Grains — food card: rice, buckwheat, bulgur, oats
Plov, porridge, bulgur — grains are the base of our cuisine and the body’s main source of energy. This card explains the kinds of grain, their benefits and how to choose them during treatment.
01Short answer
02Simple explanation
Grains give carbohydrates, the main fuel for the brain and muscles.
Whole grains (buckwheat, brown rice, oats) contain more fibre and vitamins.
White rice and semolina are soft and gentler on a sensitive gut.
Cooked rice left warm for a long time can cause food poisoning.
03Scientific explanation
Whole grains: according to the Harvard Nutrition Source they are linked with lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Bacillus cereus: the NHS advises cooling cooked rice within an hour, keeping it in the fridge no more than a day and reheating it only once.
Low-fibre diet: the NCI suggests white rice, white bread and oatmeal during diarrhea.
04What happens in the body?
What do grains provide?
Carbohydrate, some protein, B vitamins, iron, magnesium and fibre. 100 g of cooked rice gives about 130 kcal.
Which to choose?
On good days, whole grains such as buckwheat, bulgur and oats. With diarrhea, nausea and mouth sores, white rice, semolina and oat porridge.
Storage
Keep dry grains in a closed, dry container. Throw them away if you see mould or insects or notice an odd smell.
Cooking
Rinse the grain and cook it until fully soft. Porridges can be cooked gently in milk or water.
Plov
Do not keep cooked plov on the stove for long; cool leftovers quickly and reheat them until steaming the next day.
05Grains: four steps
Keep dry, choose by how you feel, cook soft, cool rice fast.
06Grains compared
| Grain | When it helps | Note |
|---|---|---|
| White rice | Diarrhea, mucositis | Low fibre, soft |
| Buckwheat | Ordinary days | Iron and magnesium |
| Bulgur | Ordinary days | Filling, fibre-rich |
| Oats | Both | Soft porridge, soluble fibre |
| Semolina | Mouth sores | Very soft |
* The table is general information; a dietitian can advise what suits you.
07Key terms
- Whole grain
- Grain that keeps its bran and germ.
- Bran
- The fibrous outer layer of grain.
- Germ
- The vitamin-rich core of the grain.
- Low-fibre diet
- Eating that is gentle on the gut.
- Bacillus cereus
- A bacterium that can grow in cooked rice.
- Starch
- The complex carbohydrate in grain.
08Key points
- Grains are the main energy source.
- Whole grains on ordinary days.
- White rice and oats during diarrhea.
- Keep dry grains sealed.
- Cool cooked rice fast.
- Reheat rice only once.
09Frequently asked questions
Is rice good during treatment?
Yes, it is easily digested energy, especially with diarrhea. Combine it with vegetables and protein.
Do I need a gluten-free diet?
Not usually, unless you have coeliac disease. Do not cut grains without your doctor’s advice.
Can I cook porridge with milk?
Yes, with pasteurised milk. It adds protein and calcium.
10Questions for your doctor
Take these questions to your appointment. The ones you save are collected on the “My questions” page and stay on this device only.
Is rice good during treatment?
Do I need a gluten-free diet?
Can I cook porridge with milk?
12Sources
- NHS. Starchy foods and carbohydrates
- NHS. Can reheating rice cause food poisoning?
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health — The Nutrition Source. Whole Grains
- National Cancer Institute. Eating Hints: Before, During, and After Cancer Treatment
- JAMA Oncology, 2018. Johnson SB et al. Complementary Medicine, Refusal of Conventional Cancer Therapy, and Survival Among Patients With Curable Cancers
- National Cancer Institute (NCI). Appetite Loss and Cancer Treatment
- American Cancer Society. Nutrition for People with Cancer
- World Health Organization (WHO). Healthy diet — fact sheet
- Clinical Nutrition, 2021. ESPEN practical guideline: Clinical Nutrition in cancer
- National Cancer Institute (NCI). Constipation and Cancer Treatment