Most people in the United States don’t consume enough whole grains. And that’s a problem, experts say.
They’re loaded with nutrients and fiber, offering benefits for your gut, heart and metabolic health, said Neda Akhavan, an assistant professor of nutrition sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. And whole grains have been linked with reduced risks of colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and other conditions.
Most Americans tend to get their whole grains from sources like wheat, corn, rice and oats, but adding a wider variety of grains into your diet will offer a larger range of nutrients and health benefits, experts say.
Here are five lesser-known grains that health experts recommend, along with recipe ideas and cooking notes from our colleagues at NYT Cooking to help you add them to your meal rotation.
While three of the varieties — buckwheat, amaranth and teff — are technically seeds, they are treated as grains by the nutrition and cooking communities. If you can’t find them at your local grocery store, try specialty health food stores like Whole Foods or online retailers like Amazon.