.8%¹⁰
• Good source of B-complex vitamins (especially B1, B3, B6, biotin)¹⁰
• Mineral content (2-4%) mainly phosphorus, magnesium, copper¹⁰

6. Ragi

• Highest amount of calcium (344 mg/100 g) among all other cereals³
• Ragi also has appreciable amounts of dietary fibre content (11.5 g/100 g) and has a protein content of (7.3 g/100 g)³
• Among other millets, finger millet has a relatively balanced essential amino acid profile because it contains more lysine, threonine and valine¹¹

Is there a “best” grain?

Grains provide many different nutrients at slightly different levels. Choosing a variety of grain foods is recommended to reap the nutritional benefits that each provides.