Whole Grains
What are whole grains, why is it important to eat
them, how can we tell which foods they’re in, and
how are they prepared?
What Are They?
A whole grain is an unprocessed seed or fruit
that has three of its four parts intact: the
outer bran, and the inner germ and endosperm. The
outer hull, usually inedible, is removed before
sale. The bran is the protective coating of the
seed: it provides fiber, antioxidants, minerals,
and B vitamins. The germ is the embryo of the
kernel: it contains some fiber and protein, along
with a lot of B and E vitamins, folate,
antioxidants, minerals, and healthy fat. The
endosperm is the power supply of the seed: it’s
full of carbohydrates and protein.
Why Are They Important?
In refined grain products, the endosperm is all
you’re eating. While this does provide you with
energy and protein, it does so in a dangerous
way. Your body needs the bran to provide fiber,
which slows the absorption of the carbohydrates
from the endosperm. Without the fiber, your
pancreas has to take up the slack by producing
more insulin to lower the glucose levels produced
by the flood of carbs. Over time, a diet of
refined grain products leads to disease and
metabolic problems, not to mention nutritional
deficiencies from the missing germ. A diet rich
in whole grains (three servings are recommended
per day) significantly reduces the risk of
stroke, type two diabetes, heart disease, cancer,
and obesity. Well worth the effort!
Where Do We Find Them?
The most obvious source of
whole grains are the
whole grains themselves:
amaranth, barley, brown rice, buckwheat,
bulghur, corn, ferro, kamut, millet, oats,
rice (not white), rye, sorghum, spelt, teff,
triticale, wheat, wild rice, wheat berries,
and quinoa are all whole grains (amaranth
and quinoa fall under the category of
“psuedograin” but I’m not splitting hairs
here). Cooked alone or in combination with
other ingredients, they can be a side or a
main dish and just 1/2 cup is a whole
serving, so it’s pretty easy to get the
recommended three servings a day.
The next best choice are processed foods like
bread, pasta, and cereal made with the entire
grain. Just because the package reads “100%”
whole grain, however, doesn’t mean you should buy
it. Check the ingredients list and look for
preservatives, artificial colors, or any other
additives. Look, too, for added sweeteners,
especially artificial ones like high fructose
corn syrup. If these are present, don’t be
fooled, it’s not for you. The only ingredients in
your bread, pasta, and cereals should be whole
grains, water, oil, and maybe some salt, herbs
and spices. Of course, they should also be 100%
organic, and local if possible.
Make Your Own
If you can’t find healthful, local, and organic
whole grain products in your area, look into
making your own. Baking bread is not rocket
science, and can be a great activity to include
your kids in. Do you know anyone with a pasta
maker just gathering dust in the basement? Get
together and make loads of pasta, put it in your
freezer for busy evenings when you need a quick
fix for dinner. Pasta can be made by hand too,
another fun thing kids love to do! As for cereal,
it is super easy to make your own granola or hot
cereal at home, why pay five or six dollars a box
for organic cereal?
Storage
Unlike refined grain products, whole grains and
whole grain flours, etc. still contain oils and
are therefore subject to spoilage. Sealed in a
dark container in a cool place they will last
three months, in a cold place like the
refrigerator, six months, and in the freezer, a
year. I like to keep my grains in the freezer for
this reason, and also because it keeps beetles
and moths away from my food. We had an
infestation of pantry moths awhile back; I’m not
squeamish but I have to say, it was pretty gross.
Pouring rice into a measuring cup and seeing
little squirming caterpillars is enough to give
me the willies for sure. I mean, I’m sure they’re
a good source of protein and all but I just don’t
want to go there!
Prep/ Cooking
Before cooking whole grains, rinse them to remove
dirt and debris, then soak them overnight. This
reduces the cooking time required and makes them
easier for your body to digest, it also increases
the bioavailability of important nutrients. It’s
a pretty easy process, and you’ll get used to it
quickly. Just use three times as much water as
grain, soak overnight, rinse in a colander, and
then cook as usual. Just be sure to reduce the
amount of cooking water by 1/4 cup for each cup
of grain, and check on it earlier than you would
for the traditional cooking method; this process
reduces cooking time. Soaking isn’t necessary for
psuedograins like amaranth and quinoa, and makes
them sprout.
What If I’m Gluten Intolerant?
Three million Americans, including my mom, have a
diagnosis of
Celiac. Many more people
may have this allergy to gluten and simply
not realize it. This is a lifelong condition
and requires careful maintenance and
monitoring, gluten must never be eaten, and
even products processed in the same facility
with wheat and other triggers should be
avoided.
If you notice gas, bloating, diarrhea, or general
abdominal discomfort after eating food containing
gluten, do a home check on yourself.
Eliminate gluten from
your diet for two weeks to get a clean
slate, then have a bowl of whole wheat
spaghetti. If your symptoms were eliminated
during the two weeks and return after the
pasta, go to your doctor and ask to be
tested for celiac. If you have no insurance,
or if your insurance won’t cover the test, I
would advise putting yourself on a gluten
free diet. It’s not worth it to take
chances: my mom didn’t realize she had
celiac and now has a host of serious health
issues. She even needs a liver transplant
due to the damage done. Fortunately, today
there are many resources for people with
this condition, as well as more
understanding from the medical community.
Green on a Shoestring:
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