Every weekday, about 10-12,000 people visit the Whole Grains Council website, adding up to about 2.5 million visitors a year. We do our best to keep the welcome mat out, and make our site a friendly place to explore and learn. 

As we add new information to WholeGrainsCouncil.org, it helps us to know what brings people to the WGC site. What did they type into their search engines, that landed them on our doorstep?

Thanks to a feature of Google Analytics called Real-Time, the WGC staff can peer behind the curtain any minute of any day and see the questions people are asking. It’s addictive to open Real-Time and see just what those search terms are. Here are the first dozen or so that came up as we began writing this blog:

• is bulgur gluten free
• barley pearled
• difference between quinoa flakes and grain
• how to store whole wheat flour
• all natural gluten free grains
• is barley bad for you
• where should grains be stored
• grains for the lunch box
• types of whole grains
• is barley good for you
• how to cook kiawah grain
• are gluten free grains healthy

But what if you can’t find the answer you want on our website? Then we invite you to email us. Yes, there are real human beings here at the Whole Grains Council, unlike some sites where you fill in an impersonal form that drops into a black hole where no one ever responds. We’re here, and we love interacting with people interested in whole grains.

We get the most inspiring variety of questions. Just in the last couple of weeks, we’ve had people ask questions including….

Q. I am a keen baker. Would you be able to tell me where to find whole grain flour for home baking in Spain?

A. We had checked out some Spanish supermarkets on a trip to Madrid a few years ago, and were able to recommend a brand for Carol that’s widely available.

Q. I would like to make your sorghum bread but cannot eat xanthan gum. What can I substitute for this?

A. We were able to recommend some options Barb could try, from guar gum to chia seeds.

Q. We’ve been promoting amaranth here in Zimbabwe, but because it’s rather brown and sticky, it’s not all that popular. We know the grain can also be popped, but we haven’t had success. Is there some secret to it?

A. We gave Caroline a few tips based on our experience (we even have a video on popping amaranth!).

Q. Can you tell me if cooking grains or pseudograins with salt and/or acid such as vinegar harms the quality of the cooked grains?

A. We assured Mary that both of these are common approaches to brighten the flavor of grains – and that vinegar added to foods actually increases satiety and lowers post-meal blood sugar and insulin responses.

What are your whole grain questions? Ask our inhouse registered dietitian, Kelly Toups. She loves helping people out, and if your question stumps her, she thrives on researching answers from our great circle of advisors and our many reference sources. Email Kelly@oldwayspt.org with your questions and let us help you learn more about whole grains. (Cynthia)

P.S. That’s not Kelly, in the photo above. And we don’t charge 5¢. Our advice is free!