List of cereals: Best Varieties to know

Imagine a life where your heart beats at just the right rhythm, your mind revels in joy, your eyes sparkle with dreams and motivation, and your body stays light and delighted. 

How wonderful right? But feels impossible. 

We say no. This dreamy state of a healthy body can be a reality if you have just the right diet. 

Yes! We truly are what we eat. And cooking cereals, eating them, can do wonders for our health. However, not all cereals are equally potent and pleasing. Some are good; some are bad; and some need precautions to be taken. And this is what has fuelled this article.

Gone are the days of artificial colours, excessive sugars, and mysterious ingredients. Here, we celebrate the beauty of grains in their purest state – untouched by chemical processes and devoid of unnecessary additives. 

It’s time to break free from the monotony of unhealthy cereals and delve into a world where simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

List of cereals that you must know and include in your diet. 

1. Millets

These small, rounded, alluring gains have numerous varieties available to cherish. And the far more good thing is that all these varieties are rich in nutrients and delicious as well. This grain is high in fibre and is good for weight loss too. 

Here are the many varieties that you might find reveling on the superstore’s shelf – 

• Finger millet
• Pearl millet
• Foxtail millet
• Fonio millet
• Browntop millet
• Little millet
• Buckwheat millet

When it comes to millets, you need not worry about how to cook. These delicious grains can be cooked in numerous ways. You can make dishes such as porridge, pilafs, salads, and bake goods like bread and muffins.  

You can mix Aashirvaad multi-millet mix to your regular atta or in your baked goods. You can make desserts and savouries both using millets. 

2. Quinoa

Quinoa, a gluten-free pseudo-cereal, is a nutritional powerhouse. It offers complete proteins, fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. With its versatility in the kitchen, quinoa can be enjoyed as a hot cereal, used in salads, side dishes, and more. It’s a wholesome and satisfying alternative to elevate your breakfast and meals while providing essential nutrients and unique flavours. 

3. Wheat 

Speaking of cereals and forgetting about wheat? That can never happen. 

Wheat is one of the first crops that humans saw hopefully toward and started domesticating. Its first signs of domestication go back around 10,000 years in the Middle East. In India, especially Northern India, wheat has been a staple. So, what do you get from eating wheat?

Now, wheat is an excellent source of several health benefits. For example, it provides sustained energy, supports digestive health, and may help lower the risk of chronic diseases. However, one must make sure not to use refined wheat (Maida). 

Who should avoid wheat: As you can see wheat contains Gluten, it must be avoided by those who suffer from gluten intolerance.

4. Rice 

As you slowly move from Northern and Western India toward Southern and Eastern India, you find wheat to be fading into rice. It is widely consumed throughout all the southern states. Several delicacies such as idli, dosa, Pongal, and other delectable delicacies are made using it. 

And this is why we’ve included rice in our list of cereals.

Rice is a beloved grain throughout India. 

However, because it has a high glycaemic index, it must be consumed in moderation by diabetics. 

As an alternative, one may cook brown rice or go for other cereals such a quinoa or millet. 

5. Maize / Corn 

Although corn is not a staple in India, it is dearly loved still. Who doesn’t have memories of cherishing roasted or boiled corn seasoned with spices and lemon in the rain? Beautiful and pleasing it is. And here is why you must not leave eating corn regularly:

Do you see how brilliant corn can be when it comes to weight loss? And here is some more excellent info about why you must eat it – it provides energy, dietary fibre, and antioxidants. Furthermore, eye health is improved due to its content of lutein and zeaxanthin.

6. Barley 

This cereal beauty is another one of the earliest crops that humans started domesticating around 10,000 years back. Since then, humankind has been cherishing it in soups, stews, salads, and as an ingredient in baked goods and beverages like barley water. 

Don’t get confused if you visit the market and see varieties such as hulled barley, pearl barley, and barley flakes. 

All are good as far as you don’t have gluten intolerance or celiac issues.

Because barley has a low glycaemic index, it is an excellent cereal for heart health. Furthermore, barley water has also been found to be helpful in treating UTIs. 

7. Oats 

Oats, the buzzword of the modern food market. And why not? It serves several super benefits – you get lower cholesterol levels, improved heart health, aided digestion, and a sustained flow of energy. So many wonderful things happening with just a bowl of oats daily. But there are things you must know. 

You may easily get quality oats in many varieties such as rolled oats, steel-cut oats, instant oats, etc. Nutrition wise they might not differ much. Furthermore, there are varieties that include spices, other cereals, flavours, etc. It is best to go for natural oats and then cook delicious dishes using them. 

8. Rye 

This cereal might not be well known to you despite the fact that its scientific name is ‘secale cereal’. But you must do this one. Although it does look like wheat, it is a bit different. The similarity is because both these belong to the same grass family called ‘poaceae’. 

Rye offers numerous health benefits. For example, its high-antioxidant content prevents cell damage. Furthermore, it is rich in protein as well. 

It is rich in fibre and protein. It boosts metabolism, improves the digestive system, prevents gallstones, and offers lots of nutrition. And this is why we have included this in our list of cereals. 

How to consume? You may either get whole rye, rye flour, rye flakes, or rye bread. Whatever you prefer. 

9. Sorghum

Often referred to as the king of coarse cereals, Sorghum is often considered to as a millet.  However, there is a slight difference in millet and sorghum as they belong to different plant families. 

Sorghum, like millet, comes with numerous nutrition and health benefits. Although it originated in Africa, the Indian subcontinent has started to include it in its diet. 

And for all the good reasons. It is a good source of antioxidants, lignans, fibre, etc. All these nutrients bless our bodies and mind. 

Make porridge, flatbreads, and popped sorghum snacks, or use it as an ingredient in gluten-free baking, but use. The wisdom lies in eating healthy, and the taste lies in cooking it with skill and devotion.

List of Breakfast Cereals 

Legends say, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper”. We are in absolute support of this proverb. 

The idea is to start your day with a substantial and nutritious meal, providing your body with the energy and nutrients it needs to kickstart the day. A hearty breakfast may include a balanced combination of proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates, such as eggs, whole-grain toast, fruits, yoghurt and cereals.

While you can eat cereals for all your meals, eating them for breakfast makes a lot of difference in how you feel throughout the day. 

Here are some common breakfast cereals to add to your list:

Millets

• Millet Veggie Upma: This one-pot pressure cooker recipe is an excellent breakfast. Soak Little Millet for 30 minutes and cook in a pressure cooker with sauteed vegetables and spices. 
• Millet Dosa: Combine millet flour, rice flour, and water to make a smooth dosa batter. Cook in a non-stick pan until crispy, serve with chutney and sambar. A nutritious and gluten-free breakfast or snack option.

Oats

• Oatmeal: One of the most popular ways to enjoy oats is oatmeal. Simply cook oats in water or milk (dairy or plant-based) and add your favourite toppings such as fruits, nuts, seeds, honey, or maple syrup for added flavour and nutrition.
• Overnight oats: Mix rolled oats with milk and your desired toppings in a jar or container, and let it soak in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, you’ll have a ready-to-eat, chilled, and creamy breakfast.

Wheat

• Whole Wheat Cereal: Look for whole wheat cereal options with minimal added sugar and pair them with milk or yogurt for a quick and easy breakfast.
• Whole Wheat Toast: Choose whole wheat bread and top it with nut butter, avocado, eggs, or your favourite spread for a satisfying morning meal.

Quinoa

• Quinoa Breakfast Bowl: Prepare quinoa as you would rice, and top it with yogurt, fresh fruits, and a drizzle of honey or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
• Quinoa Smoothie Bowl: Blend cooked quinoa with your favourite fruits, milk, and a dash of honey or maple syrup, and pour it into a bowl. Add toppings like sliced fruits, nuts, and seeds for texture and extra nutrients.

Corn

• Corn Flakes: Enjoy cornflakes with milk and sliced fruits for a classic and quick breakfast.
• Cornmeal Porridge: Cook cornmeal with water or milk, and sweeten it with a little honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar. You can also add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg for extra flavour.

Words of Wisdom!

You must start befriending these cereals if you want to stay healthy and stay at the top of your energy. 

Our ancestors always ate healthily. However, modern times have capsized our healthy sail. It is time to take back control of the helm and cherish the health that Mother Nature nurtures in its soil for us. 

The key to good health lies not in depending on one cereal. It will rarely work. 

What you must do is include a variety of cereals in your diet. Take adequate fibre, protein, good fat and good carbs, and all the essential vitamins and minerals. The good side of this is that taste and excitement stay alive while keeping boredom at bay. 

Bon voyage to flavourful cereal town!

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