Whole Grains for Whole Health

Did you know you can lose weight online, and access the CalorieKing.com.au Program (13 weeks of practical information on all aspects of weight control)? Learn more

Read more :

• Whole and refined grains – what’s the difference?
• Why are whole grains so good?
• Whole grains for weight control
• How to go whole grain
• Easy ways to eat more whole grains
• Try these whole grains

Whole and refined grains – what’s the difference?

Despite their “new” presence on supermarket shelves and restaurant menus, whole grains, such as brown rice and quinoa, predate refined grains, such as white rice and refined white flour, by thousands of years. The process of refining grain on a grand scale is a relatively recent one made possible only by technological advancements.

You can think of a whole grain as a three-part package:

Bran (outer layer) - This outer layer is packed with fibre, trace minerals, phytochemicals, and B vitamins. 50-80 percent of the grain’s minerals and other health-promoting plant substances called phytochemicals are contained in the bran.

Germ (inner layer) - This inner layer is rich in antioxidants, phytochemicals, B vitamins, vitamin E, and trace minerals, as well as containing healthy unsaturated fats.

Endosperm (middle layer) - This middle layer contains complex carbohydrates and protein. It also contains small amounts of B vitamins.

When a whole grain is processed in order to make a refined grain, two parts of the package - the bran and germ – are removed, leaving only the endosperm. In this process, 25 percent of the protein is removed along with at least 17 key nutrients. The refined grain also has five to seven times less fibre than the whole grain.

Why are whole grains so good?

Put it this way - if grains were cars, whole grains would be a deluxe model Mercedes with all the bells and whistles while refined grains would be a basic model car. Both get you from A to B, but the Mercedes is just that cut above.

The “bells and whistles” in whole grains are the many nutrients, including phytochemicals and antioxidants, that are missing from refined grains. These nutrients help to fight a number of diseases including:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cancer
• High cholesterol
• Obesity
• Bowel disorders

Studies show that people who regularly eat whole grains reduce their risk for all of these diseases. Research also suggests that whole grains may be even better than fruits and vegetables as a source of key nutrients for fighting disease.

So next time you’re choosing between white rice and brown rice, remember – go for the Mercedes!

Whole grains for weight control

Though at first they may seem too “heavy” to be a diet food, whole grains have been proven to help with weight control. A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health in the USA showed that eating 40 grams (equivalent to about 1 cup of oats or 3/4 cup of brown rice) of whole grains a day could significantly reduce middle-age weight gain. It’s thought that the fibre and protein in whole grains helps to regulate blood sugar, increase satiety and delay the return of hunger. The body also uses more calories to break down high-fibre foods.

How to go whole grain

Just because a food sounds or looks "grainy" doesn’t mean it’s made from whole grain. For example, “brown” bread can actually get its color from molasses or food dye. Words like “multigrain” and “stone ground” can also be misleading. “Multigrain” simply means that the food has more than one grain – refined or otherwise, while “stone ground” only refers to the technique used to prepare the food – not the ingredients.

Here are some handy tips for choosing whole grain products:

Read the ingredient list – If the first ingredient listed contains the word “whole” (such as “whole wheat flour” then the product is predominantly whole grain.

Check the fibre content – You can find this on the Nutrition Information panel on the packaging. A true 100 percent whole grain product will have at least two grams of fibre per serving, and often five grams or more.  

Easy ways to eat more whole grains

• Substitute half the white flour in your recipes with wholemeal flour. You could try this for bread, biscuits, muffins, pancakes, and more
• Add oats to biscuits, pancakes, and desserts such as apple crumble
• Pop popcorn! Popcorn is an often neglected whole grain. If you pop it yourself at home you can control how much extra butter and salt gets added
• Add half a cup of a whole grains, such as cooked bulgur, wild rice, or barley, to soups and stuffing
• Make all your favorite grain dishes, such as risottos and pilafs, with brown rice, bulgur, or quinoa
• Cook wholemeal pasta for all your favourite pasta dishes
• Look for breakfast cereals made from whole grain ingredients, like whole wheat, oats or buckwheat

Try these whole grains

Grain	Description	Uses and Cooking Methods
Amaranth	Very small seeds with slightly peppery flavor	Boil in 2-1/2 cups liquid, such as water or half water and half stock or apple juice, until seeds are tender, about 18 to 20 minutes. Add some fresh herbs or ginger to the cooking liquid for a more interesting flavour.
Barley	Hulled barley and pearled barley are the most common types of barley. Hulled is more nutritious, but also chewier	Add to soups or stews, or use as basis for salad or side dish.
Brown and wild rice	Brown rice has a tasty, nutty flavour. Wild rice is actually a grass, but can be served in place of rice and is even more flavoursome than brown rice	Brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice, but can be precooked, frozen and reheated. Try as a substitute in any white rice dish. Especially good as a side-dish. Wild rice can be used on it's own or mixed with other rice varieties.
Buckwheat (Kasha, Soba noodles)	Full of good nutrients and high in protein with a rich, nutty flavour	Use in place of rice as side dish. Buckwheat flour is good for pancakes. Also try Japanese Soba noodles which are made from ground buckwheat.
Bulgur wheat (cracked wheat)	Made from whole wheat that's been soaked and baked to speed up cooking time. Cracked wheat takes longer to cook	Use in Middle Eastern dishes like Tabouli and pilafs.
Corn	Corn is the only grain eaten as a vegetable	Popped corn makes a good high-fibre snack.
Couscous (whole wheat)	Couscous is a form of wheat pasta. Only whole wheat couscous is wholegrain	Couscous is easy to cook. Bring 1 cup of water to the boil, remove from the heat, and add 1 cup of couscous. For extra flavour, cook in stock instead of water.
Quinoa	Has a mild flavour and pleasant, slightly crunchy texture	Rinse before using to remove the bitter coating. Boiling in water, stock or fruit juice for 12-15 minutes or until the rings around the center of the grain detach themselves. Use quinoa in place of rice as a side dish, in pilafs, stuffing, or salads.
Whole wheat	Most common form is wholemeal flour	Use instead of white flour in baking. Try substituting 25-50% of white flour for wholemeal.
Whole oats	Choose whole rolled oats over quick cooking oats	Usually used for breakfast cereal and biscuits.

Other whole grains available in Australia include millet and spelt.

Related articles :

• The CalorieKing Carbohydrate Guide

Last updated: April 26th, 2005