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Great Grains
Oatmeal, popcorn, brown rice, whole wheat…just some of the tasty places to find wholesome whole grains.
If you’re looking for a simple way to add nutritional value to your family’s diet, don’t look past whole grains. Studies show that most people want to eat more of them, and the number of products at the grocery store labeled “whole grain” is rising. So why are whole grains so great?
“Whole grains are important sources of natural fiber, and an adequate intake of fiber decreases our risk for cardiovascular disease and maintains good intestinal health,” says Anne Smith, a professor in the Human Nutrition Department at Ohio State. “Whole grains are also excellent sources of vitamins and minerals” — especially B vitamins, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, copper, magnesium, selenium and zinc.
Whole grains are unprocessed, meaning they’ve kept their bran, germ and endosperm, as well as their nutritional qualities. Processing grains improves shelf life and makes their texture finer, but it also removes bran, germ and many nutrients.
Some research indicates consuming at least 2.5 servings of whole grains daily may reduce problems with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure and inflammation, as well as the occurrence of certain cancers.
It’s easy to get more whole grains in your diet. “The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that at least half of the grain products we eat should be whole grains, amounting to at least three ounces or servings a day on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet,” Smith says. “A serving is the equivalent of one slice of whole-grain bread; a half-cup of brown rice, a whole-grain pasta or cooked cereal; or a cup of ready-to-eat whole-grain cereal.”
Great sources include oatmeal, popcorn, whole-grain crackers, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, and whole-wheat or whole-grain bread. Plus cooks can use whole grains by adding barley and wild rice to other dishes, like soups, stews, stuffing and casseroles. To boost the nutritional value of baked goods, substitute whole-wheat flour for half the white flour in baking recipes, or use whole cornmeal when making corn bread and muffins.
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This really is an important and healthy thing to do! I know I didnt appreciate it when I was younger but I know I feel better but I do now!