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

Examples of whole grain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Pairing slow running with the MIND diet, which includes nuts, whole grains, berries, and leafy greens, may help reduce cognitive decline and dementia risk. — Amber Raiken, Verywell Health, 18 Sep. 2026

How to Increase Magnesium in Your Diet Magnesium is naturally present in many foods, including nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and whole grains. — Carrie Madormo, HEALTH, 16 Sep. 2026

Eating whole grain food is important, but a single dietary swap is not going to prevent heart disease, Alice Lichtenstein, a professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, told CNN. — Amanda Schupak, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026

Magnesium turns up in green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, dark chocolate and whole grains. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for whole grain

• aeroplane
• appertain
• ascertain
• capitaine
• cassegrain
• cellophane
• chatelaine
• counterpane
• entertain
• halothane
• hurricane
• hyperplane