What are Whole Grains?
Whole grains are unrefined seeds, also known as Kernel. The seeds comprise three different parts: The bran, endosperm, and germ. When the plant, in this case mostly cereal products, are processed, they lose most of their nutrients, primarily the fiber that is mostly found in the bran, the outer layer, the germ is the core of the plant and contains most of the nutrients.
The endosperm is the starchy part containing more carbohydrates. So the endosperm is the only part that is left after the product is refined, which means that you are only getting the less nutritious part of the plant. The rest of the essential nutrients are lost in the refining process.
Whole grains health benefits
A diet rich in whole grain foods is a staple to maintain good health. They are a primary source of vitamins and minerals, such as thiamine, vitamin E, and folates. Their high fiber content makes them an essential component of a healthy diet. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant found in almost all whole grain products.
t has anti-cancer properties against harmful chemicals like Alloxan. This compound is added to white flour to give it that shiny white color but make no mistake here, according to scientific research, there is evidence supporting the link between this chemical and diabetes.
Researchers have even used it to induce the condition of animals in lab studies. If you want to find more about the effects of Alloxan on your health, just go to http://www.naturalnews.com/008191.html
Most common Whole Grain Foods
- brown rice
- buckwheat
- Bulger (not cracked wheat)
- Oatmeal
- Oats
- Rye
- Graham flour
- Popcorn
- Muesli
- Whole-grain barley
- Whole-grain cornmeal
- Whole rye
- Whole wheat
- Wild rice
- Barley
- Quinoa
Obesity is a huge problem these days. It’s estimated that one out of every three adults is clinically obese in the United States. That’s not even counting the people who are merely a bit overweight. Plain and simple, people need to do something different if they want to escape the specter of obesity.
This is why many people are changing up their diet to be something much more healthy. There are many theories on what kind of diet helps you lose the most weight, but one thing is certain. A healthy diet is going to require some whole grain foods. But where can you get such foods?
You can always go to your local grocery store and see what they have available. Unfortunately, most mainstream grocery stores will have a small selection of whole grain products. This is because whole grain products tend to be a bit more expensive; thus, local grocery stores don’t carry quite as many.
Still, if you can only get to your local grocery store, any amount of whole grain products is better for you than no whole grain products, but you should check the labels for the fiber content and choose the ones with more than one gram, up to five grams would be ideal.
Try to make more natural choices like Old- Fashioned Oatmeal. If you still decide or prefer the cereals choose the ones with less sugar, like Cheerios or Raisin Bran. Check the puffed cereals carefully they are often high in sugar.
You should also care about the sodium content that is in abundance in many or nearly the majority of cereal packages. Another popular whole grain food that you can indulge in is popcorn just keep an eye on the salt and butter, and you’re good to go.
One of the better places to get your whole grain foods is going to be from specialty grocery stores. These are stores that specialize in carrying organic, healthy foodstuff. These places do tend to run a bit on the expensive side, but there’s a good reason for that.
So much of our food these days is so unhealthy because of the unnatural growing and production methods. Companies actually use terrible growing methods, which in turn creates terrible food that treats our digestive system horribly.
Thus, to grow things healthily, it requires working with specialty tools and growing on smaller plots of land. It also requires shipping the foods more quickly. Otherwise, they may go bad before they even get to the store. This combination of factors causes healthy food to be more expensive than highly processed foods.
Unfortunately, purchasing whole grain products tends to cost more money, but, in the long run, it’s worth it. It’s worth ensuring that you’re eating the most healthy diet. It’s also worth it to ensure that you’re going to be able to lose weight. A change in diet isn’t the only thing that will help you lose weight, but it’s an important step!
At the end of the day, seeking out whole grain products may take a little time and effort. But if you truly want to lose weight and sincerely want to ensure that you’re eating healthy food, the effort is worth it. It’s worth it because whole grain products will assuredly help you keep to the diet you need to lose the weight you’re trying to lose.
Moreover, whole grains are proven by science to be better for your health than overly processed bleached flour. So try to get whole grain products. You’ll be happy with the difference.