The Whole Truth about Whole Grains

11 Reasons to make the switch NOW

Want to statistically reduce your risk of death from all causes (in other words, your total mortality rate) by 15% just by making one dietary change? Choose whole grains whenever you can.

We all know we're supposed to eat more whole grains. We know they're "good" for us (full of fiber, phytochemicals, and vitamins and minerals). Yet most Americans eat less than one serving of whole grains a day. So what's stopping us?

Maybe it's our fear of "brown" food. But you might be surprised how easy it can be to embrace the brown if you set your mind to it. Some of you will have no problems switching to whole-grain bread but will draw the line at whole-wheat pasta. For others, it might be the other way around.

The bottom line is that switching to whole grains is one of the most important things you can do for your health. So make the switch everywhere you can.

For my family, about the only refined-grain products we eat are the occasional ravioli, pasta or bread at a restaurant, or pizza crust (when they don't offer whole wheat).  An affinity for whole grains is an aquired taste, just like when you changed to skim or lower fat milk from whole milk.  We made the switch quite a few years ago, and now I really love the graininess of these foods and my kids do not even notice the difference.  Today, more than ever, there are fantastic products available in whole grain versions to allow you to more easily integrated whole grains into your diet.

And don't think that you can keep eating white, refined-grain products and just supplement them with some extra fiber. Research suggests that the various nutritional components of whole grains work together to affect our health.

A Bite of Whole-Grain History

When the industrialization wave hit America in the later 1800s, a new way of milling and mass refining took hold in the grain business and never let go. Removing the bran and germ seemed like a good idea at the time, since it meant that grain products could sit on store shelves much longer without spoiling.

But the worldwide epidemic of B-vitamin deficiencies (pellagra and beriberi) that followed was only the beginning. Frankly, we are only just realizing the nutritional fallout from almost eliminating whole grains from our diet over the past hundred years.

11 Ways Grains Are Great

Here's a quick list of all the ways that whole grains benefit your body. After reading it, you may ask yourself, "What don't they do?"

1. They're digested slowly.

Whole grains are digested more slowly than refined grains, which has beneficial effects on blood sugar and insulin (keeping levels of both down). A recent study found that the more whole grains men and women ate, the lower their fasting insulin levels were. And this is a good thing.

2. They reduce mortality rates.

After analyzing data from more than 15,000 people aged 45-65, researchers from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health found that as whole-grain intake went up, total mortality (the rate of death from all causes) went down.

3. They help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

The Nurses' Health Study found that women who ate more than 5 grams of fiber from whole-grain cereals daily had about 30% less risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who ate less than 2.5 grams of whole-grain fiber a day.
Other research found that women who ate a diet low in cereal fiber and high on the sugar (glycemic) index doubled their risk of type 2 diabetes.

4. They help control weight.

One study found that women who ate three or more servings of whole-grain foods a day had significantly lower body mass indexes (BMIs) than those eating less than one serving a day. (This was found in men, too, but the link was more significant in women.)
Another study found that women whose diets included the most whole grains were half as likely to gain a lot of weight over a 12-year period as those who ate the least whole grains. This slimming effect was seen even in teens.

5. They may protect against metabolic syndrome.

Research has found that metabolic syndrome -- a condition that raises the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke -- was found much less often in people who ate the most cereal fiber and whole grains compared with those who ate the least.

6. They reduce risk of heart disease.

At least 25 studies have found that people who regularly eat whole grains have a lower risk of heart disease.

"The evidence is quite consistent and convincing that people who eat at least one serving of whole grains a day have a lower risk of heart disease and stroke," reports Mark Pereira, PhD, a nutritional epidemiologist at Harvard Medical School.

In studying the dietary habits of male health professionals, researchers found that for every 10 gram increase in cereal fiber eaten each day, the risk of heart attack was reduced by nearly 30%. A more recent study found this beneficial effect is even stronger in women.

8. They cut cholesterol levels.

Researchers at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago found that adding oats to an already low-fat diet helped women cut their blood cholesterol by an additional 8 or 9 mg/dL after only three weeks. (That came on top of the 12 mg/dL reduction seen with the low-fat diet alone!)
Antioxidants found in oats cut cholesterol by suppressing the molecules that make blood cells stick to artery walls. When these cells stick to artery walls and cause inflammation, plaque deposits build up and narrow the passageways where blood flows, leading to "hardening of the arteries."

9. They reduce blood pressure.

Eating foods containing barley decreases blood pressure and improves several other risk factors for heart disease, according to a recent study. (Other studies of high-fiber, whole-grain foods have also reported significant reductions in blood pressure.)
The researchers also noticed a decrease in total cholesterol (an average of 21% reduction in those eating lots of soluble fiber, such as that found in barley and oats), and "bad" cholesterol. Levels of "good cholesterol" either increased or did not change.

10. They can decrease your risk of stroke.

A recent Harvard study found that a diet with large amounts of whole-grain foods was associated with a decreased risk of stroke in women.

11. They reduce cancer risks.

More than 40 studies looking at 20 types of cancer have suggested that regularly eating whole grains reduces cancer risk.
It's thought that whole grains may accomplish this by blocking DNA damage, suppressing the growth of cancer cells, providing antioxidant protection, and preventing the formation of carcinogens. The particular components of whole grains that may be protective include fiber; antioxidants including vitamins (like vitamin E) and minerals (like selenium); and various phytochemicals.
Among the types of cancer that whole grains help protect against are gastrointestinal cancers such as stomach and colon cancers, along with cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, and larynx.

Your Whole Grain Line-Up

If you're ready to go brown, whole-wheat bread is a great place to start. But don't stop there.
Here are nine common whole-grain foods that you'll probably find at your supermarket:

• Brown rice
• Oats
• Whole-wheat flour
• Rye flour
• Barley
• Buckwheat
• Bulgur (steamed and dried cracked wheat)
• Millet
• Quinoa

Adapted from "The Whole Truth of Whole Grains" by Elaine Magee, MPH, RD

And don't think that cooking them has to be difficult and time consuming.  Here are a couple of easy (and yummy ways to prepare some whole-grain favorites:

Pilaf-Method of Cooking Brown Rice
This is a single recipe (4 servings), but I would encourage you to double or triple it and freeze in meal-portion size bags or containers.  It certainly helps to get healthy weeknight meals on the table fast.  Don't be shy about trying different flavors, this is an extremely versatile side dish.  In fact, if you added some rinsed and drained beans after the rice is cooked, you could have a complete meal.

1 cup brown rice (not quick cooking)
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T shallots or (2 t) garlic or a mixture of finely diced onion (1/2 cup) and garlic (2 t)
2 1/4 cups flavorful no sodium added chicken or vegetable stock
Coarsely ground Sea salt and Freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a medium sauce pan, heat olive oil on medium high.  Add shallots and saute about 30 seconds to a minute.  Add brown rice and saute until rice smells a little nutty and rice is golden in color.  Add stock and salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour, until stock is absorbed and rice is tender.  Remove from heat and let sit covered for about 5 minutes.

Variations:
Asian:  Add a little reduced sodium soy sauce, liquid aminos (soy sauce substitute) or soy ginger sauce after sauteeing rice.  you could also saute a little minced ginger (1/2 to 1 t) with shallots or garlic and stir in some chopped green onions before serving.

Mexican:  Saute 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion and 2 t garlice before sauteeing rice.  Add one 14 1/2 oz can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes and 1 bell pepper (any color) finely chopped with stock (reduce stock to 1 3/4 cup).  Stir in some fresh chopped cilantro before serving.

I am not usually one to spend time baking, just never been my favorite thing to do in the kitchen.  However, I do like to whip up a banana bread every once in a while to use up some over-ripe bananas - I HATE throwing good food away.  Yesterday I asked Will and Grayson if they would like to make some banana bread with me and they both JUMPED at the chance.  Their stools were up at the counter before I could even get the ingredients out of the cabinet.  I searched the internet a bit for a good whole wheat banana bread recipe.  Not only did I come across a fantastic recipe with significantly less sugar than most banana bread recipes, I also found a fantastic site called Whole Grain Gourmet.  This is a forum for people interested in integrating more whole grains into their diet.  They have some great recipes that not only use whole grains, but also try to decrease sugar consumption.

Whole Grain Banana Bread

1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup packed natural brown sugar
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup mashed over-ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour ( I used regular brown whole wheat flour and it was perfect, white is a little lighter in density - think pastry flour)
1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, preferrably 60% cocoa (optional, could substitute dried cranberries)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter.  Combine flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.  Whisk and set aside.  In another large bowl, combine butter, honey, and sugar and beat for two minutes.  Add the eggs and lightly beat until just combined.  Mix in bananas and vanilla -- do not overmix.  Gradually beat in the flour mixture in thirds.  Dilute baking soda in 1/4 cup hot (not boiling) water, then beat into batter.  Stir in, by hand, chocolate chipps and chopped nuts.  Pour batter into the pan and bake at 325 for 52 to 58 minutes (test for doneness being careful not to overbake as it may dry out the bread).  Remove the pan and place on a wire rack to cool.

If you plan to serve this to guests and want clean slices, then allow it to cool for 30 minutes.  If you want to enjoy some melt-in-your-mouth, out-of-this-world, warm banana bread, then dig in after 5 minutes.

Heres to fresh, fast, fantastic food!