September is Whole Grains Month

September is Whole Grains month and as such is being highly endorsed by the Whole Grains Council. As part of their celebration they are offering a month of whole grain videos. The videos are all short and include a recipe to make a whole grain dish. Recipes include Banana Bread, Brown Rice Pilaf, Barley Salad and many other delicious offerings.

Why eat whole grains? Whole grains are an extremely healthy choice. Although many of us have been indoctrinated to think that all carbs are bad, that's simply not true. Complex carbohydrates are not bad for us, in fact they provide a variety of health benefits. Whole grains are complex carbs. Because they are whole they have the bran, or outer coating, plus the germ, or innermost part of the grain. These two elements help slow down your metabolic response to the high levels of carbohydrate in the endosperm, or middle, of the grain. Whole grains provide fiber, a number of important B vitamins, plus iron, magnesium and selenium.

The fiber helps to reduce cholesterol by binding with it to move it out of the body. Fiber also provides satiety, meaning it helps fill you up so that you don't feel as hungry and don't eat as much. A high fiber diet is also beneficial for relieving constipation.

The B vitamins in whole grains are important to help promote a healthy nervous system, especially folate which is essential for pregnant women to support a healthy fetus. Iron is important for healthy blood, magnesium is helpful for building good bones, and selenium is needed for our immune system.

But I can't eat wheat? Many people with celiac disease cannot eat foods containing gluten. This also applies to people who do not have celiac disease but instead have a gluten sensitivity or intolerance. However, there are two classes of grains, those with gluten and those without. The grains with gluten include wheat, spelt, barley and rye. Some people include oats in this list because oats are frequently grown near and processed with wheat. The cross-contamination can be a problem. If you are sensitive to gluten you can look for oats that are certified gluten-free. This means they are not grown near wheat, they are processed in a gluten-free facility, and they are transported in gluten-free trucks. So even if you cannot eat gluten you can still eat whole grain foods.

Whole grains that do not have gluten are: buckwheat, amaranth, teff, quinoa, whole grain rice, corn, and millet. These grains are very delicious and make a great addition to your diet, even if you do not need to watch your gluten consumption. Some of these grains, like quinoa, and millet, are also very high in protein making them an excellent addition to your diet. For other grains that do not have a high amino acid balance you can pair them with legumes, beans and lentils, to make a complete protein. This is especially important if you are a vegetarian.

What's the best way to get started? Learn to read the label. In order for a product to be considered whole grain and to receive the Whole Grain Council stamp it must be at least 51% whole grain. Whole wheat does not mean whole grain. Neither does whole grain. Both of these terms are misleading, the package must specifically state "whole grain." Start increasing the amount of whole grains in your diet by switching to brown rice and whole grain pastas. Then consider changing your bread to one that has whole grain as the first ingredient. You can also use whole grain flours that can be purchased at the grocery store, King Arthur, Bob's Red Mill and Hodgson's Mill are three companies that sell whole grain flours.

Current dietary recommendations are to get a minimum of 3 servings of whole grains every day. A serving is 1 slice of whole grain bread, ½ C. cooked rice or pasta, up to 1 ¼ C. cereal depending on the cereal. If you are switching from a diet that typically provides simple carbohydrates it is important that you transition slowly to whole grains. Moving from white pasta to whole grain pasta is one thing. Changing all of your products to whole grains at one go will cause intestinal distress. By transitioning slowly your body will get accustomed to the higher level of fiber in your diet.

Sources:

Whole Grain Council
MyPryamid.gov
EatBetterAmerica