Whole Grains (updated 2015)
Grains are the seeds of cereal crops including wheat, rye, rice, oats or barley.
They have been a staple food for humans for thousands of years. In pre-industrial times grains were commonly eaten whole but advances in the milling and processing of grains allowed large-scale separation and removal of the bran and germ, resulting in refined flour that consists mainly of the starchy endosperm.
Refined white flour became popular because it produced baked goods with a softer, more open texture and extended freshness. However, the bran and germ contain important nutrients that are lost when the grain is refined. ...more