| Most often, birds like the taste of grains | | | | simmer for 25 minutes. |
| which are a good combination of nutrients: | | | | |
| complex carbohydrates, proteins, minerals and | | | | Wheat berries - they have a high content of |
| vitamins; providing them a healthy food. The | | | | proteins, carbohydrates, B vitamins, and 7 |
| great variety of grains found on the market | | | | amino acids that give the required energy to |
| gives also different nutritive values for the | | | | the body: 335 units of protein per cooked |
| birds. Grains are usually combined with seeds | | | | half cup. It is also low in calories: 55 for |
| vegetables, pasta or pellets for the variety | | | | the same amount. |
| of food. | | | | |
| | | | For wheat berries soak overnight and boil in |
| We will now give you a few recipes on various | | | | soaking water for one hour or cook covered |
| grains for your parrot. The grains used are | | | | until the wheat is soft, adding water if |
| organically grown. Those combinations of | | | | necessary. |
| grains are very healthy and the parrots love | | | | |
| their taste. | | | | Quinoa - full of lysine and great amounts of |
| | | | the other amino acids that complete a |
| The grains | | | | protein, besides being a repository for |
| | | | phosphorus, calcium, iron, vitamin E, and |
| Buckwheat groats - the best known source of | | | | assorted B vitamins. It can be stored in the |
| complex carbohydrates are the proteins in | | | | freezer. |
| buckwheat. Buckwheat also contains a high | | | | |
| proportion of all eight amino acids which the | | | | For quinoa use 1 measure of quinoa to 2 |
| body does not manufacture but are absolutely | | | | measures of liquid. Boil, lower heat, cover |
| essential for keeping it in good shape. All | | | | and cook for 15 minutes. Leave it off heat |
| this makes buckwheat closer to being a | | | | for another 10 minutes. |
| complete protein than any other plant source, | | | | |
| even soybeans. | | | | Triticale - a hybrid grain of wheat and rye. |
| | | | The average protein content of wheat is about |
| For buckwheat groats use 2 measures liquid to | | | | 12%, while the rye's is about 7%; triticale |
| 1 measure of buckwheat groats, boil them, | | | | runs about 15-17%. Triticale contains a |
| cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. | | | | better balance of amino acids than either of |
| | | | its parents, with twice as much lysine as |
| Pearled barley - cooked barley is very rich | | | | wheat offers. |
| in proteins, a cup of cooked barley offers | | | | |
| the same amount of protein as a glass of | | | | For triticale use water to cover it, boil, |
| milk, along with hearty increments of niacin, | | | | lower heat, cover and cook until done; add |
| thiamine, and potassium. A substance that | | | | water if needed. |
| inhibits the production of cholesterol in the | | | | |
| blood has been traced to the non-fibrous part | | | | Hulled millet - rich in phosphorus, iron, |
| of the grain. | | | | calcium, riboflavin, the nutritional value of |
| | | | cooked millet (90 calories) is only a step |
| For pearled barley use 2 cups boiling liquid | | | | under wheat on the protein ladder. It is also |
| to 1 cup pearled barley, cover and cook for | | | | higher in the amino acid lysine than oats, |
| 35 to 40 minutes. | | | | corn, or rice. |
| | | | |
| Bulgar - each quarter pound contains over | | | | For hulled millet use 1 measure of millet to |
| 11.2 grams of protein, 75.7 grams of | | | | 2 measures of liquid, boil, lower heat, cover |
| carbohydrates, 338 milligrams of phosphorus, | | | | and simmer for 20 minutes. Leave it covered |
| and 229 milligrams of potassium, as well as | | | | and off heat for 10 more minutes. |
| healthy doses of calcium, iron, thiamine, | | | | |
| riboflavin, and niacin. Or as many nutrients | | | | Grains can be served to birds in many ways. |
| as one will find in a whole loaf of 100% | | | | How the person cooks them or prepares them |
| whole-wheat bread! Unused bulgar can be | | | | will make the difference and the variety of |
| frozen. | | | | the birds' diet. In order to find what is |
| | | | your parrot's favorite, experiment different |
| For bulgar use 1 measure of bulgar to 2 | | | | ways of cooking them. |
| measures liquid. Boil, lower heat, cover, and | | | | |