Wholegrains
What are wholegrains?
Whole grains are a staple food that has sustained traditional societies for centuries. Whole grains include brown rice, millet, barley, oats, rye, buckwheat and corn. Short-grain brown rice is particularly nourishing and rich in complex carbohydrates and minerals.
What is a WHOLE grain?
Eating whole grains (the actual kernels of grain!) is different from eating ‘wholegrains’ in breakfast cereals and other processed foods.
In the actual kernels of grain, the outermost layers remain intact. These layers are the most nutritious part of the grain and contain plenty of protein, calcium, and iron. They are also rich in the B vitamins, essential to the harmonious functioning of the nervous system.
Why are wholegrains good for the planet?
Today wholegrains continue to feed more people around the world than any other food. Whole grains provide us with the most energy from the least amount of land.
Eating mostly whole grains is is an excellent cost-effective option for families and communities around the globe, unlike the (excessive) consumption of animal protein. Today, the livestock industry is among the most polluting industries in the world.
What about bread?
Whole grains are better to have on a regular basis than bread (even ‘wholegrain’ bread!), as milled flour has lost these outermost, most nutritious layers of grain. Milled flour works like a quick sugar in the body rather than providing long-lasting fuel.
However, high-quality sourdough bread contains the special micro-organism lactobacillus which pre-digests the grains, allowing nutrients to be absorbed more easily. However, cooked whole grains are still better to have on a regular basis.
Cooked whole grains are water-saturated and therefore hydrating to the body (while bread is dehydrating). Whole grains are fiber-rich, enhancing the quality of digestion and elimination.