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

Wednesday, May 6, Pork Loin, sweet potatoes, green beans, whole grain roll, applesauce, milk. —Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026

Advertisement Start preparing days in advance A few days before your procedure, switch to what’s called a low-residue diet—one free of high-fiber foods like whole grains, fruits, and raw vegetables—which will help minimize the amount of undigested food that lingers in your colon. —Holly Burns, Time, 6 May 2026

Choose options made with whole grains, at least 3 grams of fiber per slice, and lower sodium. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 4 May 2026

Whole wheat pasta is made from whole grains and may support heart health and gut health. —Brittany Lubeck, Verywell Health, 4 May 2026

In other words, a can of soda — even one with fiber in it — isn’t going to undo a diet that lacks vegetables, whole grains and other natural fiber sources. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 4 May 2026

Pita bread can be a nutritious part of a balanced diet, particularly when made with whole grains. —Daryl Austin, USA Today, 3 May 2026

Eating a Mediterranean-style diet –– which focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, healthy fish and extra-virgin olive oil, with smaller portions of eggs, dairy and poultry –– has been linked to significant increases in lifespan. —Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 2 May 2026

The best fiber-containing foods come from plants: fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes. —Julie Pollock, The Conversation, 1 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above