Here's the whole grain truth
A steady diet of whole grains, from amaranth to oats, can lower your risk of heart disease. Here's how to shop for and cook with grains
The whole grain truth
Whole grains have attracted a lot of positive attention recently due to the growing wealth of research that show whole grains such as amaranth, spelt and quinoa as well as the tried-and-true brown rice and oats may help lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. But what exactly is a whole grain? And how do you cook them? Here's why you should choose whole grains more often and some tips on how to use them in your recipes.
The whole grain difference
Eating more whole grain foods has been shown to help decrease cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood clotting. Higher intakes may also improve blood sugar control and lower your risk of developing diabetes, which reduces your risk of heart disease. Enjoying plenty of whole grain foods further promotes healthy weights (an added benefit for heart health) by helping you feel full longer.
The fact that whole grains contain the nutritional goodness from all three parts of the grain accounts for their many health benefits. The outer bran layer is full of fibre and B vitamins. It also contains at least half of the grain's minerals and health promoting plant substances known as phytochemicals. The small germ portion is rich in B vitamins, vitamin E, minerals, heart healthy unsaturated fats, phytochemicals and antioxidants. And the large endosperm portion contains complex carbohydrates, protein and smaller amounts of B vitamins.
Refined grains, which contain only the endosperm, have 25 to 90 percent fewer nutrients than their whole grain counterparts. Foods containing all three parts of the grain (in proportions similar to the whole grain) are considered whole grain.
How to enjoy more whole grains
There are lots of varieties to enjoy, ranging from the more common oats and rye to the more exotic amaranth and quinoa. Try these ideas for adding more whole grains to your diet and have some fun experimenting with the exotic varieties:
- Amaranth - savour its lively peppery taste in cereals, breads, muffins, pancakes, soups or salads.
- Barley - makes a great addition to soups, stews, breads and muffins.
- Brown rice - cook as a nutritious side dish instead of white rice and add to soups, pilafs, and casseroles.
- Buckwheat - (also known as kasha) enjoy its nutty flavour in pancake mixes, breads and cereals.
- Bulgur - (cracked wheat kernels) cooks quickly to make the Middle Eastern tabbouleh or a simple pilaf.
- Cornmeal - make an Italian polenta, bake into cornbread, or use as a breading for crispy baked chicken.
- Kamut - use this rich, buttery-tasting wheat to make homemade cakes or pastas.
- Millet - (similar in texture to brown rice) is ideal for casseroles, vegetable loaves, soups, stews and pilafs.
- Oats - make into porridge or use in baked goods, as a topping for fruit crisps or filler for ground meats.
- Quinoa - cooks up quickly for a light fluffy side dish and is also great as porridge or in soups and stews.
- Sorghum - (also known as Milo) can be cooked into porridge, ground into flour for baked goods, or eaten like popcorn.
- Spelt - (actually a variety of wheat) is a mild grain that can be used in place of wheat in most recipes.
- Wheat berries - substitute for breadcrumbs in casseroles or cook up to use in salads or as a tasty side dish.
- Wild rice - (technically not rice, but a seed of aquatic grass) eat on its own or combine with white or brown rice.
Finding whole grain foods
Aside from buying and cooking with these actual whole grains, finding foods that are rich in whole grains can be tricky. The best way to tell if the main ingredient in a food is a whole grain is to make sure a whole grain is listed first in the ingredient list. It's also important look out for terms that may be misleading:
