Grains

The term grains refers to grasses (members of the botanical family Gramineae Juss) that have been domesticated and selected by man to be used for food. The main characteristics of grains are having a low percentage of water in their fruit; an abundance of starch; and a relative scarcity of indigestible substances such as cellulose and lignin. After grinding, flour, when mixed with water and fermented, is used for bread making and other similar products, all of which are very important for nourishment.

Wheat, corn, and rice account for about 85 percent of global grain production. Here, an irrigated wheat field in Arizona

Source: Jeff Vanuga/Natural Resources Conservation Service/USDA

Grain cultivation began in the Neolithic period, between 9000 and 8000 B.C.E. Since then, grains have played a crucial ...