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Whole Grains
by author Nettie Cronish

Whole grain bread moves through the intestine in 30 hours but white bread takes 80 hours to digest.

Whole grains offer an economical source of protein especially when complemented with beans, meat, cheese, milk, or eggs. They also contain complex carbohydrates, low fat, low sodium, and lots of fibre.

Refined foods, on the other hand, clog the intestines. Without natural fibre, refined foods stall peristaltic action, which is needed to keep food moving and propel wastes from the body. Intestinal muscles become unable to grip the sticky paste, and it clogs the surface and folds of the colon.

Whole grains leave us with a feeling of fullness and give us more stamina - but only when we eat the whole grain and not its refined form.

Add whole grains to your diet. The following whole grains are the best nutritional choices for a well-balanced diet.

Brown Rice is Twice as Nice

Many of us don’t eat white bread because we know that whole grain breads are more healthful and delicious. The same is true with rice. In order for rice to be edible, the indigestible husk must be removed. The result is brown rice. Its colour is only slightly different from that of white rice when cooled, but what a nutritional difference. The bran and germ contain high-quality protein along with fibre, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin E, and most of the B vitamins. What a lovely flavour, too. Brown rice takes 45 to 50 minutes to cook, so prepare a large pot to last several meals.

Quinoa

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa), along with corn and potatoes, was one of the three staple foods of the Inca civilization. It contains more protein than any other grain; an average of 16.2 per cent compared with 7.5 per cent for rice, 9.9 per cent for millet, and 14 per cent for wheat. Some varieties of quinoa are more than 20 per cent protein. Quinoa, an unusually high-quality protein, is also a complete protein with an ideal balance of essential amino acids, similar to milk. A rich and balanced source of vital nutrients, quinoa also provides starch, sugars, oil (high in linoeic acid), fibre, minerals, and vitamins. To prepare, rinse and cover with two parts water to one part quinoa. Simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed.

Millet

Nutritionists claim that millet contains the most complete protein of all grains, yet it is used in North America most often as birdseed. Lucky birds. The tiny seed can be simmered in stock or water but its texture is best when toasted in a frying pan before cooking. Use one-and-half cups of water or stock for every cup of millet.

Wheat Berries, Cracked Wheat, and Bulgur

Wheat is the world’s most widely distributed grain, available in hard and soft varieties. Hard wheat contains higher levels of protein than soft wheat, and soft wheat contains higher levels of carbohydrates. Hard wheat, because of its higher levels of gluten (protein) content, is used to make bread. Soft wheat is used to make pastries and cakes.

In its unprocessed state, wheat produces wheat berries, cracked wheat, and bulgur. Wheat berries, the original form of the grain before it is ground into flour, make a delicious breakfast cereal, salad, or casserole. They take 45 minutes to cook. Cracked wheat, made by crushing the toasted wheat berry, cooks in 20 minutes. Bulgur is the crushed product of parboiled wheat berries. It cooks in 15 minutes or less.

Wheat Meat

Wheat meat, known as gluten, is sold as a meat substitute. A wheat-protein isolate, it is always seasoned and cooked before sold. Because it is not a high-quality protein, wheat meat should be paired with beans, nuts, and tofu, animal, or soy gravy. All too often undesirable flavour enhancers such as MSG and artificial colours are added. Read package ingredients carefully.

The best way to introduce whole grains into your diet is to set up a natural foods kitchen:

• Plan menus that combine ingredients for maximum nutrition.
• Use organic whole foods in addition to whole grains.
• Support local farmers, markets, and co-ops. Use your dollars to support others who grow whole grains.

Parts of a Whole Grain

Whole grains reveal a composition of minerals, proteins, and carbohydrates found IN the three parts of the kernel: bran, germ, and endosperm.

Bran, the outermost layer of the grain, seals the endosperm and germ. It is composed of cellulose, a complex sugar that gives bran a hard texture but makes it indigestible. Whole grains need to be chewed thoroughly to break open the bran, exposing the inner grain to digestive action. Bran travels down the digestive tract, using its bulk to pull other parts of the grain. Bran contains B vitamins, proteins, fats, and minerals.

The germ is the most nutritious part of the grain as it is from the germ that the new stem sprouts and roots descend. As grains grow, they rely on stored nutrients in the form of complex carbohydrates, which are contained in the endosperm. Wheat germ contains many nutrients, including vitamins E, B, and A, protein, and fat.

The endosperm is all that remains of the whole grain after the milling process, which strips the grain of bran and germ and removes most nutrients and fibre. The body needs the nutrients from the bran and germ to metabolize the endosperm’s carbohydrate. When the endosperm is eaten alone, as in refined grains, metabolism of the carbohydrate cannot happen.

Nettie Cronish is a natural foods chef, cooking teacher, and cookbook author in Toronto. Her books include Nettie’s Vegetarian Kitchen (Second Story Press, 1996), New Vegetarian Basics (Random House 1999), and Becoming Vegetarian in Canada (2000).

Source: alive #255, January 2004