Some of us know bread as bread, we aren't too choosy, we buy white or wheat, but don't think much about it! The truth: knowledge about bread will make a great difference in your health! Here is some great information you can use when choosing your bread the next time you visit the grocery store:
Whole grains are eaten in their "whole" form, they aren't stripped of their nutruents. Whole grains include wheat, corn, rice, oats, barley, quinoa, sorghum, spelt, rye – Whole grains even include popcorn!
Health Benefits of Whole Grains
Whole grains reduce risks of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity.
People who eat whole grains regularly have a lower risk of obesity, as measured by their body mass index and waist-to-hip ratios. They also have lower cholesterol levels.
Because of the phytochemicals and antioxidants, people who eat three daily servings of whole grains have been shown to reduce their risk of heart disease by 25-36%, stroke by 37%, Type II diabetes by 21-27%, digestive system cancers by 21-43%, and hormone-related cancers by 10-40%.
Consumers are increasingly aware that fruits and vegetables contain disease-fighting phytochemicals and antioxidants, but they do not realize whole grains are often an even better source of these key nutrients.
How Do I Find Whole Grain?
First, check the package label. Many whole grain products will list the grams of whole grain somewhere on the package, or say something like "100% whole wheat." You can trust these statements. But be skeptical if you see the words "whole grain" without more details, such as "crackers made with whole grain." The product may contain only miniscule amounts of whole grains.
Make Easy Substitutions
Substitute half the white flour with whole wheat flour in your regular recipes for cookies, muffins, quick breads and pancakes.
Replace one third of the flour in a recipe with quick oats or old-fashioned oats.
Add half a cup of cooked bulgur, wild rice, or barley to bread stuffing.
Add half a cup of cooked wheat or rye berries, wild rice, brown rice, sorghum or barley to your favorite canned or home-made soup.
Use whole corn meal for corn cakes, corn breads and corn muffins.
Add three-quarters of a cup of uncooked oats for each pound of ground beef or turkey when you make meatballs, burgers or meatloaf.
Stir a handful of oats in your yogurt, for quick crunch with no cooking necessary.
Words to Look for and Stay Away From When Scanning Labels:
YES -- Contains all parts of the grain, so you're getting all the nutrients of the whole grain:whole grain [name of grain]
whole wheat
whole [other grain]
stoneground whole [grain]
brown rice
oats, oatmeal (including old-fashioned oatmeal, instant oatmeal)
wheatberries
MAYBE -- These words are accurate descriptions of the package contents, but because some parts of the grain MAY be missing, you are likely missing the benefits of whole grains:
wheat flour
semolina
durum wheat
organic flour
multigrain (may describe several whole grains or several refined grains, or a mix of both)
NO -- These words never describe whole grains:
enriched flour
degerminated (on corn meal)
bran
wheat germ
I hope this information helps you choose your breads wisely!
Information found at Whole Grains Council.org
2 comments:
Thanks for the info. It really helps. I knew whole grains were good for you but really didn't know why.
Great article. I'm going to pay alot more attention to the whole grain thing in my bread.
I have been buying Schwebel's Select Honey Whole Grain bread. The main ingredient is whole wheat flour. Is that a maybe? It says on the package..a good source of whole grains.
I have also been buying Barilla Plus pasta. It is suppose to have whole grains in it too.
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