January 25, 2006

Go With The Grain

Whole Grains are the seeds of plants that belong to the grass family. This seed, also known as the kernel, is made up of three key parts: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm.         

A whole grain can be a single food, such as oatmeal, brown rice, barley, or popcorn, or an ingredient in another food such as bread or cereal. Whole grains include whole wheat, whole oats/oatmeal, whole-grain corn, popcorn, brown rice, whole rye, whole-grain barley, wild rice, buckwheat, bulgur (cracked wheat), millet, quinoa, and sorghum. Other less common whole grains include amaranth, emmer, farro, grano (lightly pearled wheat), spelt, and wheat berries.

Whole grains may be eaten whole, cracked, split, flaked, or ground. Most often, they are milled into flour and used to make breads, cereals, farinas, and other grain-based foods. Regardless of how they are handled, whole grains, or foods made from whole grains contain the three essential parts and naturally occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed.

When a grain is refined, most of the bran and some of the germ is removed, resulting in losses of fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E, trace minerals, unsaturated fat, and about 75 percent of the phytonutrients. Examples of refined grain products include white breads, pasta, crackers, white rice and corn flakes cereal. 

“Whole grains are much more than a vehicle for fiber,” says Joanne Slavin, a professor of nutrition specializing in whole-grain foods at the University of Minnesota. Research demonstrates that the health-promoting benefits of whole grains are attributed to more than just fiber. Slavin explains that these health advantages are largely associated with the “package” of nutrients in whole grains.  “The individual components of whole grains have an additive and synergistic effect. It's the combination and interactions between components that we believe provide the protection against disease. Whole grains are an example of how the whole (grain) is often greater than the sum of its parts,” says Slavin.

Research reported at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) International Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer, by Rui Hai Liu, M.D., Ph.D., and his colleagues at Cornell University shows that whole grains contain many powerful phytonutrients whose activity has gone unrecognized because research methods have overlooked them.

Despite the fact that for years researchers have been measuring the antioxidant power of a wide array of phytochemicals, they have typically measured only the "free" forms of these substances, which dissolve quickly and are immediately absorbed into the bloodstream. They have not looked at the "bound" forms, which are attached to the walls of plant cells and must be released by intestinal bacteria during digestion before they can be absorbed.

Phenolics, powerful antioxidants that work in multiple ways to prevent disease, are one major class of phytochemicals that have been widely studied. Included in this broad category are such compounds as quercetin, curcumin, ellagic acid, catechins, and many others that appear frequently in the health news.

When Dr. Liu and his colleagues measured the relative amounts of phenolics, and whether they were present in bound or free form, in common fruits and vegetables like apples, red grapes, broccoli and spinach, they found that phenolics in the “free” form averaged 76% of the total number of phenolics in these foods. In whole grains, however, "free" phenolics accounted for less than 1% of the total, while the remaining 99% were in "bound" form.  In his presentation, Dr. Liu explained that because researchers have examined whole grains with the same process used to measure antioxidants in vegetables and fruits—looking for their content of "free" phenolics"—the amount and activity of antioxidants in whole grains has been vastly underestimated.



Evidence clearly points to an association between consuming whole grains as part of a low-fat diet and lower risk of heart disease. Low-fat diets rich in whole-grain foods tend to decrease LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.  Increased intake of whole grains and fiber in combination with a low-fat diet has been associated with managing risk factors accompanying diabetes. Whole grains appear to improve glucose responses and decrease insulin sensitivity.   Whole-grain foods may reduce the risk of cancer by a variety of mechanisms. Fiber and certain starches found in whole grains ferment in the colon to help improve gastrointestinal health. Whole grains also contain antioxidants that may help protect against oxidative damage. Some scientists believe that other substances in whole grains may affect overall hormone levels and possibly lower the risk of hormone-related cancers like breast cancer.  Studies show that people who eat whole grains in place of fattier foods tend to weigh less and typically gain less weight over time than those who do not. In addition, whole grains may help to satisfy hunger for longer periods, resulting in people eating less.

The Wholefood Farmacy is proud to offer a wide variety of delicious, convenient meals and snacks that are rich in whole grains.  Our line of Farinas are all handcrafted using our custom whole grain blend that includes Cracked Wheat, Rye, Oats, Millet, Bulgur Wheat Brown Rice, and Quinoa.  

         AmpliPhi                           BeautiPhi                        ClariPhi                           DetoxiPhi

              ElectriPhi                              FructiPhi                    GloriPhi

For the first time, the USDA Dietary Guidelines have specific recommendations for whole grain consumption separate from those for refined grains. The Guidelines, released in January 2005, encourage all Americans over 2 years old to eat at least three 1-ounce-equivalent servings of whole grains each day. If you have children in the house, it is important to set a good example for them. It is not what we say that makes the difference, it is what we do. Set a good example by eating whole grains with meals or as snacks. Let children select and help prepare a whole grain side dish. For older children teach them to read the ingredient list on cereals or snack food packages and choose those with whole grains at the top of the list.  Make eating healthier a family adventure this year, lead by example, and go with the grain!

As always, we are at your service,
The Wholefood Farmacy Team