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Make
some plans to get your whole grains
April 24, 2008
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
Good
news for lovers of crusty French bread and the occasional
cinnamon raisin bagel. You can enjoy foods such as these that
are made with refined white flour and still get the fiber
and nutrients you need from whole grains.
It just takes a little strategic planning.
But first, why the big push for whole grains?
When grains are refined, the outer bran layer is removed,
taking away vitamins, minerals, fiber and other health-supporting
phytochemicals. Some refined grains are enriched by adding
back a smattering of the nutrients that were removed.
Other nutrients are lost forever, though.
It’s important to get plenty of whole grains in your
diet, because people who do have lower risks of coronary artery
disease, cancer and diabetes. Taking a supplement doesn’t
compensate for eating refined breads and cereals, because
supplements don’t contain the full spectrum of nutrients
found in whole foods.
So you do need whole grain breads and cereals in your diet.
But how much is enough?
U.S. dietary guidelines recommend eating at least three servings
of whole grain foods every day. One serving is equivalent
to a slice of bread, half to three-quarters of a cup of dry
cereal, or half of a small bagel.
But most of us get less than one serving of a whole grain
food each day. Because most grain products sold in the supermarket
are refined, it takes extra effort to get whole grains in
our diets.
We’re surrounded by pasta, breakfast cereals, baked
goods and breads made with refined wheat flour and other refined
grains. And, yes, we also like our baguettes and corn flakes.
So how can you include some of these favorite-but-refined
foods and still ensure you’re getting enough of the
nutrients found in whole grains?
One way is to identify foods you like that are also easy to
find in whole grain form. Then buy them often.
Breakfast cereal is a good example.
There are lots of good-tasting, whole grain breakfast cereals,
including shredded wheat, bran flakes, Cheerios, Wheat Chex
and others. You can tell they’re whole grain by checking
the package labels.
Ingredients are listed in order of their predominance in the
product. If a whole grain is listed first or second, at least
50 percent of that product is probably whole grain. That’s
good.
Another example of an easy-to-find whole grain food is bread.
Even if you like to eat fresh bakery breads made with white
flour, it’s a good idea to also keep whole wheat loaf
bread around for sandwiches and toast.
When you compare packaged breads and cereals, read the nutrient
fact labels and choose the foods with the highest number of
grams of dietary fiber per serving.
Other ways to get more whole grains into your diet:
* Shop at natural foods stores. They have a wide variety of
breads, cereals, baking mixes and frozen meals made with whole
grain ingredients.
* Do it yourself. Bake your own cookies, muffins and quick
breads and use whole wheat flour, whole oats, and other kinds
of whole grain flour. If a recipe calls for all-purpose white
flour, you can usually replace half with a whole grain variety
with good results.
* Experiment with whole grain products you haven’t tried
before. One example is whole wheat pasta. Twenty years ago,
whole wheat pasta was often thick and gummy. In my experience,
it’s wonderful now and available in many shapes. Another
option: rice. Try brown jasmine, basmati or long-grain rice.
Quick-cooking brown rice is also easy to find.
Work as many whole grain breads and cereals into your diet
as possible. Look for everyday purchases where you can substitute
whole for refined.
You’ll benefit from the health-boosting nutrients they
contain and still have room for a few refined favorites.
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