By Ms. Nisha Bajaj,
Nutritionist at Digestive Health Institute by Dr. Muffi
First, you need to understand what is a GRAIN. Grains, which are commonly referred to as ‘cereals’ or ‘cereal grains’, are edible seeds of specific grasses belonging to the Poaceae botanical family. The most commonly eaten grains are Wheat, oats and rice. Other common grains such as rye, barley, corn, triticale, millet and sorghum make a smaller contribution.
The ‘pseudo-cereal’ group are not part of the Poaceae botanical family, however they are nutritionally similar to ‘true’ grains. Many of these, such as amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa are not ‘true’ grains but are in fact seeds from a number of different plant species. Hence, considered as ‘pseudo-cereals’ as their overall nutrient composition is similar and are prepared and used in similar ways to actual grains.
We think that counting numbers of calories, fiber, and nutrients detracts from the pleasures of the table. That said, we’re often asked, “Which grains are the healthiest ones?” or “What nutrients make whole grains so healthy?” There is no “healthiest” whole grain. Some are stronger in one nutrient, and others in different nutrients. Every grain offers different benefits, so it’s better to enjoy a variety, for the best range of healthy nutrients and good tastes. Whole grains, are an essential part of any healthy diet. They act as a fuel for your body like gasoline for your car.
Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, corn or other cereal is a grain product, such as bread, pasta and oatmeal. At least half of all the grains consumed should be whole grains – but commercial products don’t always contain them.
• Whole grains contain the entire grain: the bran, germ and endosperm. These include whole wheat, oats, brown rice, wild rice, corn, rye, barley, popcorn, buckwheat, triticale, millet, bulgur, quinoa and sorghum.
• Refined grains have been ground into flour, which removes the bran and germ, along with fibre, vitamin B and iron. Refining grains improves their texture and shelf life, but to replace the missing nutrients these products are often ‘enriched’ with the iron and vitamins added back in. The problem is now the food is not in its natural form and is still missing many of its powerful nutrients. Wheat flour, enriched bread and white rice are examples of refined products.
I want to share some important benefits of Whole Grains:
1. Diet rich in whole grains has been linked to lower incidence of other chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes.
2. Whole grains are packed with protein, antioxidants and important trace minerals like iron, zinc and copper.
3. The B vitamins, folate, iron, magnesium and selenium in whole grains help build bones, support the nervous and immune systems and process energy.
4. Whole grain diets have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease by helping to lower the “bad” cholesterol in the body.
5. Whole grain Diet can help with successful weight management. Because they digest slowly, fibre-rich whole grains help a person feel fuller longer.
So my dear Readers instead of going for “Grain Free Diet”, we should move to “Whole Grain Diet” for Healthy Life Style.
