Posted on: Friday, March 18, 2005
Eating more whole grains is good for you
By Mary Beth Faller
Arizona Republic
The government's new dietary guidelines, released in January, emphasize that Americans need to eat fewer calories and exercise more. More specifically, the food we eat should be more nutritious.
One way to do that is to swap out refined-grain foods, such as white bread and bagels, with whole-grain foods, such as brown rice or whole-wheat bread. It isn't that hard to do, says Kelli Morgan, a hospital dietitian.
Here are a few quick ways to get a 16-gram serving of whole grains: Source: Whole Grains Council, www.wholegrainscouncil.org A. Refined grains are milled and bleached, removing the outer bran, which has the fiber and nutrients. Then nutrients are reinserted. That's why "enriched" flour is on the label.
In this country, we want baked goods that are light and fluffy. That's why we keep refining our flour until it's like talcum powder.
A. Whole grains have more fiber, double the calcium, six times more magnesium and four times more potassium.
Some people probably don't know that the antioxidants found in grains are not present in fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants are important for fighting cancer. Studies have shown that people who eat whole grains have lower total cholesterol. Studies on a variety of different populations noted that eating three daily servings of whole grains reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, type-2 diabetes and digestive-system cancers.
A. No. Instead of sugary cereal, you can buy shredded wheat or bran flakes. You can make a lot of things with oatmeal; put it into meatloaf or cookies. Popcorn is a whole grain. And how cheap is brown rice?
A. You need to look on the label for "whole grain." Never buy anything in which the first ingredient is "enriched" flour.
This problem won't be addressed until consumers make an issue of it, the way they did with trans fat. Consumers need to tell the food industry to use more whole grains. Even the guidelines are not saying have only whole grains. Just try to move your diet in that direction.
Q. What's the difference between whole and refined grain?
HOW TO DO IT
Q. Why is whole grain better?
Q. Do you have to shop at a health-food store to get whole-grain foods?
Q. What should I look for?
