Sonoma Diet Powerhouse Food #10: Whole Grains

Whole grains include barley, brown rice, buckwheat, corn, millet, oats, quinoa, rye, sorghum, spelt, whole wheat – any grain in its whole form – including popcorn! Whole grains have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes.



All grains start out in whole form, which is simply the entire seed (or kernel) and includes from the inside out, the germ, the endosperm and the bran. All you want is the entire seed before it has been processed. Fortunately that is getting easier and easier to find as the health benefits of whole grains have been discovered and publicized



The germ, fertilized by pollen, is what would grow into a new plant if you didn’t eat it first. It is full of B vitamins, some protein, minerals and healthy fats. Nature designed the endosperm to serve as the germ’s food supply. It contains starchy carbohydrates, proteins and small amounts of vitamins and minerals.



The bran, or outer shell of the grains, contains important antioxidants, B vitamins and fiber. It gives a pleasing crunchy texture to whole grains, which most people come to love, once they stop eating mushy processed grains.



Processed grains have the germ and bran removed. That amounts to a loss of 25% of the grain’s protein and many key nutrients. Vitamins and minerals are added back to grains labeled “enriched refined”; but whole grains are still healthier, providing more protein, vitamins, minerals and the all-important fiber.



The Whole Grains Council of the Oldways Preservation Trust has created the Whole Grain Stamp to help consumers find real whole grain products.



Tags: whole grains for health, Whole Grain Stamp, fiber, vitamins and minerals