Think back to when you were a kid and your art teacher made you build little paper mache sculptures, do you remember what the glue was made of? That's right, white flour and water the same thing white bread is pretty much made of. When I started to think of it that way it made it a lot easier for me chose whole grains.
What are whole grains?
The bran is protective covering of the grain and provides fibre, B vitamins, and minerals.
The germ nourishes the seed and is the source of new growth in the plant. It provides mostly vitamins, including B vitamins and vitamin E, minerals and healthy fats.
The endosperm is the inner seed and supplies energy from carbohydrate and protein, and also provides small amounts of vitamins and minerals.
Whole grains contain health promoting phytonutrients such as antioxidants, lignins, and plant sterols. Whole grains include whole grain bread (whole wheat bread in Canada can have about 70% of the wheat's germ removed), whole oats/oatmeal, whole-grain corn, brown and wild rice, whole rye, whole-grain barley, bulgur, triticale, buckwheat, millet, popcorn and quinoa.
Here are some whole grain facts for you:- People who eat more whole grains tend to have a lower risk of heart disease and stroke, diabetes, cancer and digestive disorders.
- Soluble fibre such as that found in whole oats and oatmeal helps reduce blood cholesterol and control blood sugar levels.
- Eating insoluble fibre such as that found in wheat bran helps keep your digestive system healthy and prevent constipation.
- Eating plenty of whole grains may also help you manage your weight by helping you to feel full longer.
- Check the ingredient list on food labels for bread, rolls, bagels, tortillas, cereals, pasta, rice and crackers. To make sure whole grains are the main ingredient, they should appear first on the ingredient list. Look for "whole grain whole wheat flour", whole rye, whole oat or oatmeal, whole corn, whole barley, etc. Don't be fooled by multigrain products, which may include a variety of different grains but may not include whole grains. Also, some foods claiming to be made with "whole grain" may be mostly refined grain with just a little whole grain.
- Look for higher fibre whole grains. Foods labelled "whole grain" are not always high in fibre. Check the Nutrition Facts table on package labels to find the amount of fibre per serving and choose the higher fibre products. To be considered a "source" of fibre a food has to provide at least 2 grams of fibre in the serving size stated on the Nutrition Facts table. A "high fibre" food must contain 4 grams of fibre or more per serving.
Making room for whole grains...with all that white flour you're probably bloated
Whole grains freaked me out at first, the texture is weird and they felt heavy to me. I started by using 1/2 white pasta and 1/2 whole grain pasta soon I found that I actually enoyed the whole grain pasta better. I also really enjoy brown rice noodles, they can be a bit tricky to cook at first but once you get used to the cooking they are soooo worth it!Still not sure how to fit more whole grain goodness into your life, here are some things you may want to consider:
- Have oatmeal or other whole grain cereals for breakfast (not the kind with 15 grams of sugar!)
- Choose whole grain bread including rolls, bagels, tortillas and pita bread for sandwiches or wraps.
- Try whole grain pasta instead of regular pasta — once you get over the texture the nutty flavour is delicious!
- Use whole grain couscous, bulgur, barley, brown rice or quinoa in salads.
- Add barley, brown rice or whole wheat pasta to soups.
- Try brown rice instead of white rice or (mix them half and half)
- Substitute whole wheat, brown rice flour or triticale flour for white flour in baking.
- Use millet or bulgur in tabbouleh.
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