Healthy grains: brown rice, quinoa, lentils and beans, and how to cook them

Healthy grains are whole grains: brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, oats, barley, millet and farro that still have their bran and germ, so they bring fibre, protein, B vitamins and minerals along with their energy. This guide is for anyone stocking a pantry with grains and legumes, from weeknight cooks to bulk shoppers filling their own jars. It explains whole grains versus refined grains, compares brown, white, wild and organic rice, covers quinoa, lentils and bulk beans, and gives you simple cooking times and recipes, with the grains and legumes we carry in Bedford and Dartmouth.

Grains and legumes are some of the most affordable, filling foods in the store. A cup of dried lentils or beans turns into a pot of soup for the week, and a bag of brown rice lasts for months. They're easy to cook once you know a few basics.

What makes a grain a healthy grain?

Every grain kernel has three parts. The bran is the fibre-rich outer layer, the germ is the small part that would sprout into a new plant, and the endosperm is the starchy middle. A whole grain keeps all three. Refined grains, like white flour and white rice, have the bran and germ milled away, which removes most of the fibre and many of the vitamins and minerals. Refined flour is usually enriched with some B vitamins, folic acid and iron afterwards, but not the fibre.

That's why whole grain foods are the better everyday choice: more fibre, which keeps you full for longer, plus magnesium, iron, zinc and B vitamins. They have more flavour too, nutty and chewy rather than plain. A simple goal is to make at least half your grains whole grains.

Which grains are the healthiest?

There's no single winner. The healthiest grains are the whole grains you'll actually eat often, and a variety is better than one superfood. Here's how the common ones compare:

Brown rice, white rice and organic rice

Brown rice is whole grain rice with only the inedible hull removed. White rice is the same grain with the bran and germ polished off, so it cooks faster and tastes milder but has less fibre, magnesium and B vitamins. Both have a place in the kitchen; for everyday meals, brown rice is the more nutritious choice, and brown basmati and brown jasmine give you the fragrance of white rice with the whole grain.

Organic rice is grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers and is certified to organic standards. Nutritionally it's very similar to conventional rice; people choose it for how it's farmed. Our bagged rice comes from Lundberg, a family that has grown rice in California's Sacramento Valley since 1937 and farmed organically long before it was common. Lundberg also tests its rice for arsenic and publishes the results, for anyone who wonders about arsenic in rice.

• Long grain brown rice stays fluffy and separate: the everyday rice for pilafs, stir-fries and grain bowls.
• Short grain brown rice is stickier and softer, good for rice pudding and sushi-style bowls.
• Brown basmati and brown jasmine are fragrant whole grain rices for curries and Thai dishes.

Store brown rice in a cool, dry cupboard, or in the fridge if you buy a big bag, since the natural oils in the bran can go stale over time.

What is the healthiest rice to buy?

Whole grain rices, brown, red, black and wild, are the healthiest choices because they keep the bran and germ, with more fibre and minerals. Wild rice, technically a grass seed, has a little more protein than most rice. Rinse rice before cooking, and enjoy white rice as one of several grains rather than the only one.

Wild rice: a Canadian grain

Wild rice isn't really rice at all but the seed of an aquatic grass. Our bulk organic Canadian long grain wild rice is harvested in Canada; the long, dark grains cook up chewy and nutty, with a slightly smoky taste. Rinse it, then simmer in plenty of water for 40 to 50 minutes until the grains split and curl. Mix it half and half with brown rice for an everyday side, or toss it into a salad with dried cranberries and toasted nuts.

TootsiOrganic Canadian Wild Rice (Bulk)Long grain, harvested in Canada. Buy just the amount you need.Shop →

Quinoa: a seed that cooks like a grain

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) is the seed of a plant from the Andes in South America, eaten like a grain. It's naturally gluten free, cooks in about 15 minutes, and has more protein than most grains, with all nine essential amino acids. Cooked quinoa is light and fluffy with a slight crunch. Uncooked, 100 g of quinoa has about 14 g of protein and is rich in magnesium, phosphorus and zinc, and a cup of cooked quinoa has about 5 g of fibre.

Plain organic quinoa lives in our bulk section when it's in stock. For something different, the bulk Quinoa & Bamboo Rice Mix is a colourful blend of red quinoa, amaranth, red lentils and rice flavoured with bamboo, lovely as a side or a grain bowl base.

TootsiOrganic Quinoa & Bamboo Rice Mix (Bulk)Red quinoa, amaranth, red lentils and rice.Shop →

Is quinoa actually healthier than rice?

Compared with white rice, yes: quinoa has more protein, fibre and minerals. Compared with brown rice, they're closer, with quinoa ahead on protein. Quinoa is mostly carbohydrate with a good amount of protein, so think of it as a grain that brings extra protein, not a protein food on its own. The only real downside is the natural bitter coating, called saponin, on the seeds; rinse quinoa in a fine sieve before cooking and it disappears.

Other healthy grains to try

• Millet. Eden Organic Whole Grain Millet is mildly sweet, light and fluffy, cooks in 30 minutes and is gluten free. Try it as porridge or mashed with cauliflower.
• Farro. Bob's Red Mill Organic Farro is an ancient wheat grain from Italy's kitchens, nutty and firm, and a good source of iron and plant protein. It's wheat, so not gluten free.
• Bulgur. Bob's Red Mill Red Bulgur is whole grain hard red wheat that's been parboiled and cracked, so it's tender after a soak in hot water. It's the grain in tabbouleh.
• Barley. Our bulk organic pearl barley is grown in Canada and is the grain for a pot of beef and barley soup, stews and risotto-style dishes.
• Oats. Steel cut oats are whole oat groats chopped into pieces, chewier than rolled oats. Our oats guide compares quick, rolled and steel cut.

Lentils, beans and other legumes

Lentils, beans, chickpeas and split peas are legumes, not grains, but they sit on the same shelf and do the same job in a meal: filling, inexpensive and packed with protein and fibre. Pair them with a whole grain, rice and beans or lentils with barley, and you have a complete, satisfying meal with no meat at all.

• Red lentils cook in about 15 minutes and soften into a creamy texture, perfect for dal, curries and soups.
• Green lentils hold their shape. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes for salads, soups and veggie burgers.
• Chickpeas are mildly nutty, for hummus, curries and roasting with spices.
• Black turtle beans have a rich, meaty texture for chili, burritos and rice and beans.
• Navy beans are the classic bean for Maritime baked beans.
• Split peas turn into a thick, comforting pea soup.

Do dried lentils need to be soaked before cooking?

No. Lentils and split peas don't need soaking. Sort through them for any small stones, rinse them, and simmer: about 15 minutes for split red lentils and 20 to 25 minutes for green and brown lentils. Add salt near the end of cooking so they stay tender.

How to cook dried beans

1. Sort and rinse. Spread the beans on a tray, pick out any small stones or shrivelled beans, then rinse.
2. Soak. Cover with plenty of cold water and soak overnight, or bring to a boil, boil for 2 minutes, then let them sit, covered, for an hour.
3. Cook. Drain, cover with fresh water by about 5 cm, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until tender: about an hour for black beans and chickpeas, up to 90 minutes for navy beans.
4. Season. Add salt once the beans start to soften. A bay leaf, garlic and an onion in the pot add flavour.
5. Freeze extras. Cool the beans in their cooking liquid and freeze in 2 cup portions, about the same as a can.

Canned beans are a fine shortcut. Drain and rinse them under running water to wash off some of the sodium. Eden organic canned beans are cooked with no chemical additives, and Bombay Dine Organic Lentils are just green lentils, water and sea salt.

Where is the best place to buy bulk beans?

A bulk section lets you buy exactly the amount you need, from a cup for one recipe to a bag for the month, with less packaging. Ours has organic red and green lentils, chickpeas, black, navy, kidney and adzuki beans, green split peas and a Sunny Soup Mix of barley, lentils and peas grown in Canada. Bring a clean jar to either store and fill it, or order 100 g, 1 lb or 1 kg packs online. Dried beans and lentils are usually the cheapest protein in the store, and split peas, lentils and navy beans are often the best value of all.

A simple whole grain bowl

This is the easiest way we know to eat more healthy grains: cook a pot of grains and a pot of legumes on Sunday, then build bowls all week.

1. Grain. 1 cup cooked brown rice, quinoa, farro or millet.
2. Legume. ½ cup lentils, chickpeas or black beans.
3. Vegetables. Roasted squash or sweet potato, raw greens, shredded cabbage or carrots, cucumber.
4. Sauce. Tahini sauce, a lemony vinaigrette or salsa. Homemade dressings let the grains shine without a processed sauce. Our nut butter guide has a two-minute tahini sauce.
5. Crunch. Toasted seeds or nuts, or sprouts.

Grain and legume questions we get a lot

What is the best way to eat quinoa?

Rinse it, then simmer 1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups of water or broth for 15 minutes, covered, and let it rest for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Eat it warm as a side, cold in salads, or as a breakfast porridge with milk, cinnamon and fruit.

What are the top 5 grains to keep in the pantry?

Our short list: brown rice, oats, quinoa, barley and one fun extra like wild rice, farro or millet. Add red lentils and a can or two of beans and you can make a meal any night of the week.

Are lentils good for you?

Lentils are a nutritious, inexpensive food: a good source of plant protein, fibre, iron and folate, naturally low in fat and quick to cook. They're one of the easiest ways to add more plant protein to soups, stews and salads.

How should I store grains and dried beans?

Keep them in sealed jars in a cool, dry cupboard. Dried beans and white rice keep for a year or more. Whole grains like brown rice, millet and whole grain flours keep best in the fridge or freezer if you won't use them within a few months.

Shopping for grains and legumes at Luminate

You'll find healthy grains, rice, beans and lentils in the pantry aisle and the bulk section at both stores, and online in our rice, grains, beans and legumes and pasta, rice and grains collections. Bagged grains, canned beans and our pre-packed bulk grains and legumes are shelf stable, so they ship across Atlantic Canada in 1 to 3 business days, with free shipping in Canada on orders over $80. Filling your own container at the bulk bins is in store only. In Halifax, Bedford and Dartmouth, Luminate Express brings your order the same day when you order by 11 am.

More pantry reading: our guides to bulk shopping at Luminate, pantry pasta suppers and gluten-free groceries.

Product details come from our own product listings. Nutrition comparisons are typical values for each grain or legume. This article is general information, not medical or nutrition advice.