How To Eat More Whole Grains

Many popular diets claim that eating grains is bad for your health. Vilifying a whole group of foods might sell books and diet plans, but it’s just not a healthy or sustainable strategy.

Like a lot of attention-grabbing headlines, the argument about grains is missing nuance and explanation. Here’s the truth about whole grains and why you should include them as part of your healthy, balanced eating habits.

The main problem with the low-carb and no-grain approach to eating is that it lumps all grains together. There is a big difference between refined grains, which are linked to health problems, and whole grains.

What Are Whole Grains?

Whole grains have all the parts of the original kernel (the bran, germ, and endosperm), in their original proportions. When grains are processed and refined, the bran and germ are stripped away, and with them much of the fiber, vitamins, and minerals are lost.

White rice, for example, is the same as brown rice except that the bran and germ have been removed. 1 cup of brown rice has an extra gram of protein, 5 times the amount of fiber, 4 times more magnesium, twice as much zinc, and 4 times more folate than the same portion of white rice.

Some refined grains are “enriched” after they’ve been processed, which means that some of the missing nutrients are added back in. Enrichment, however, only adds some nutrients back in, and does so in different amounts than their original proportions.

Examples of Whole Grains:

• Brown Rice

• Whole Wheat

• Oats

• Barley

• Quinoa

• Buckwheat

• Popcorn (plain popcorn, not the movie theater type!)

Health Benefits Of Whole Grains

Eating whole grains can reduce your risk of some chronic diseases, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes, lower your blood pressure, and help with weight loss. Whole grains are also full of nutrients, including fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, and selenium.

What Do Those Nutrients Do?

• Fiber slows digestion and makes you feel full, so you’re less likely to overeat. Fiber also helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may reduce the risk of heart disease. In addition, fiber serves as a source of fuel for your healthy gut bacteria.

  Those good bacteria are essential for digestion as well as reducing inflammation, which has many important health implications. It’s very important to keep plenty of different types of good bacteria in your system at all times. Doing so enhances your ability to absorb nutrients and minerals, lowers some risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and promotes weight loss.

• B vitamins include thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin. They play a key role in metabolism – they help the body release energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrates. B vitamins are also essential for a healthy nervous system.

• Magnesium is necessary for healthy bones and for the enzymes in your body to work properly.

• Selenium is important for a healthy immune system.

How Can You Identify Whole Grains

The color of a food is not an indication that it is a whole grain food. Bread may look healthy because it’s brown, but it might just be colored with molasses or brown sugar.

Foods labeled as “multi-grain,” “100% wheat,” “cracked wheat,” “seven-grain,” or “bran” are usually not 100% whole-grain products, and may not contain any whole grains.

Read the ingredient list and choose products that name a whole grain ingredient first on the list. Look for “whole wheat,” “brown rice,” “bulgur,” “buckwheat,” “oatmeal,” “whole-grain cornmeal,” “whole oats,” “whole rye,” or “wild rice”. Also check the fiber content on the label. Whole grain foods should have at least 10% of your fiber Daily Value (DV). Excellent sources of fiber contain 20% or more of the Daily Value of fiber.

How Many Servings of Whole Grains Should You Eat?

Aim for two servings of whole grains each day. A serving is generally about ½ cup cooked grains (like brown rice, whole grain pasta, or oatmeal), or 1 slice of whole grain bread.

Resources and Strategies for Eating More Whole Grains

The Oldways Whole Grains Council has lots of great information and resources to help you include more whole grains in your eating pattern. Here are some tips to get you started:

Find Delicious Recipes

Click Here to search for healthy whole grain recipes.

Substitute a Whole Grain Product For a Refined One

Eat whole grain bread instead of white bread, brown rice instead of white rice, or whole wheat pasta. If you don’t like whole grains as much as refined ones, train your taste buds by slowly mixing whole grains into the refined grains you’re used to, then gradually add more whole grains and remove the refined ones.

Try Different Grains

Wheat and rice are not the only grains available to you. Try oats, buckwheat, quinoa, bulgur, barley, or spelt. You may find a variety that you like.

Whole Grains Can Be Healthy Snacks

Did you know that popcorn is a whole grain? Air popped popcorn (not the kind you get at the movies or in microwave bags) is a healthy, nutritious snack. You can buy popcorn kernels at the grocery store and make them delicious by adding seasonings. Click Here for popcorn recipes. You can also try 100% whole-wheat or rye crackers.

Save Time

Cook a large batch of whole grains when you have time and freeze it in separate portions so you always have a quick side dish ready to go.