By Donna Moodie, RD CDN CDE
Farro is a whole grain, a type of wheat often used in Italian and Mediterranean cuisines. Wheat berries (from common wheat) are a similar whole grain and can be used interchangeably with farro in recipes Farro has a delicious nutty and chewy texture, and can be used in many types of dishes ranging from salads to soups. It is also a good substitute for rice.
Farro is becoming more popular in American cooking, but nutrition information for farro has not yet been added to the USDA database. It is similar nutritionally to barley which provides, in one cooked cup, 193 calories, 44 grams of carbohydrate, and 6 grams of fiber. Farro also contains many vitamins and minerals which are naturally occurring because it has not been stripped of its outer hull. Eating more whole grains like farro can help control your blood sugar as they are full of fiber that can help blunt blood sugar spikes. Farro does contain gluten, so if you are gluten-intolerant, have celiac disease, or are allergic to wheat, avoid eating farro.
Farro can be found at Italian markets or in some of the gourmet supermarkets. Experiment and enjoy using farro in your cooking. Here is a link to a recipe from the American Diabetes Association for Vegetable and Farro Soup:
http://www.diabetes.org/mfa-recipes/recipes/2016-10-farmhouse-vegetable-and-farro-soup.html
This article is not meant to take the place of medical advice. If you have a concern, consult your doctor.
Donna Moodie is a Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program. She can be reached at dm258@cornell.edu