Grain, Pulses & Dal

Grain is the harvested seed of grasses such as wheat, oats, rice, and corn. Other important grains include sorghum, millet, rye, and barley. Around the globe, grains, also called cereals, are the most important staple food. Humans get an average of 48 percent of their calories, or food energy, from grains.

Pulses are a type of leguminous crop that are harvested solely for the dry seed. Dried beans, lentils and peas are the most commonly known and consumed types of pulses. Pulses do not include crops which are harvested green (e.g. green peas, green beans)—these are classified as vegetable crops.

In Indian cuisine, dal are dried, split pulses that do not require soaking before cooking. India is the largest producer of pulses in the world.