{"id":5339,"date":"2020-09-20T16:11:10","date_gmt":"2020-09-20T16:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenchoicenow.com\/?p=5339"},"modified":"2020-12-01T04:18:00","modified_gmt":"2020-12-01T04:18:00","slug":"types-of-grains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenchoicenow.com\/v\/types-of-grains","title":{"rendered":"Types of Grains: Healthiest & Others to Avoid"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Many types of grains have been dietary staples for tens of thousands of years in virtually all civilizations around the world (1<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grains are a highly nutritious source of carbohydrates \u2014 one of the three major nutrients that provide energy. In fact, carbs are the primary source of energy for your muscles and brain (2<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, grains have gotten swept up in the low-carb craze that has captivated Americans in recent decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2018, 25% of Americans blamed carbohydrates for causing weight gain and 16% were following a carb-restricted diet. What\u2019s more, trendy low-carb diets like keto and paleo have further discouraged eating grains (3<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reality is, not all types of grains are created equally. While whole grains have been shown to promote overall health, refined grains have been linked to an increased risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer (4<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a breakdown of the different types of grains, which are healthiest, and some simple shopping tips.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Whole grains vs. refined grains<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grains (also known as kernels) are the seed of a plant. In their most natural \u2014 or whole \u2014 state, grains are made up of three main parts (5<\/a>): <\/p>\n\n\n\n