Healthy lifestyle: Going with the grain

Heather Little-White, Contributor

Eating grains is as old as agriculture. We grew up on grains and we would have had the best home-made porridges, like the hominy and cornmeal varieties from our grandmothers.

When we talk about grains, we should be talking about whole grains, which are far more nutritious than processed grains. Whole grains are those such as wheat, rice, corn, oats, or rye, which have not been processed, leaving the whole grain intact. The whole grain gives a richer, nuttier flavour. It is important to read the labels of products carefully for the nutritional content as some manufacturers generate products that give the impression that they are made from made from whole grains, but are actually made from refined grains.

Processing

It was the invention of industrialised roller mills in the late 19th century that changed the wholesome quality of grain. When the grain is milled, the bran and germ are stripped away. This refines the grain and makes it easier to chew and digest. Milling also makes grain easier to keep without refrigeration. Grain with germ have oils which can become rancid giving the grain a rancid taste.

Processing also pulverises the endosperm, turning it from a small, solid nugget into millions of minuscule particles. When wheat is refined, fluffy flour is produced and it used to make breads and pastries lighter. Processing also makes the starch easily accessible to the body's starch-digesting enzymes.

Then, because poor people who switched to eating refined grain products started suffering from severe vitamin and mineral deficiencies, we now 'enrich' the refined flour with synthetic vitamins and minerals. These synthetic nutrients can be hard on your liver. Even if they were substantially equivalent to naturally occurring vitamins and minerals (which I don't believe!), the vitamin and mineral content artificially added back into enriched flours still does not measure up to the amount inherent in whole grains.

The food industry processes grains, resulting in severe vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Refined flour is enriched with synthetic vitamins and minerals. These synthetic nutrients do not measure up to the natural minerals and vitamins in whole grains and their consumption can be hard on your liver.

Types of grains

Luckily for your diet, you still have a range of grains from which to make interesting meals

Wholewheat berries, wholewheat bulgur, wholewheat couscous and other strains of wheat such as kamut and spelt.

Brown rice (including quick-cooking brown rice).

Corn, whole cornmeal, popcorn.

Oat groats, steel-cut oats, rolled oats (including quick cooking and instant oatmeal).

Whole rye

Hulled barley (pot, scotch, and pearled barley often have much of their bran removed).

Triticale (pronounced tri-ti-kay-lee).

Millet.

Teff (reported to be the world's smallest grain and to have a sweet, malt-like flavour).

Buckwheat, quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), wild rice, and amaranth are considered whole grains, even though botanically they are not in the grain family of plants (Harvard School of Public Health).

How do grains work?

Whole grains come as a bundle of nutrition with all the elements intact and working together. The composition of whole grains gives it its nutritional significance. Because of the bran and fibre in whole grains, it is more difficult for digestive enzymes to break down the starches into glucose. As such, the insoluble fibre helps in the elimination of waste through the digestive system and the soluble fibre helps lower cholesterol.

Fibre from grains has the ability to kindle the body's natural anticoagulants and so helps prevent the formation of small blood clots that can trigger heart attacks or strokes. The collection of antioxidants prevents LDL cholesterol from reacting with oxygen. The intake of fibre on a daily basis is critical to preventing cholesterol-clogged arteries. Plant oestrogens (phyto-oestrogens) in whole grains may provide protection against some cancers. Other nutrients like essential minerals, such as magnesium, selenium, copper and manganese, may also help reduce the risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Benefits of grains

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, a growing body of research shows that returning to whole grains and other less-processed sources of carbohydrates improves health in several ways. Researchers have begun to take a closer look at the quality of carbohydrates consumed in relation to the quantity.For example, three cups of white rice is less nutritious than two slices of yellow yam, though the rice may be more filling.

Studies from several different Harvard teams show a connection between eating whole grains and better health.

Cardiovascular Disease

Whole grains substantially lower total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or bad) cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin levels and as such reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease. Daily consumption of two to three servings of wholegrain products can contribute to a reduction in the risk cardiovascular disease (heart attack, stroke, or the need for a procedure to bypass or open a clogged artery). Mellen and Herrington, Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease, 2007.

Type 2 Diabetes

Another Harvard study indicated that in an 18-year tracer study of more than 160,000 women whose health and dietary habits were followed for up to 18 years, it was shown that those who averaged two to threeservings of whole grains a day were 30 per cent less likely to have developed type two diabetes than those who rarely ate whole grains. Studies further showed that eating an extra two servings of whole grains a day decreased the risk of type two diabetes by 21 per cent.

Cancer

Schatzkin, Mouw, Park et al reported that a large five-year study among nearly 500,000 men and women suggested that eating whole grains, but not dietary fibre, offered modest protection against colorectal cancer

Digestive Health

Fibre in whole grains help to keep stool soft and bulky helping to prevent constipation. Fibre also decreases pressure in the intestines preventing diverticular disease which is the development of tiny pouches inside the colon that are easily irritated and inflamed.

Staying well

Wholegrain consumption is linked with fewer deaths from non-cardiac, non-cancer causes. Compared with women who rarely or never ate wholegrain foods, those who had at least two or more servings a day were 30 per cent less likely to have died from an inflammation-related condition over a 17-year period in the Iowa Women's Health Study (Jacobs, Anderson, Anderson and Blomhoff in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007).

"There are good and powerful arguments for eating a wholegrain cereal for breakfast," reports Luc Djoussé, MD, MPH, DSc, lead author of the study and assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Aging at Brigham & Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. "The significant health benefits of wholegrain cereal are not just for kids but also for adults. A wholegrain, high-fibre breakfast may lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol and prevent heart attacks." http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert

Eat more oats

Eat oatmeal made with whole grains once a day. Or mix oats into any food and beverages if you cannot stand the taste of oatmeal. Making a warm smoothie out of oatmeal, brown sugar and crushed fruit only takes a few minutes and will boost your wholegrain intake. You can also mix some oats into ground meat when making meat loaf, burgers or meatballs to make Oatsy Meatballs.

Ingredients

1 1/2lb ground beef

1 cup tomato juice

3/4 cup oats (not instant), uncooked

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine all ingredients; mix well and shape into meatballs.Place in a greased 8x4x2-inch pan. Bake at 350F about 1 hour. Serve with spicy tomato sauce.

Serves 8.

Wholewheat bread

Wholewheat breads are far better than breads made from white flour. However, you should read labels carefully as not all breads labelled 'wholewheat' are equal. Make sure there is no addition of refined flour and there is an assortment of grains and even nuts.

Granola

Granola is an amazing vessel for whole grains; you can buy countless varieties or make your own at home. In addition to munching on plain granola, you can use it on a topping for yoghurt, fruit or even ice cream. Granola is widely available and even comes in a convenient bar for snacking.

Sources: eHow.com; Foodrenegade.com