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The easiest way to increase the amount of whole grains you consume is to substitute some processed grain products with their whole grain equivalent. This is as simple as having a slice of whole grain toast in the morning instead of using white bread, or using whole wheat flour in pancakes instead of white flour. If you’re making homemade soup, toss in a handful of brown rice or barley for added fiber. Make your dessert a healthy one, such as oatmeal cookies, and you won't have to feel guilty—you’re eating whole grains! While at the grocery store, be extra careful reading food labels. Words such as multigrain, stone-ground cracked wheat or seven grain don’t necessarily mean the product is made with whole grains. And color doesn’t mean a whole grain either—some brown breads are simply white bread with added caramel coloring. The Whole Grain Council created an official packaging symbol in 2005 called the Whole Grain Stamp to help consumers find whole grain products. But until use of the stamp is used widespread, look for the word "whole" near the top of the ingredients list. (For example, the first ingredient of whole grain bread or cracker should be "whole wheat flour".) Besides switching to whole wheat bread, you can easily add whole wheat pasta and brown rice to the menu to increase your consumption of whole grains. Whole wheat pasta comes in all shapes and sizes and appears to be a darker beige color than regular pasta. You can find it in the pasta section of both natural food and regular grocery stores. If you’re not going to eat it right away, you can store an unopened package for six to eight months in a cool, dry cupboard. Whole wheat pasta is prepared the same way as regular pasta (but usually takes a couple extra minutes to cook). To ensure that the pasta isn’t mushy, rinse it off under cool water to stop the cooking process. One cup of cooked whole wheat pasta has about 200 calories and 4 grams of fiber. Brown rice is healthier than white rice and has significantly more nutrients. The refining process that transforms brown rice into polished, white rice strips away most of the vitamins and minerals and completely removes all of the fiber and essential fatty acids—basically leaving only the starch behind. White rice must be “enriched” with vitamins B1, B3 and iron, but at least eleven lost nutrients are not replaced at all. Brown rice is a concentrated source of fiber, which speeds up the removal of cancer-causing substances from our bodies. It is also an excellent source of selenium, which has been shown to reduce the risk of colon cancer. You can find quick-cooking "instant" brown rice, which are parboiled to speed cooking time. Because of this pre-cooked process, they are slightly lower in nutrients than regular, slow-cooking brown rice, which can take up to an hour to cook. However, look for microwavable pouches of brown rice on the shelf and in the freezer section. These are still high in nutrients and cook in minutes! Continued › |
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Nutrition Articles › Meals and FoodWhole Grains are the Whole PackageThese Natural Grains Pack a Nutritional Punch-- By Leanne Beattie, Health & Fitness WriterSparkPeople advertisers help keep the site free! Learn more
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Member Comments
ellyblog.com - 2/27/2012 1:12:46 PM
- 11/11/2011 4:18:55 PM
- 11/11/2011 2:03:05 PM
Grocery store whole gran flours are not in sealed packages (vac pack), never indicate on the package that the flour needs to be refrigerated, yet wheat germ must be refrigerated to prevent the oil in it from going rancid. Perhaps the germ does not make it back into the flour?
On the other hand, the flour I purchase as "stone ground whole wheat flour" (sgwwf)does work well on the whole wheat setting. Just using the sgwwf makes a heavy loaf, adding gluten flour makes it lighter.
So, back to my point: What does "whole grain" mean? - 11/11/2011 1:01:41 PM
1. They increase the need for Vitamin C.
2. They contribute to inflammation and weight gain.
3. The nutrition in grains is better acquired from other sources, particularly meat.
4. The bran of whole grains contains phytic acid, which is an antinutrient that will interfere with the absorbtion of important nutrients.
5. The dense carbs in grains cause blood sugar spikes and consequent increases in blood insulin. This makes them inappropriate for diabetics.
6. A high carb diet has been linked to heart disease.
7. Grains have been associated with developmental problems.
8. Grains are potent allergens.
Grains were not a regular part of the human diet until the advent of agriculture. That was only 10,000 years ago. Some parts of Europe did not grow grains until about 5,000 years ago. Hunter/gatherer societies did not adopt grains until about 100 years ago. We are not well adapted to eating grains. The main reason we eat them in our society is because they are cheap and plentiful. The USDA promotes them because they are a farm product. - 11/11/2011 11:13:46 AM
Thanks to GinaV2 for a common sense comment. Complex carbs are better for you than simple ones, but all carbs lead to weight gain. Read "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes.
Eat more veggies. You can get all of your nutrients without eating any grains.
Also - read "Wheat Belly" by cardiologist Dr. William Davis.
I've gone sugar free and grain free and I've never felt better. - 11/11/2011 9:37:21 AM