Question

Which of the following is not a cereal?
A) Wheat
B) Rice
C) Maize
D) Mustard

Answer 1

Hint: Cereals are edible crops that are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, fats, oils, proteins and carbohydrates. They are the staple food crops and provide more energy as compared to non-cereal crops. They make the major portion of the diet.

Complete answer:
Cereals are the major component of the diet and provide essential nutrients to the body. Cereal is the grass that is cultivated and yields grain which is its edible component. The grain contains the endosperm, bran and germ. They are consumed worldwide as they provide maximum energy as compared to that of the other crops. The example of major cereal crops are millets, wheat, rice, maize.

The unprocessed cereal has all the major nutrients present in it but after processing, it losses all the essential nutrients and is left only with the carbohydrates. Most cereals are annual plants that require single harvesting. The process of cultivation is more or less similar in all cereal plants. Wheat is the staple cereal crop in temperate regions. Rice is the cereal crop in tropical and some temperate regions whereas maize is the staple crop in America, Africa. Maize, wheat and rice account for around 90% of the cereal crop produced worldwide.

Mustard-Mustard is the crop whose grain/seed is used as a spice and also used for extracting oil. It is rich in essential minerals and fats. It is a good source of selenium.

Therefore the correct answer is option ‘D’.

Note: The benefits of eating cereals are they provide maximum energy. They help in generating hormones that keep our bones strong, transmit nerve impulses and also keeps the heartbeat steady. It contains magnesium, potassium calcium which is essential for body functioning.