Whole Grains and Japgokbap

A bowl of rice anchors the Korean meal (see rice in Korean culture), but that bowl has not always been white. Japgokbap (잡곡밥), rice cooked with other grains and beans, and boribap (보리밥), rice with barley, have long histories. Today they are back on many tables as a deliberate choice, partly for flavor and texture and partly because of research on whole grains.

From necessity to choice

The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture defines japgokbap as rice cooked with grains such as barley, beans, sorghum, red beans and millet, or made from those grains alone. For most of Korean history, it notes, polished white rice was largely a food of the elite, and mixed grains were the everyday staple of ordinary households. Barley rice was the most typical of these. Its entry on boribap recalls boritgogae, the hungry spring months when stored grain ran out before the barley harvest, and describes later government campaigns encouraging people to mix barley into their rice.

Mixed grains also carry festive meaning. Ogokbap (오곡밥), five-grain rice made with sticky rice and beans and millet, is cooked for the first full moon of the lunar year and traditionally shared with neighbors. See seasonal foods.

What makes a grain whole

A whole grain keeps all three parts of the kernel: the fiber-rich bran, the nutrient-dense germ and the starchy endosperm. The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health's Nutrition Source explains that refining strips away the bran and germ, removing most of the fiber along with much of the vitamin E, B vitamins and many plant compounds.

Barley is a useful special case. According to the Whole Grains Council, hulled and hull-less barley are whole grains, while pearled barley has had its bran polished off and is technically refined. Because barley's fiber is spread through the whole kernel rather than concentrated in the bran, pearled barley still keeps more fiber than most refined grains. If you want the whole grain, look for barley labeled hulled or hull-less.

What the research shows

Most evidence on whole grains comes from large observational studies, which track what people eat and how their health develops over years. They show associations, not proof of cause and effect, but the pattern has been consistent.

• Heart health and mortality: A 2016 meta-analysis in the BMJ, covering 45 prospective studies, found that each additional 90 g of whole grains a day (about three servings) was associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease and death from all causes. It found little evidence of an association for refined grains or white rice.
• Type 2 diabetes: Harvard's summary of US cohort data reports that people who ate brown rice two or more times a week had a modestly lower risk of type 2 diabetes than those who rarely ate it, while the heaviest white rice eaters had a higher risk.
• Fiber and digestion: The fiber in whole grains slows the breakdown of starch and adds bulk that helps prevent constipation.

These findings support a general shift toward whole grains rather than any single miracle grain. A bowl of japgokbap is one more way to make that shift within a familiar meal. See the balanced Korean meal.

Practical mixes

Most home cooks build on white rice (ssal) and swap in a portion of other grains, increasing it as the family gets used to the texture. See cooking bap for the basics.

• Boribap: White rice with bori, a classic partner for doenjang-jjigae and for mixing with namul and gochujang, as in bibimbap.
• Brown rice blends: Mixing brown rice with white rice softens its chew while keeping some of the whole grain.
• Beans and legumes: Black soybeans or pat (red beans) add protein and color. The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture describes simmering red beans before adding the rice, since beans take longer to soften.
• A touch of stickiness: A little chapssal (glutinous rice) makes a mixed-grain pot hold together, as in ogokbap.

Things to keep in mind

• Go gradually: MedlinePlus recommends adding fiber over a few weeks; a sudden jump can cause gas, bloating and cramps, which usually ease as the gut adjusts. Drink enough fluids.
• Gluten: Barley contains gluten, so people with celiac disease should avoid barley rice and check mixed-grain blends.
• Special diets: If you follow a diet prescribed for a medical condition, ask your care team how mixed grains and beans fit in.