Growing Importance of Cereals in Nutrition and Healthy Life

Abstract

Cereals are key elements of a nutrition and healthy diet and also play a significant role in health promotion due to the useful nutrient content (for example: carbohydrates , vitamins, proteins, minerals). The most important cereals are wheat, barley, rye, and oats, but also known the durum wheat, spelt, buckwheat and as well. The flours, bread, and other baked products produced by cereals also play an important role in disease prevention and international gastronomy. They help to lower cholesterol levels, treat complex metabolic syndrome or obesity, type II diabetes and gastrointestinal diseases with their high vitamin and fibre contents. Cereals are rich sources of B vitamins, which also have a good effect on the balanced functioning of the nervous system. Cereals are also the basis of a healthy nutrition pyramid because of their useful and beneficial properties. Therefore, the first part of the manuscript is the presentation of these cereals and the evaluation of their most important properties and content values. In addition, the publication examines their effect on physiological function. We hope that by presenting the best known cereals, thinkers and scientists can get closer to healthy eating and the opportunities offered by gastronomy through cereals.