9781422287897

Chapter 1

Where Do Grains Come From?

T he next time you eat some cereal, a piece of bread, or some popcorn, take a minute to think about what exactly you’re eating. Before you pop it in your mouth, really look at that food. All three of those foods are made of grains. They’ve come a long way from where they were first grown to your table. Exploring where they came from, why we eat them, and how they help your body will help you make healthier food decisions. WHAT IS A GRAIN ANYWAY? The foods we call grains are all seeds. If you plant a grain, it might grow into a new plant. By definition, a grain is a seed. Most of those grain seeds come from one family of plants—the grass family. The grains we eat don’t come from the grass growing in parks and on lawns, though. But the plants they come from are related to that kind of grass.