What are Whole Grains?

“âÂ?¦Nearly 40 percent of Americans consume no whole grains.”
-Data based on recall of previous day’s consumption

Need whole grains, but not quite sure what they are or how to get them?

We have all heard the news, “Whole Grains are good for you”, but what does that mean? I was recently in a local grocery store when I saw the following health claim on a box of processed Macaroni and Cheese, “Now with whole grains!”. HmmâÂ?¦ Really? Macaroni and cheese is health food now? This doesn’t seem right. So I investigated.

According to the FDA in order for a food to bear the “whole grain” health claim must:
1. contain 51 percent or more whole-grain ingredients by weight per reference amount and
2. be low in fat. (1)

But is that really what the research is telling us is going to give us cleaner arteries, improved digestion, and stronger energy? Whole grains which have been processed into the same old familiar packaged forms? I don’t think so. What is good for us is food that’s closest to its most natural state; before the crushing, the bleaching, the leaching, the stripping, the molecular modification, the high pressure cooking, the freezing, the canning, and preserving. It’s about returning to nature and bringing what’s natural into our bodies.

So, first, what is a grain?

A grain of truth? A grain of sand? The crystal’s seed that flowers into beautiful things? In the sense of nutrition, the word grain refers to the edible seed of cereal grasses. Some of the most important of these include: Wheat, Rice, Maize (corn), Oats, Rye, Barley, Millet. Other non-grasses have edible seeds and are also considered grains: Buckwheat, Amaranth, Quinoa.(2)

What makes it a whole grain?

We are familiar with milled grain, such as flour. The milling process strips the grain of its bran and germ, which are rich in enzymes, essential fatty acids, fiber and vitamins, leaving behind mostly starch and gluten. This stripping of fats and enzymes can make the flour more allergenic and substantially less nutritious and has been blamed for rising rates of obesity. The whole grain is the grain (seed) with its bran (fiber) and germ (essential fatty acids, enzymes, vitamins) intact. (2)

Why are whole grains good for me?

Reduces rates of disease: Diabetes, Heart Disease, Cancer,
Contain: Folate, Magnesium, Potassium, Selenium; Fiber;
Vitamin E, phytosterols, Essential Fatty Acids. (3)

As we’ve just learned, much of the goodness of grains comes from its completeness as a source of nutrition. It provides energy in the form of Carbohydrate Starch. It provides nerve nourishing lipids in the form of phytosterols (hormones from the plant), and essential fatty acids. Fiber. It provides vitamins and enzymes and proteins to help burn that energy, and Vitamin E to ensure that the energy burns smoothly. And it provides fiber to help with clean up. Fiber acts like a natural scrub brush for your bowels. Imagine going through life without brushing your teeth!

So to sum up, it’s like a guest that comes to your house feeds you, stimulates your mind, does the dishes, and scrubs the floor on his way out.

This sounds great. How can I get more whole grains in my diet?

That’s a great question. It’s going to take a change in your shopping patterns and a change in your eating habits.

The first thing to do is to buy whole grains. Beware of deceptive packaging enticing you with hyped up health claims. Increasingly, stores, especially upscale markets like whole foods, sell whole grains in bins, and they generally carry quite a wide variety. Try something familiar sounding like wheat or oats or Rice.

The simplest way to eat whole grains is to make a gruel or porridge. The grains form the base and can be modified in a number of ways to please a wide variety of palates.

To serve two:
â�¢ First add about �½ cup of whole grains per serving, be creative, mix it up, but know that some grains will take longer to cook than others. (This can be useful when going for a variable texture)
� To that add about 3-4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes.
� Stir occasionally.
� After about 30 minutes, if the consistency is to your liking, add your favorite fruit.
o I personally love frozen raspberries and a bit of brown sugar to sweeten. But you may prefer to add a little salt and eat with an egg. This is also an excellent medium for adding some tonic herbs like ginseng or Astragalus to boost the energy; or, perhaps a teaspoon of orange peel slices and cinnamon to get the digestion moving.

The possibilities are endless. The point is that you are eating a sound, nutritious breakfast utilizing whole grains and whole foods. This is the Foundation of a strong healthy body.

Another method of preparing and eating whole grains is with rice. Prepare them exactly as you would rice. Only, instead of simply using white rice, mix in some brown rice, perhaps some barley. For a little extra nuttiness, add some whole wheat berries. Serve this with a couple of well prepared organic vegetable dishes and some consciously raised meat or Tofu, and you are looking at the greatest gift you can give yourself and your loved ones, a sustainable, health promoting natural meal that will give you more, and more enjoyable years.

References:
1 2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DG2005/

2 Wikipedia (2006)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_(fruit)

3 The Linus Pauling Institute.
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/foods/grains/index.html