|
Don't
wait to begin enjoying whole grains
August 31, 2006
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
Whole
wheat bread, Shredded Wheat and their kin are finally getting
the love they deserve.
Until now, recommendations to eat more whole grain foods have
been overshadowed by years of interest in low-fat foods and
the carbophobia that followed.
That’s changing.
New government dietary guidelines encourage us to eat at least
three ounces of whole grains daily. Health claims linking
whole grain foods with lower rates of heart disease have been
approved by the government for use on food labels, and a new
Whole Grain Stamp, developed by the nonprofit Oldways Preservation
Trust and the Whole Grains Council, flags foods especially
high in whole grains.
What’s a whole grain?
Whole grains are cereal grains – intact, ground, cracked
or flaked – that have all the components naturally present
in intact grains. Examples include whole wheat, brown rice,
buckwheat, bulgur and rolled oats.
Refined grains, on the other hand, are missing some or all
of the bran and germ, so they contain less of the dietary
fiber, vitamins, minerals and beneficial phytochemicals found
in intact grains.
While the message is getting out, most of us still eat only
about a half serving of whole grains per day. Part of the
problem: Despite their growing prominence on food labels,
whole grains can be hard to differentiate from other grains.
Terms like “stone-ground,” “cracked wheat,”
“wheat flour,” “100% wheat,” “7-grain,”
“bran,” and “multi-grain” can be easily
mistaken to mean “whole grain.” They aren’t.
Molasses and caramel coloring can also make refined products
look as though they were made with whole grain flour.
Adding to the challenge is the fact that the majority of grain
products sold in supermarkets are still made largely from
refined grains.
Here’s how to spot the real thing:
* Read the ingredient list. Ingredients are listed on food
packages in order of their predominance in products. The first
ingredient usually makes up at least 50 percent of the product.
* Look for the word “whole.” You want “whole
wheat,” not “wheat flour,” another name
for refined white flour. Buy foods made with whole rye, whole-grain
corn, whole-grain barley and whole rolled oats.
* Brown rice, bulgur wheat, millet, buckwheat, graham flour,
quinoa, wild rice, and oatmeal are whole grains.
* Foods stamped “Good Source” contain at least
one half serving of whole grains and foods stamped “Excellent
Source” contain at least one full serving.
Eating whole grains doesn’t mean you have to rule out
white bread.
More farmers are planting hard-white or winter white wheat,
a whole grain wheat with a paler color than traditional whole
wheat. So you can get white bread with the benefits of the
whole grain from brands like Sara Lee, Country Hearth, Wonder
and others.
Other ways to add more whole grains to your diet:
* Switch to whole wheat pasta. It used to be hard and gummy.
Not any more. My favorite brand is Hodgson Mill, sold in mainstream
supermarkets and natural foods stores. Try the whole wheat
spirals, whole wheat bow tie pasta, and whole wheat fettuccine.
The flavor is wonderful, the texture is good. I won’t
go back to white.
* Get a dose in the morning. Eat whole grain cold and hot
cereals like shredded wheat, Cheerios, Grape-Nuts, raisin
bran, Wheaties, Total, granola, cooked oatmeal and Wheatena.
* Use them in baking. In recipes for muffins, cookies, rolls
and quick breads you can usually replace half of the flour
with whole wheat with good results. Look for Hodgson Mill
whole wheat gingerbread mix.
* Add them to casseroles and soups. Use brown rice in mixed
dishes and put barley and whole wheat pasta shells in soup.
The best part about switching to whole grains: They taste
so much better. You’ll wonder why you waited so long.
|
