The milling process

All grains need to undergo a degree of processing to make them edible. Milling of grains concentrates the desirable components and removes the poorly digested compounds and cooking grains can help improve their digestibility.

There is however other forms of processing that refine the grains and as a result reduce the grains nutritional value. It is these highly refined grains that we need to eat in moderation. Often manufacturers will add back in vitamins or minerals to a highly refined product (such as white bread). However there are many other components in wholegrains, such as phytonutrients, which are also lost during the refining process which cannot be added back in.