THEY are the foods worshipped by ancient civilisations, from the Aztecs to the Greeks and Egyptians.
Roman legions marched on them and they were revered staples of African and Asian tribes.
Dietitians now hail them as nutritional powerhouses - the "super superfoods". Not only are these grains better for you than wheat, rice and barley, they are also incredibly tasty.
Ancient grains contain all of the essential parts that make up a whole grain, but also have that "little bit extra", said Chris Cashman, nutrition project officer with the Grains and Legumes Nutrition Council.
"They contain lots of essential vitamins, particularly B vitamins, minerals like magnesium and potassium, more amounts of iron and they also contain protective elements like fibres and antioxidants," Mr Cashman told news.com.au. "They're nutritionally similar to grains ... but they've got a little more bit more, which is unique and that is part of their popularity".
Now they're part of a huge grain revival, being served in cafes and lunch boxes around the country everyday.
So what are these amazing ancient grains? We break down their history, health benefits, and give you some recipe ideas so you can incorporate them into your diet.
Quinoa
Quinoa is "the mother" of all grains, according to Mr Cashman.
Worshipped by the ancient Aztecs, the protein power of quinoa is impressive - not only is quinoa higher than most grains in protein, it is one of the few plant foods which is a complete protein, meaning it contains significant amounts of all of the essential amino acids.
"That's pretty uncommon in plant foods," said Mr Cashman.
Quinoa is also gluten free, has a low Glycemic Index (GI), high in fibre and is a source of magnesium, which plays a key role in your body's energy production.
Amaranth
A close cousin of quinoa, amaranth is a small round grain that packs a nutritional punch. It's high in protein, fibre, and is also higher in healthy oils than other grains.
The word amaranth means "everlasting" in Greek.
One cup of raw amaranth contains 28.1 grams of protein, compared to oats with 26.3g and white rice with 13.1g)
Unlike other grains, when cooked amaranth never completely softens - this means amaranth is suited to making healthy breakfasts, porridges, and soups, or you can buy (or make) popped amaranth to mix into baked snacks, mueslis or granola.
Freekeh
Freekeh
Freekeh, an ancient Middle Eastern dish, is the name given to any grain which is harvested while green (or immature) and then roasted.
Because the grain is picked while it's still green, freekeh retains higher amounts of protein, vitamins and minerals. It's also packed with fibre - it has four times as much fibre as other grains such as brown rice.
The freekeh available today is made from roasted green wheat but in the near future other varieties of freekeh may be available made from other grains including green barley and triticale.
Farro (also known as Emmer)
Farro is the Italian name for emmer, which is an ancient variety of wheat, and was one of the first grains ever domesticated by humans.
Ancient varieties of wheat are nutritionally similar to modern day wheats, however are generally higher in protein and fibre, particularly insoluble fibre which is important for digestive wellbeing.
Emmer is eaten with the outer husk removed - you'll find these in the health food aisle of your local supermarket or at specially health food stores.
Millet
Before rice was widely eaten in Asia, it is thought that different varieties of millet were the staple grain. Millet is almost always consumed as a whole grain and so packs a punch or protein, fibre and B vitamins.
Millet is great as a fluffy side dish (similar to couscous) or a creamy porridge.
Buckwheat
Buckwheat has a unique triangular shape and despite its name, it is not related to wheat. Nutritionally similar to quinoa it contains significant amounts of all of the essential amino acids, has a low GI, high in fibre, is gluten free and is particularly high in niacin, which helps release energy from food.
Buckwheat is really versatile - it's most commonly used in salads, as a side dish and even to make healthy pancakes.
Here's one delicious recipe to get you started.
Quinoa & Wheat Berry Tabouleh
Serves: 6 as a side dish
Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients
1 cup wheat berries (wheat grains) or brown rice or risoni
1/3 cup white quinoa
2/3 cup salt reduced vegetable or chicken stock
200 g grape tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup chopped fresh continental parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Lemon wedges, to serve
Method
1. Place wheat in a saucepan with 3 cups of water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 50 - 60 minutes or until wheat is tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, add quinoa and stock to a small saucepan. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 - 12 minutes or until stock is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.
3. Add quinoa, tomatoes, parsley, mint and onion to the wheat. Toss to combine.
4. Combine lemon juice and oil in a jug and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over wheat mixture. Toss to combine.
5. Serve with lemon wedges
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