ancient grains
Old-world seed crops
Ancient grains are cereals and seeds that have remained largely unchanged by selective breeding over millennia—quinoa, amaranth, spelt, farro, millet, teff.
The term is more marketing than botany, distinguishing these from modern wheat and corn varieties optimized for industrial agriculture.
They're associated with health food trends and artisanal baking: The bakery uses ancient grains in all its breads.
Edible-seeded flowering plant
- quinoaEdible seed from Andes
- farroAncient hulled wheat
- speltHulled wheat species
- teffEthiopian cereal grass
millet · sorghum · freekeh · bulgur · kamut · emmer · buckwheat · barley
Boiled grain dish
- pilafSeasoned broth-cooked grain
- saladCold dressed vegetables
- bowlConcave food container
- breadLeavened flour product
flatbread · injera · tabbouleh · risotto · flour · granola · crackers · pasta
Inherited family treasure
- indigenousOriginating in a region
- ancestralOf one's forebears
- traditionalFollowing long-held customs
- cultivationFostering growth through care
millennia · pre-Columbian · Aztec · Incan · Ethiopian · Fertile Crescent · Mesoamerican · subsistence
Plant-based digestive aid
antioxidants · complex carbohydrates · low-glycemic · nutrient-dense · essential amino acids · calcium · manganese · phosphorus
Nutrient-dense dietary buzzword
- plant-basedSourced from flora
- gluten-freeContaining no wheat protein
- organicFrom living matter
- non-GMOWithout genetic modification
paleo · whole food · sustainable · vegan · health food · dietary · farm-to-table · artisanal
amaranth
Edible-seeded flowering plant
teff · millet · sorghum · freekeh · bulgur · kamut · emmer · buckwheat · barley · wild rice
porridge
Boiled grain dish
bread · flatbread · injera · tabbouleh · risotto · flour · granola · crackers · pasta · polenta
heirloom
Inherited family treasure
- indigenousOriginating in a region
- ancestralOf one's forebears
- traditionalFollowing long-held customs
cultivation · millennia · pre-Columbian · Aztec · Incan · Ethiopian · Fertile Crescent · Mesoamerican · subsistence · landrace
fiber
Plant-based digestive aid
zinc · antioxidants · complex carbohydrates · low-glycemic · nutrient-dense · essential amino acids · calcium · manganese · phosphorus · selenium
superfood
Nutrient-dense dietary buzzword
- plant-basedSourced from flora
- gluten-freeContaining no wheat protein
- organicFrom living matter
non-GMO · paleo · whole food · sustainable · vegan · health food · dietary · farm-to-table · artisanal · nutritionist
- Asian PrehistoryPaleolithic, Bronze Age, Chalcolithic, hunter-gatherers, stone tools
- Bread Bakingbread flour, yeast, dough, knead, kneading
- food trendsfusion, cronuts, oat milk, kombucha, cauliflower rice
- whole grainsbrown rice, whole wheat, oats, quinoa, barley
- ancient farmingcrops, fields, early farming, cultivation, sowing
- crop diversitycultivars, landraces, heirloom varieties, traditional crops, native crops
ancient grainswhite flour
Processed wheat for baking
white rice · white bread · Wonder Bread · all-purpose flour · enriched flour
ancient, grains, archaic, antiquity, ancients, anciently, ancient grain