Cereal Grains

Abstract

Of all the plants humans have depended on for food, those that produce the cereal grains are by far the most important, as they have been since earliest recorded time. Cereal grains are the seeds of cultivated grasses that include wheat, corn, oats, barley, rye, rice, sorghum, and millet. There are a number of reasons why cereal grains have been so important in our diet. They can be grown in a variety of areas, some even in adverse soil and climatic conditions. They give high yields per acre as compared to most other crops, and, once harvested, their excellent storage stability combined with their high nutritional value make them the most desirable of foods for holding in reserve. They are easy to package and transport and they can be used to produce a large variety of highly desirable foods both for humans and animals, as well as beverages for human consumption.