Are ancient grains better for you? The surprising truth about quinoa and spelt

This is because the bran and germ, which are typically removed in refining, contain fatty acids that shorten the shelf life.

Diets replete with wholegrains, however, are associated with a lower risk of numerous diseases, including type 2 diabetes. Research also shows a link between regularly eating wholegrains and experiencing lower blood pressure. In one 2020 review of 17 studies, researchers found that a diet high in wholegrains was linked to lower risk of colorectal, colon, gastric, pancreatic, and oesophageal cancers.

Still, these findings are to be taken with a pinch of salt. The population data on this is often confounded, because those who eat wholegrains tend to have many other healthy habits, says Julie Miller Jones, professor emerita of foods and nutrition at St. Catherine University in Minnesota, in the US.

One Finnish study, for example, analysed the eating habits and health of more than 5,000 adults. The scientists found that those who ate more wholegrains tended to have a healthier diet overall, consisting of more fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk and fish, and less red and processed meat.

Enter ancient grains

A growing body of nutritional research is now suggesting there is a distinction between "modern" grains that make up most of our diets and far less common "ancient grains". Many of both can be consumed as whole or refined grains, but modern grains are those bred over time through agricultural practices to select for offspring with desirable traits such as increased yield or superior taste.