Including a side of whole grain with each meal is a great way to help cut back on bread consumption. Grains are delicious, nutritious, high in fiber and filling, you only need up to 1/2 cup per serving with the rest of your meal to feel full.
It is best to rotate your grains, for example oats at breakfast, millet at lunch and brown rice for dinner.
You could do that for a few days or a week and then change it up by having quinoa at breakfast, whole buckwheat at lunch and teff for dinner.
By rotating grains on a regular basis you get lots of nutrients and fiber. You won't get bored and you'll start expanding your awareness of eating in new ways and from other cultures.
Whole grains are easy to cook, you can even put them in a small rice cooker and walk away!
There are so many interesting ways to eat grain. There are many recipes on the internet or in the many new cookbooks available.
I love the taste of plain whole grains and I can often satisfy a sweet craving with a small bowl of short grain brown rice and some soy or almond milk. I often throw a small handful of raw sunflower seeds in there if I'm
feeling more hungry.
Yes, I know I'm not your average person, having grown up in the days of granola and granny skirts! I have been eating whole and healthy all my life. I realize for many people that this needs to become an acquired taste and texture. But it is very much worth the effort if you want to become more healthy.
Yes, I know I'm not your average person, having grown up in the days of granola and granny skirts! I have been eating whole and healthy all my life. I realize for many people that this needs to become an acquired taste and texture. But it is very much worth the effort if you want to become more healthy.
I have to honestly say that I don't keep bread at home ( nor sugar) My gut doesn't seem to like that combination of wheat and yeast. I never eat bread unless it's a sourdough wheat alternative such as whole black rye.
So this grain story works well for me. My father passed away at a young age from heart disease and I never saw him eating anything but white flour, potatoes and meat. He drank instant coffee too!
He was very overweight and sedentary. Hmmmmmmm..............................
Good incentive to eat healthy.
Look at these facts presented by The Whole Grains Council
THE MAIN BENEFITS OF WHOLE GRAINS
The benefits of whole grains most documented by repeated studies include:
- stroke risk reduced 30-36%
- type 2 diabetes risk reduced 21-30%
- heart disease risk reduced 25-28%
- better weight maintenance
Other benefits indicated by recent studies include:
- reduced risk of asthma
- healthier carotid arteries
- reduction of inflammatory disease risk
- lower risk of colorectal cancer
- healthier blood pressure levels
- less gum disease and tooth loss
Please visit the website for lots of good information about grain.
http://wholegrainscouncil.org
Contact me if you have any questions or want to share ideas or a favorite recipe.
Yours in health and happiness
Brenda Bell
Contact me if you have any questions or want to share ideas or a favorite recipe.
Yours in health and happiness
Brenda Bell
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