Cereal

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A cereal is a grass grown for its edible grain. The main cereals are maize (corn), wheat, rice, barley, oats, rye, millet, and sorghum. Other grains from different plants, like quinoa, buckwheat, and amaranth, are called pseudocereals.

Most cereals are grown as annual crops, giving one harvest each year, though rice can be produced as a perennial in some systems. Some varieties are planted in autumn (winter varieties) and harvested in spring or early summer, while spring varieties are planted in spring and harvested in late summer. The word cereal comes from Ceres, the Roman goddess of grain.

Cereals were first domesticated thousands of years ago: wheat and barley in the Fertile Crescent; rice and millets in East Asia; sorghum and other millets in Africa; and maize in the Americas. In the 20th century, the Green Revolution greatly boosted cereal yields, helping feed growing populations and increasing global trade.

Cereals provide most of the world's food as whole grains or flour for bread, porridge, and many other foods. They are high in starch and can be fermented to make drinks like beer. Milling usually removes the bran and germ to make white flour, while wholemeal flour keeps all parts of the grain. Cereals are also milled into flour for foods such as tortillas, noodles, and pasta. Some grains are turned into industrial products like corn starch and sweeteners.

Growing cereals has environmental impacts, including soil disturbance, high water use, and the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Practices like no-till farming, intercropping, and developing perennial or ratoon crops can help reduce harm. Rice can be grown as a ratoon crop, and researchers are exploring perennial cereals like kernza.

Nutritionally, cereals supply carbohydrates, some protein, vitamins, and minerals. Some lack certain essential amino acids, so diets often combine cereals with legumes to balance them. Cereals also serve as animal feed.

Cereals are among the world’s largest crops by volume. Maize, wheat, and rice together make up most production, and most international trade involves these grains. The United States exports a lot of maize, India exports a lot of rice, and China is a major importer. Prices can move sharply with crop harvests, wars, and climate events, as seen in past price spikes in 2007–2008 and during the 2022 disruptions.