Grains, commonly referred to as ‘cereals’ or ‘cereal grains’, are the edible seeds of specific grasses belonging to the Poaceae (also known as Gramineae) family. Wheat, oats and rice are the grains most commonly eaten in Australia, with others such as rye, barley, corn, triticale, millet and sorghum making a smaller contribution. See the section on types of grains for more details on their nutritional benefits. 

Although the structures of the various cereal grains are different, there are some common features they all share, including the following layers: 

 • bran – the multi-layered outer skin of the grain which is rich in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fibre
• endosperm – the food supply for the germ, which is dense in starchy carbohydrates and protein
• germ – the embryo, which contains the genetic material for a new plant, is abundant in essential fatty acids, vitamin E, B-group vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients
 

Seeds from plants such as amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa come from a number of different plant species external to the Poaceae family. As such, they are not by definition ‘true’ cereal grains, yet they are considered ‘pseudo-cereals’ since their overall nutrient composition is similar and they are prepared and used in similar ways to ‘true’ cereal grains. Pseudo-cereals are increasingly being used in the manufacture of niche breads, flatbreads, crisp-breads, pasta, breakfast cereals and snack bars as well as on their own as alternatives to rice, pasta and couscous. 

Eating grain-based foods have a number of nutritional and health benefits, Go Grains Health & Nutrition recommends eating 48g of  grain-based foods a day preferably wholegrains.