whole grain

noun

plural whole grains

: an unmilled grain (such as wheat, rice, or barley) having its bran, germ, and endosperm intact

Start with a whole grain, such as brown rice, millet, or whole wheat.

—Cynthia Lair

Fill half your plate with a variety of vegetables and fruit. Add 20 to 30 grams of protein as well as carbs like sweet potatoes, quinoa, beans and whole grains.

—Emily Marrison

also : a grain that has been ground or processed but not hulled or refined

Processed whole grains are whole grains that have been cracked (as in cracked wheat bread), rolled (as in rolled oat cereal), crushed or ground (as in whole-wheat flour and bulgur) or extruded (as in whole-wheat pasta). They provide the same nutrients found in the original kernel of grain.

—Anastasia Schepers

Whole-grain flours have a more complex taste and create a heartier texture than refined white flours because they include the bran and germ.

—Chicago Sun-Times

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above