Are You Eating Whole Grains?

I am convinced; we need to add more whole grains to our diet.  The research conducted around the world is outstanding! Whole grains have great nutritional values and outstanding health benefits.  I questioned: What are the health benefits? Are all grains equally healthy for us? How do we incorporate them into our everyday meals? I have explored some of these questions and will share my findings here with you. 

Whole grains should be a key ingredient in our diet.  Grains are good sources of complex carbohydrates and some essential vitamins and minerals.  Grains have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers and other health problems.

Not all grains in food products are whole grains:
Whole grains are unrefined grains that have not had their bran and germ removed by processing. Whole grains are better sources of fiber and other important nutrients.  Enriched grains are those in which the nutrients are added back after the nutrients were lost during their processing. Refined grains go through a process that strips out both the bran and germ which gives them a finer texture. In addition, the refining process also removes many nutrients and fiber.

According to information posted on the Whole Grains Council web site:
The Main Benefits of Whole Grains
The benefits of whole grains most documented by repeated studies include:
      stroke risk reduced 30-36%
      type 2 diabetes risk reduced 21-30%
      heart disease risk reduced 25-28%
      better weight maintenance  
Other benefits indicated by recent studies include:
      reduced risk of asthma
      healthier carotid arteries
      reduction of inflammatory disease risk
      lower risk of colorectal cancer
      healthier blood pressure levels 
      less gum disease and tooth loss  

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that all adults eat at least half of their grains as whole grains, or at least 3 to 5 servings of whole grains.  This can be easier than one might imagine.  You can achieve this by switching to products that contain whole grains, such as, breakfast cereal, brown and other colored rice (black and red), pasta, breads and rolls, snack bars, flour, and by adding whole grains to your salads, and vegetable dishes.

If you are a fan of toasted rye bread, or sandwiches made on rye bread, look at the list of ingredients and make sure it contains whole rye or rye berries.  I love the crunch and taste of wheat berries. I was first introduced to wheat berries when I ate a frozen entrée that added them to the rice.  I liked them so much that I bought a bag of Hard Red Spring Wheat Berries and prepared them at home. What I do is cook them ahead of time, according to the package directions, and store them in a covered container in the refrigerator.  I will use them throughout the week in my salads, vegetables, and rice dishes. 

The Whole Grains Council developed a stamp (a special packaging symbol) to help consumers identify qualifying products approved by the Whole Grains Council.  When shopping for products containing whole grains, look for the stamp on the packaging.  A 100% stamp indicates that all the grains are whole grains.  A basic stamp indicates that the product at least 8 grams or more of whole grains, but not 100% whole grains, and it may contain refined grains. Not all products containing whole grains use the stamp. The Whole Grains Council web site contains further details on how to identify whether or not a product does contain whole grains.

The Whole Grains Council has deemed barley the whole grain of the month for February.  Barley has the highest amount of fiber in the class of whole grains. The fiber in barley is contained throughout the entire grain and not just the outer layer.  This is why it has such a high fiber count. In December of 2005 the US FDA allowed barley products to claim the reduction in risk of coronary disease.  Now whole grain barley, and barley-contained products are permitted to claim that they reduce the risk of coronary disease.

Barley has many outstanding health benefits related to the coronary system.  Another health benefit of particular interest is that research shows it has an exceptional ability to control blood sugar.  The research findings may be of particular interest to those suffering from diabetes.  To learn more about the research studies, visit the Whole Grains Council page on barley.

This past weekend I bought a bag of barley and will begin to experiment with some recipes.  Look to my blog later this month or next for recipes containing barley as an ingredient.
My challenge for you is that you begin adding at least one different whole grain to your diet each month.  We can make this whole grain diet quite interesting.  Hopefully, you will write back and share your thoughts and findings!
Are You Eating Whole Grains