Healthy recipesNutrition

Tired of brown rice? 6 other whole grains you’ll love

Learn about farro, millet, and more fiber-rich, good-for-you grains.

Jan, 2026
LearnBlood sugar managementTired of brown rice? 6 other whole grains you’ll love
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A grain above the rest
Reasons to limit or avoid refined grains
Your daily grain intake
Quinoa
Bulgur
Millet
Farro
Buckwheat
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Whole grains are widely recommended as part of a nutritious diet. Yet, many people aren’t exactly sure what whole grains are, and why these good carbs are essential for overall well-being.

Simply put, whole grains comprise the entire grain kernel: the bran, germ, and endosperm.

“Whole grains are seeds, usually from certain grasses, and their grains contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber while having no cholesterol and being low in fat,” says certified nutritionist Kimberly Snyder, co-author of Radical Beauty: How to Transform Yourself From The Inside Out with Deepak Chopra, MD.

Common varieties of whole grains include whole-wheat flour, oatmeal, cornmeal, and brown rice, though there are many different types. Read on to learn about lesser-known whole grains and how adding them to an overall nutritious eating plan can improve your health.

Written byAmy Capetta.
Medically reviewed byGaby Vaca-Flores, RD.September, 2025
Sources: Oldways Whole Grains Council. What are the health benefits? Accessed September 26 + 17
  1. Oldways Whole Grains Council. What are the health benefits? Accessed September 26, 2025.
  2. Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. Whole Grains. 2022. Accessed July 13, 2022.
  3. Liu H, Zhu J, et al. Estimating effects of whole grain consumption on type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease: a burden of proof study. Nutr J. 2024 May 14;23(1):49.
  4. Hu Y, Willett WC, Manson JAE, et al. Intake of whole grain foods and risk of coronary heart disease in US men and women. BMC Med. 2022 Jun 10;20(1):192.
  5. Gaesser GA. Whole Grains, Refined Grains, and Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review of Meta-Analyses of Observational Studies. Nutrients. 2020 Dec 7;12(12):3756.
  6. Khan J, Khan MZ, Ma Y, et al. Overview of the Composition of Whole Grains' Phenolic Acids and Dietary Fibre and Their Effect on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022 Mar 5;19(5):3042.
  7. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Grains. MyPlate.gov is based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. Accessed September 26, 2025.
  8. NIH: Office of Dietary Supplements. Magnesium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. June 2, 2022.
  9. NIH: Office of Dietary Supplements. Thiamin: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. March 26, 2021.
  10. Oldways Whole Grains Council. Buckwheat—December Grain of the Month. Accessed September 26, 2025.
  11. Oldways Whole Grains Council. Millet and Teff—November Grains of the Month. Accessed September 26, 2025.
  12. Oldways Whole Grains Council. Quinoa—March Grain of the Month. Accessed September 26, 2025.
  13. Oldways Whole Grains Council. What’s a Whole Grain? A Refined Grain? Accessed September 26, 2025.
  14. Oldways Whole Grains Council. Wheat—July Grain of the Month. Accessed September 26, 2025.
  15. Oldways Whole Grains Council. Whole Grains A to Z. Accessed September 26, 2025.
  16. Oregon State University. Magnesium. February 2019.
  17. Oregon State University. Manganese. 2022. May 2021.
  18. Oregon State University. Phosphorus. 2022. June 2014.

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