Chemical Composition of Cereal Grains
Asif Ahmad, Chamman Liaqat, Gulzar Ahmad Nayik, Umar Farooq
Abstract
Cereal grains are used as a staple food all over the world and play a significant role in satisfying the daily dietary and nutritional requirements of the body. They have attracted great nutritional attention due to their easy availability and multiple health benefits for humans. Owing to health-friendly chemical composition, these grains are cultivated everywhere in the world, covering about 60% of cultivated land. The main purpose of this chapter is to provide insight into the chemical composition of cereal grains. Generally, the chemical composition is reviewed in two broad aspects, structural and nutritional composition. Structurally, they are divided into three main parts: bran, endosperm, and germ. The chemical composition of these cereal grains is discussed here in detail. Furthermo