What is whole grain?
To be whole grain, the food needs to contain 100% of all parts of the
grain seed including the bran, endosperm and germ. When food manufacturers refine grains, they
remove the bran and germ and most of the nutrients and nutritional benefits of
the grain. The Whole
Grains Council lists whole grains as:
- Amaranth
- Barley
- Buckwheat – Try buckwheat pancakes
- Corn – whole cornmeal and Popcorn
- Millet
- Oats – oatmeal is a super healthy cereal
- Quinoa
- Rice – brown rice and colored rice – going out to Chipotle? Choose the brown rice.
- Rye – very hard to find whole grain rye bread, most is refined
- Wheat – only if whole wheat. Many breads are called “Wheat Bread” but this isn’t whole grain bread, just wheat flour dyed brown. Need to look for 100% Whole Wheat Bread.
- Wild Rice
Many people avoid starches and grains. And we should avoid or cut back on eating white
bread, foods made with white flour. But
whole grains should be added to our diets as whole grains have so many health
benefits. The Whole Grain Council notes:
- Whole grains reduce our risk of heart attacks, strokes, cancer, diabetes and even obesity.
- Whole grains have phytochemicals and antioxidants that are removed when they make white flour. These phytochemicals and antioxidants are super healthy.
- Eating at least 3 servings of of whole grains a day, reduces:
- heart disease risk by 25-36%
- Stroke by 37%
- Type II diabetes by 21-37%
- Digestive cancers by 21-43%
For more information on whole grains go to the Whole Grains
Council at http://wholegrainscouncil.org/. An interesting website that talks about the health
benefits of whole grains is: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/10/17/nutrients-in-refined-vs-whole-grains/.
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