Celebrity X loses 50 pounds on a grain-free diet in 12 weeks. Your neighbor goes Paleo, and is rocking a bikini after a decade. Your co-worker shuns all forms of gluten, and has higher energy levels.

I personally know of several people who are slimmer than ever once they stopped or reduced eating grains, such as wheat, rice, or oats. There are whole dietary movements around the idea of eating fewer grains, especially wheat, such as Paleo or Whole30,

Even if you don’t believe what you hear, maybe you believe what you read. An annual survey from 2018 by the International Food Information Council Foundation’s 13^th found greater numbers of people restricting carbohydrate intake, with 7% following a Paleo diet, 5% following a low-carbohydrate diet, 5% following the Whole30 diet, 4% following a high-protein diet and 3% following a ketogenic/high-fat diet. Or, you could be familiar with popular books like Wheat Belly from doctors who tell you that even whole grains lead to inflammation and potentially dangers of developing diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

Most people in the health industry agree that the USDA’s previously recommended daily allowance of 6-8 servings of grain a day was a bit high. Yet, how do you know how many grains to eat in order to be healthy, much less lose weight?

Before we launch into why grains are good for you, let’s examine the two different types of grains.

1. Whole Grains
2. Refined Grains

Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel ― the bran, germ, and endosperm. Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life, but it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins.

Obviously, a slice a Wonder white bread will not yield the same type of nutrition that a serving of brown rice would. Not only is Wonder bread highly refined, but it includes a number of ingredients that are not inherently part of the wheat plant it came from. Whereas, a serving of brown rice is less processed.

Here is a list of whole grains to include in your diet:

• Whole wheat flour
• Oatmeal
• Brown rice
• Barley
• Bulgur
• Popcorn
• Whole grain cornmeal

In addition to whole grains, there are an entire line of lesser-known grains that may be referred to as “ancient grains”. While there is no official definition of “ancient grains”, the Whole Grains Council generally defines ancient grains loosely as grains that are largely unchanged over the last several hundred years. Here are examples to try in your diet:

• Einkorn
• Teff
• Farro
• Kamut
• Spelt

By the way, you may wonder why I am not including quinoa in this list. Quinoa is actually not a grain, but a pseudocereal. Pseudocereal is a big word that means “comes from plants that produce fruits and seeds, rather than grasses”. Other food in this category include amaranth, buckwheat, millet, and wild rice. These seeds are easier to digest than whole grains, high in protein, and low glycemic.

I will offer you the top 3 reasons why you should eat more grains from any of the above categories every day. Even better, I will share some of recipes using both ancient grains and pseudocereals you may not be familiar with.

♥  Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease

Depending on your age, you probably don’t worry about having a heart attack or heart disease on a daily basis. However, studies have consistently shown that eating whole grains can reduce your risk of heart disease. The biggest reason I gave up my unhealthy eating habits was to live longer.

If athletes can have heart attacks while they are performing a sport, what do you think your chances might be?

♥  Full of fiber

Would you rather drink a cup of Metamucil or eat a bowl of brown rice? Sure, you still get plenty of fiber by eating lots of fruits and vegetables, but not all produce has the two types of fiber found in whole grains. Those two types are soluble and insoluble, both of which help you enjoy your time on the john and improve your digestive health.

♥  Help prevent cancer

Even if you are blessed enough to have no family history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes, then why not tip the scale in your favor when it comes to cancer? There are phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) that may help prevent cancer.

As an on-again, off-again vegetarian, I’m biased towards grains. However, it took me 30+ years of experimenting with my diet and reading the latest research to determine that I was ready to end my love story with meat. I am not suggesting that you stop eating meat.

What I am suggesting is that you forget the fads that tell you that grains are bad. Grains are good for you, and they TASTE great.

Here are 3 types of lesser known whole grains you should try, as well as healthy grain recipes:

1. Farro

Farro is a type of ancient grain that is nutty and delicious when substituted for rice or barley. Check out this cherry farro feta salad from Cait’s Plate.

2. Buckwheat

You may know about buckwheat pancakes, but do you know that Japanese soba noodles are also made of buckwheat? Soba noodles are delicious hot or cold, and they absorb marinades well. You can cook buckwheat as a substitute for any grain-based dishes as well. I am loving these gluten-free maple buckwheat muffins from Super Nummy, or this peanut butter protein “pudding” from Nadia’s Kitchen.

3. Millet

Millet has a sweet, nutty flavor and is considered to be one of the most digestible grains around. Simply replace your morning oatmeal with millet, stir in your favorite fruit or nuts, and enjoy! Because it is a smaller grain, you don’t even need to cook it as long.

Try out this lovely vegetarian Mediterranean millet salad from Chelsea’s Kitchen.

No worries for celiac sufferers- these three whole grains are also naturally gluten-free! Given the high amount of nutrients and benefits found in whole grains, consider trying a new variety today.

Are you gluten-free and want to incorporate more high protein foods in your diet? Join my free Facebook group, Weight no More, to download a free copy of Gluten-Free Plant Based Proteins.