Madonna’s a fan of them so is Gwyneth Paltrow and we’re constantly being told to incorporate more of them into our diets. What am I taking about? Whole grains of course! It’s all well and good for the likes of Madge and her ten personal chefs but what exactly are the benefits of chomping on these little nuggets from Mother Nature, I hear you ask?
Well, the key difference between wholegrain and refined grains is the level of processing involved. Wholegrains are rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre and plant chemicals all of which help regulate important processes in the body. Even more importantly they keep us looking great. Refined grains, as found in white bread, white rice, white pasta, biscuits, cakes and confectionery, are seriously depleted of minerals most of which are not replaced. For example when you eat refined grains 77% of zinc is lost and this impacts on the appearance of our skin, hair and nails….definitely not a good thing!
Besides being really good for you, wholegrains have been shown to support weight management as they help keep us fuller for longer. – hopefully reducing how many times you reach for the dreaded biscuit tin! They do this by ensuring the body has to work that bit harder to get the sugar out of the carbohydrate – refined grains get turned into sugar quickly whereas wholegrains are more of a slow release. This is great news when you think that so many of us are unhappy with our weight and if you’re hoping to squeeze back into last years little black dress, whole grains could be a great help!
Another top tip for keeping fuller for longer is to ensure when your having your wholegrains that you combine them with protein, for example blueberry porridge with seeds or nuts on top or Irish brown bread with smoked salmon versus a scone with butter & jam or couple of biscuits with a cup of tea. Something really clever happens when you put these protein and wholegrains together which allows you to stay fuller for longer, eat a little less hence get into that dream Christmas dress!
Good sources of wholegrains are: porridge, spelt breads, Irish brown breads, rye breads, oatcakes, brown rice, wholegrain pasta and quiona.
Good sources of protein are: chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, fish, nuts, seeds, eggs and pulses.
Total nutritions top tips:
– Turn all carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice) to brown.
– When having wholegrains combine with good quality protein (poultry, fish, meat, nuts, seeds and pulses).
– If you are looking to lose a little weight reduce your carbohydrate levels whilst increasing your vegetable and protein intake.
By Andrea Murray of Total Nutrition, BSc (Hons) Nutrition Therapy
