YOUR HEALTH
WHOLE GRAINS
What exactly is a Whole Grain?
Whole grains simply contain all the essential parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed. If the grain has been processed it should still provide approximately the same rich balance of nutrients that are found in the original grain seed. We love to keep the bran, germ and endosperm in our grains! Check out this study detailing why keeping the grain intact is vital to it’s nutritional value.
To put it another way, a whole grain keeps the nutritional value it grows up with. Whereas, refined grains get stripped of a lot of their nutritional value, mainly for “taste” purposes. We like the way whole grains taste and are happy to use all of what nature provides to the entire grain, not just part of it. We don’t waste good things!
There are amazing links between whole grain consumption and the risk reduction of certain diseases such as Heart Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, Cancer and Stroke. This link has been well documented in many studies. Other studies indicate that teens who eat more whole grains get less acne, and kids cut their risk for asthma. Also, because whole grains help you feel full longer, those who eat them tend to control their weight more successfully. The fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients found in whole grains are what make them so healthy.
If you would like to read more about the health benefits of whole grains in general, please check out these links:
Harvard School of Public Health
For specific health benefits click on any of these:
Diabetes Reduction from Switching to Brown Rice
Less Abdominal Fat From Whole Grain Intake
Blood Pressure Reduction From Whole Grain Intake
Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
Good Carbs, NOT No Carbs for Weight Loss
How many whole grains should be included in your daily diet? The “2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans” recommends making at least half your grains whole. For most adults, this means at least 3 servings of whole grains per day. We shoot for a bit more because our freezer is packed with bags of Gretchen’s Grains and that makes eating them soooo easy.
Here is an official serving chart by the USDA, via their MyPlate program.
Gretchen’s Grains makes it easy for you to eat whole grains in place of refined grains or other carbohydrate sources as often as you’d like. We give you the flexibility and time to eat healthy morning, noon and night, and that excites us!
