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Nutrition & Dietetics vocabulary · Diets and Meal Planning

Whole grain

Meaning in nutrition & dietetics, with examples

nounCommon term

In nutrition & dietetics, whole grain means: A grain such as wheat, oats, barley or brown rice that still contains all three parts of the kernel: the bran, the germ and the endosperm.

In Turkish: tam tahıl

How it is used

Used as a noun (whole grains) and before a noun (whole grain bread, whole grain pasta). British English often says 'wholegrain' or 'wholemeal'. Dietitians teach clients to check the ingredient list, because a brown color does not always mean a product is whole grain.

Example sentences

  1. Bulgur and oats are affordable whole grain options.

  2. This 'brown bread' is made mostly from white flour, so it isn't really whole grain.

Common collocations

  • whole grain bread
  • whole grains
  • whole grain cereal
  • wholemeal flour
  • dietary fiberThe parts of plant foods that the human small intestine cannot digest, found in whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds. It supports bowel function and can help control blood sugar and cholesterol.
  • complex carbohydrateA carbohydrate made of long chains of sugar units, such as starch and fiber, found in grains, legumes and vegetables. It is usually digested more slowly than simple sugars.
  • ingredient listThe part of a food label that names every ingredient in the product, listed in descending order of weight, so the main ingredient comes first.
  • food groupA category of foods with similar nutrients, such as vegetables, fruit, grains, protein foods and dairy, used in guidelines to describe a balanced diet.

More terms: Diets and Meal Planning

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.