Grains – a major source of sustainable protein for health

Cereal grains are the main dietary source of energy, carbohydrates, and plant proteinsworld-wide. Currently, only 41% of grains are used for human consumption,and up to 35% are used for animal feed. Cereals have been overlooked as a sourceof environmentally sustainable and healthy plant proteins and could play a majorrole in transitioning towards a more sustainable food system for healthy diets.Cereal plant proteins are of good nutritional quality, but lysine is often the limitingamino acid. When consumed as whole grains, cereals provide health-protectingcomponents such as dietary fiber and phytochemicals. Shifting grain use from feedto traditional foods and conceptually new foods and ingredients could improve proteinsecurity and alleviate climate change. Rapid development of new grain-basedfood ingredients and use of grains in new food contexts, such as dairy replacementsand meat analogues, could accelerate the transition. This review discusses recentdevelopments and outlines future perspectives for cereal grain use