Whole Grains

A Primary Protein Source

Whole grains are the primary protein food source for much of the world. Third world countries depend on them. Vegetarians use grains as a protein source to round out their diet.

Most grains keep well, are inexpensive and go with almost any food. Because the flavor in generally mild, grains absorb flavors of the foods with which they are cooked.

Rice is used as a plentiful, nutritious food in most of the world. It can be used as a cereal, main dish, side dish, or dessert. Rice and dhal (a thick legume soup) is a staple in the Asian sub-continent much as meat and potatoes are in North America.

In many other countries the world over, rice serves as the essential ingredient for many dishes. It is true in North America as well. Unfortunately, much of the time the brown outer husk has been removed and what is left is a high-glycemic, starchy food, not the nutritious whole grain that it started as.

When you buy rice, get the brown or wild rice. Not only is it pleasing to the eye, the flavor is wonderful.

Oats were the first food allowed to put the heart-healthy phrase on their packaging in the US. It is an excellent source of fiber, both soluble and insoluble. It contains protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin E. It clears fats from the arteries, lowers cholesterol, and normalizes blood sugar. It prolongs a feeling of fullness, thus helping the dieter stick to a weight loss program.

Wheat , like rice is often stripped of its nutrients in American foods. The kernel and brown skin are stripped away to leave white flour which is essentially junk food. It has lost the protein, vitamin K, complex carbohydrates, and fiber that characterized the whole grain.

Whole wheat products such as wheat berries, the tiny whole kernel of wheat, and wheat bran, the outer skin, protect against cancer of the colon and breast while also reducing cholesterol.

Barley reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. The FDA has permitted it to make the same heart-healthy claim as oatmeal. It contains zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, iron and B vitamins, as well as cholesterol lowering agents.

In the past barley has been used mainly for animal feed and beer. We are now also eating barley flakes which are cooked for breakfast and pearl barley in soups and stews.

Other whole grains to try; farro, millet and quinoa. If you can’t find them in your super market, look in the health food store.