Discover The Power Of Whole Grains
- By Randy Powell
- Published April 29, 2008
- Fitness
- Unrated
Randy Powell
Randy Powell believes that the world can improve its health crisis through proper a diet high in alkaline foods. Visit his website at: http://www.eating-veggies.com
View all articles by Randy Powell
Eating whole grains seems to be the nutritional battle cry of the new century. For a large part of the population, this is going to be tough. Most of us grew up eating white bread for our daily school bag lunch. It was all we knew about and it taste like heaven when spread with peanut butter and jam. Worries about things like PH balance and alkaline foods was not thought about much and health food was considered anything that your mother put on your plate. We had no idea that we were supposed to be eating whole wheat, let alone whole grains.
Getting your children to eat whole grain breads or pasta may be a problem especially if they are not starting out young. White bread is an acquired taste. Whole grains can be acquired too. Starting out early helps since children are much more adaptable to accepting foods than adults. But if you only expose them to healthy, whole grain foods they won't have the chance to develop a taste for white bread or other non-nutritious foods. Bologna and cheese taste just as good on sliced whole wheat.
Because of knowledge, Adults must learn to change their diet preferences. We know that we need much more fiber in our diet. We also know that whole grains break down slower and will not spike our blood sugar levels. There is also an increased risk of diabetes in people who eat refined white flour - a risk that has been proven by the increase in cases of diabetes. Refined wheat and high fructose corn syrup may be some of the reasons for the escalating cases of Juvenile diabetes. Understanding why 100% whole wheat is superior to white bread can help you feel good about the compromise and encourage you to make it the standard for your children.
Whole wheat bread has the health benefits of containing lots of fiber. Fiber is good for the digestive system by moving food rapidly along, dragging unwanted waste products along with it. Fiber also helps with making bowel elimination much easier by making your stool softer and bulkier. It gives you a feeling of being full and can help with controlling how much you eat. Research has been done that shows men and women who eat high-fiber foods have less heart attacks and strokes than those who do not.
You really have to read labels when shopping for bread at the grocery store. Watch out for words like 'wheat flour' or 'enriched wheat flour' as they can be mostly made from white flour with just a small amount of whole wheat added in. Always look for bread made from 100% wheat flour or 100% whole grain. Many food companies will try to mislead you by making the name of the product sound healthy. Words like whole bran, stoned wheat, 12 grain and others are still mostly processed white flour. The only way to know for sure is to read the label and have a good understanding of what you feel is best for your family.
Getting your children to eat whole grain breads or pasta may be a problem especially if they are not starting out young. White bread is an acquired taste. Whole grains can be acquired too. Starting out early helps since children are much more adaptable to accepting foods than adults. But if you only expose them to healthy, whole grain foods they won't have the chance to develop a taste for white bread or other non-nutritious foods. Bologna and cheese taste just as good on sliced whole wheat.
Because of knowledge, Adults must learn to change their diet preferences. We know that we need much more fiber in our diet. We also know that whole grains break down slower and will not spike our blood sugar levels. There is also an increased risk of diabetes in people who eat refined white flour - a risk that has been proven by the increase in cases of diabetes. Refined wheat and high fructose corn syrup may be some of the reasons for the escalating cases of Juvenile diabetes. Understanding why 100% whole wheat is superior to white bread can help you feel good about the compromise and encourage you to make it the standard for your children.
Whole wheat bread has the health benefits of containing lots of fiber. Fiber is good for the digestive system by moving food rapidly along, dragging unwanted waste products along with it. Fiber also helps with making bowel elimination much easier by making your stool softer and bulkier. It gives you a feeling of being full and can help with controlling how much you eat. Research has been done that shows men and women who eat high-fiber foods have less heart attacks and strokes than those who do not.
You really have to read labels when shopping for bread at the grocery store. Watch out for words like 'wheat flour' or 'enriched wheat flour' as they can be mostly made from white flour with just a small amount of whole wheat added in. Always look for bread made from 100% wheat flour or 100% whole grain. Many food companies will try to mislead you by making the name of the product sound healthy. Words like whole bran, stoned wheat, 12 grain and others are still mostly processed white flour. The only way to know for sure is to read the label and have a good understanding of what you feel is best for your family.
