Nutrition Facts: Wholegrains
Grains are a hot topic right now. Whether to eat them or not can passionately divide a room. Those who are against grains claim wheat and gluten in grains can disrupt digestion, promote bloating and cause weight gain. There is no doubt that if you’re coeliac or suffer from non-coeliac gluten sensitivity or FODMAP intolerance, eliminating some grains from your diet is absolutely essential. However for those who don’t need to avoid grains, wholegrains are a misunderstood powerfood that have an essential role as part of a healthy diet.
Firstly let me explain exactly what a wholegrain is. A wholegrain is literally, the ‘whole’ grain, which includes the bran, germ and endosperm of a grain’s kernel. Wholegrains include wheat, rye, spelt, barley, brown rice and oats, to name a few. A ‘whole’ grain provides us with fibre, plant-based proteins, a range of vitamins and minerals plus some plant chemicals, which are incredibly good for our health. What makes grains a problem to the average person is when they’re refined, a process in which they mechanically strip away the nutrient-rich bran and germ of the grain leaving the starchy endosperm, which is what ends up as white flours that are then made into the white breads, wraps, rolls, bagels, pastries, donuts, biscuits, cookies and cakes that we oh so love.
Here are a few reasons why wholegrains are an essential part of a healthy diet:
Great for digestion – where refined grains may cause bloating and constipation, wholegrains will do the opposite. Wholegrains are rich in both soluble and insoluble fibre helping to create the bulk for a healthy stool acting like a scrubbing brush for your intestines, picking up waste and toxins on their way. It also helps to move this waste through our digestive system faster so it spends less time there potentially doing harm. Wholegrains can also promote healthy bacteria grow in the gut, which helps with digestion and absorption of food components.
Heart-healthy – wholegrains are heart-healthy for a number of reasons; firstly they can reduce cholesterol by inhibiting the absorption of cholesterol in our diet. They can also help to lower triglycerides as well as blood pressure. One study showed that women who ate two to three servings of wholegrains per day were 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack than women who ate less that one serving per week.
Help with weight loss – people who eat wholegrains daily are nearly 50 percent more likely to achieve and maintain a healthy weight than those who ate refined grains. Wholegrains help to keep us feeling fuller for longer, which can help with appetite management and they may also help to reduce the fat around the belly – a fat distribution that’s strongly associated with chronic diseases.
Control blood sugar levels – wholegrains help to slow the release of sugars into our blood stream, thereby preventing blood sugar levels from spiking. This can help reduce the risk of pre-diabetes (insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance) and type 2 diabetes. One study showed that eating two to three serves of wholegrains each day lowered the risk of type 2 diabetes by 30 percent compared with those who ate very little wholegrains.
Provide important vitamins & minerals – wholegrains are rich in B vitamins (such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin) a group of vitamins involved in metabolism and creation of energy as well as folate necessary for pregnant women to prevent birth defects. Wholegrains also provide minerals such as magnesium for muscle and nerve function, selenium, a potent antioxidant necessary for thyroid function, zinc for a healthy immune system and iron required for transporting oxygen around our blood.
Reduce risk of some cancers – regular consumption of wholegrains are associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer and potentially some other cancers when eaten in combination with a healthy diet rich in vegetables and fruit and minimal red meat and processed foods.