Grains, Starches, and Cereals — Lecture Notes (Pages 1-15)

A set of 50 vocabulary-style flashcards covering key terms related to grains, starches, cereals, whole vs. refined grains, and related culinary ingredients from the lecture notes.

Grains

Edible seeds of cereal grasses used as staple foods, providing most daily energy via carbohydrates.

Cereals

Group of grains (e.g., rice, corn, wheat, oats, barley, rye, millet, sorghum) used as staple foods.

Staples

Foods that form the daily diet and supply the majority of energy.

Carbohydrates

Macronutrient providing energy; in cereals, mainly as starch.

Starch

Primary carbohydrate in cereals; a polysaccharide that stores energy.

Protein content

Cereals contain about 6–15% protein, usually incomplete in essential amino acids.

Fats

Low fat content in cereals (2–5%), predominantly unsaturated.

Dietary Fiber

Indigestible plant components, mainly in bran; aids digestion and reduces cholesterol.

Bran

Outer grain layer

B-complex vitamins

Vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folate present in cereals.

Minerals

Essential inorganic nutrients in cereals (e.g., iron, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium).

Iron

Mineral essential for blood; present in cereals.

Magnesium

Mineral important for metabolism; present in cereals.

Phosphorus

Mineral important for energy and bone health.

Selenium

Mineral with antioxidant roles present in cereals.

Enriched cereals

Cereals with added vitamins/minerals to replace nutrients lost during milling.

Fortified cereals

Cereals with added nutrients beyond the original content.

Whole grains

Grains that retain bran, germ, and endosperm; higher in fiber and micronutrients.

Refined grains

White rice/white flour with bran and germ removed; mainly starch and lower in nutrients.

Endosperm

Starchy inner part of the grain.

Germ

Embryo of the grain containing fats and vitamins.

Gluten

Protein in many cereals that gives dough its elasticity.

Gluten-free

Foods made without gluten, suitable for those with celiac disease.

Celiac diets

Diets that exclude gluten to manage celiac disease.

Starches

Carbohydrate-rich substances from cereals, tubers, and legumes used for energy and thickening.

Cereal starches

Starches derived from corn, rice, and wheat.

Root/tuber starches

Starches from potato, cassava, arrowroot, and sweet potato.

Legume starches

Starches from mung bean and peas.

Cassava starch

Starch extracted from the cassava root.

Potato starch

Starch potatoes

Cornstarch

Starch derived from corn used as a thickener.

Arrowroot starch

Starch from arrowroot used as a thickener.

Rice starch

Starch derived from rice used for thickening.

Modified starch

Starch chemically or physically altered to improve performance in foods and industry.

Thickening

Using starches or other agents to make liquids thicker.

Binding

Using ingredients to give structure and stability to foods.

Alternative flours

Flours from non-wheat sources used as substitutes (e.g., potato flour, cassava flour).

Potato flour

Flour made from potato; used as a gluten-free substitute.

Cassava flour

Flour made from cassava root; used as a gluten-free option.

Rice

A staple cereal grain, prepared by boiling, steaming, or frying.

Wheat

A staple cereal grain used for bread, pasta, pastry, and noodles.

Oats

Cereal used in porridge and breakfast cereals.

Barley

Cereal used in soups and porridge.

Millet

Small-seeded cereal used as a staple or alternative grain.

Rye

Cereal used for bread and other products.

Sorghum

Drought-tolerant cereal

Quinoa

Seed used as a gluten-free, nutrient-dense whole-grain substitute.

Brown rice

Whole-grain rice with bran and germ still intact.

Lugaw/congee

Rice porridge common in some cuisines.

Porridge

A dish made by boiling grains in water or milk.

Glycemic index

Measure of how quickly a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood glucose; whole grains typically have a lower GI.