Are Grains Better Than Whole Wheat?

Once found only in health food stores, "old-world" grains like amaranth, spelt, and quinoa are now available at your local grocery. These tasty grains may be even higher in disease-fighting nutrients than the usual whole wheat, rice, and oats. Buying tips:

Pick bread with more than seven grains. Products with a greater number of grains will likely include some of these alternatives, such as millet and amaranth.

Visit the rice and pasta aisle. Try boxed quinoa (pronounced keen-wa), which has a nutty taste, or Kamut pasta, which has a hearty wheat flavor. Most prepackaged alternative grains cook in 20 minutes or less and can be swapped for rice or noodles in pilafs, salads, and soups.

Try small substitutions at first. You can use flours made from these grains in many of your favorite foods, including cookies, muffins, and pancakes.