Grain Glossary
We know from experience how many of you are gluten-free. What you may not know is that there's a wonderful world of grains out there to enjoy, both gluten-free and gluten-full.
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Grains are the largest staple crop in the world and have nourished humans worldwide for thousands of years. Rice, corn, and wheat are most prominent. In this Grain Glossary, you'll learn about the different whole grains you can use to create delicious, healthier baked goods.
Cereal grains
Cereal means more than just breakfast. Botanically speaking, a cereal is a grass plant grown for its edible seeds—i.e., the grains you know and love.
Many cereals—but not all of them—have gluten. Gluten is a protein found in these flours. It is the magic ish that lets us make beautiful artisan breads. The gluteny grains include:
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wheat
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barley
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rye
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emmer
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farro
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einkorn
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triticale
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spelt
Gluten-free cereals
Many cereal grains do not have gluten. They are still grasses with edible seeds. These include:
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millet
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sorghum
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oats
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teff
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corn
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rice
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and more
Pseudocereals
Pseudocereals are not part of the grass family. However, these plants are used just like cereals, hence the name.
With edible seeds that humans process into flour just like our favorite cereal grains, all pseudocereals are gluten-free. They include:
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buckwheat
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quinoa
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chia
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amaranth
Pulses
Pulses are legume seeds that are commercially processed for dry flour production. They are not botanically related to cereal grains, and are all gluten-free. These flours—less commonly used in baking except for paleo and grain-free recipes or for flavor—include:
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chickpea
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lentil
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mesquite
Not all legumes are pulses. Peanuts and soybeans are used for oil production rather than flour because of their high oil content. Peas and beans are considered vegetables, not pulses.
Nuts
Nuts are not really grains, but they get used in baking quite often—particularly French pastry and gluten-free baking. Nuts contain mostly fat and protein, while cereals and pseudocereals are made of starch (carbs) with some protein and very little fat.
