How to Pick Grains for a Macrobiotic Diet

The macrobiotic diet is designed around a percentage system. Whole grains make up between 50 and 60 percent of a person's calories during a day, vegetables make up between 25 and 30 percent of their calories, beans and legumes make up between 5 and 10 percent of their calories and miso soup accounts for about 5 percent of their calories. If you are trying out the macrobiotic diet, then follow these steps to find the right types of grains to eat.

Instructions

1. Stock up on brown rice. Brown rice is highly nutritious and is a whole grain. In a single 3.5 ounce serving you will get 23.51 grams of carbohydrates, .83 grams of fat and 2.32 grams of protein. Brown rice is also a great source of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and B9. It will also provide you with 1 percent of your daily allowance of calcium and 4 percent of your daily allowance of iron.

2. Buy some barley. Barley is another great whole grain that you can eat while on a Macrobiotic Diet. A 3.5 ounce serving contains 77.7 grams of carbohydrates, .8 grams of sugar and 15.6 grams of dietary fiber. It also contains 20 percent of your daily allowance for iron, 21 percent of your daily allowance of magnesium and three percent of your daily allowance of calcium. It is also a great source of B vitamins, zinc and potassium.

3. Mull over the possibility of adding millet to your diet. Millet is a variety of small seeded cereal grains that include pearl millet, proso millet, foxtail millet and finger millet. Millet is a great source of B vitamins, calcium, iron, folic acid and protein. It is also gluten free so it is a great option for people with gluten sensitivities.