Television commercials touting the value of whole grains will send you towards specific brands of cereal. While that may be better than the latest sugar-coated cereal with a toy in the box, there is much more know about whole grains than that.
First of all, the grain being “whole” means that the bran, germ, and endosperm are still included. All grains have this initially, but these parts are removed as grains are refined, taking nutrients with them.
Whole grains have many health benefits. This is partly due to what they have—an abundance of fiber and protein along with their complex carbohydrates, as well as nutrients like selenium, potassium, and magnesium.
The health benefits are also due to what whole grains are missing. While being processed they tend to pick up various additives, many of which can be harmful. Claims that High Fructose Corn Syrup is fine in moderation ignore the fact that, if you are regularly eating processed foods and fast food, moderation is impossible.
Although the effects of eating whole grains are still being studied, health effects almost certainly include significant decrease in the risk of stroke, diabetes, and heart disease, as well as assistance with health maintenance (which of course helps with many conditions). Other probable benefits include reduced risk of asthmas, inflammatory diseases, and some cancers, as well as healthier carotid arteries, blood pressure, and teeth and gums.
Those benefits should make you anxious to increase your whole grain intake right away, but perhaps you are remembering that you like white bread better than wheat bread, or that you don’t really know what eating whole grains would mean other than trying to do something with those cans of wheat. (As nutritious and storable as wheat is, the spread of gluten intolerance and celiac disease means we need to look beyond it anyway.)
Actually, your resistance to a sudden conversion to whole grains shows good instincts. Any sudden dietary changes can have negative effects, especially sudden increases in fiber. You should look for simple and gradual ways to increase your whole grain intake. Making changes in this manner go more easily on your digestive system, and be more likely to turn into lifelong habits.
First of all, you should know that every time that you eat popcorn, you are eating whole grains. Drowning the popcorn with butter and salt (not whole grains) can counteract the health benefits, but it is still a start.
The next easiest change to make would be adding brown rice. While brown rice is a very popular health food, and a key part of a macrobiotic diet, it is actually one of the milder whole grains, consisting of only 3.5% fiber. Many restaurants will allow you to substitute brown for white rice, and it is easy to cook at home.
You can also substitute whole grain pasta for regular pasta. The flavor will be slightly different, but it does not significantly change the texture or preparation of the dish, so it is an easy change to make.
There are many other areas where you can experiment, and I have included web sites with more information, including recipes. Bob’s Red Mill, in addition to selling grains and grinders, even has cooking classes. You will find that there are so many recipes that it is not practical to include many here, but I will suggest three easy areas to look at.
Breakfast:
Whole grains make great breakfast cereals. Everyone is familiar with oatmeal and cream of wheat, but you may not realize that almost any grain cooked with warm water can become a breakfast cereal.
Bulk food bins in stores will provide a wide selection of whole grains to choose from, and will generally include cooking instructions on top of the bin. Because these items are sold by weight, you can take as much or as little as you want for your experiment. If you don’t like the flavor of one, you can always try another.
Salads:
Not every salad is based on lettuce. The concept is similar to pasta salad, but even more nutritious.
Barley, quinoa, and bulgur wheat are all natural fits for salad, and may be able to be substituted for each other in recipes. You will generally want to use a lighter dressing. Olive oil and lemon juice is the most frequent choice.
Pilafs and risottos:
Salads are great for warm weather, but you can get a warm, hearty meal too. These recipes will generally call for cooking the grain in broth, and adding nuts or vegetables. The ingredients may seem similar to the breakdown of the salad, but the cooking process and the addition of the broth changes the tone of the dish, making for a good winter meal.
http://wholegrainscouncil.org/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/whole-grains/NU00204
http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/grains.html
http://www.bobsredmill.com/
