Whole grains are a staple part of the majority of the population’s diet. They are versatile, inexpensive and packed full of nutrients. In this article we will discuss the benefits of whole grains and how are you can increase your intake.
In this article will answer the following:
- What are wholegrains?
- How many wholegrain products should be incorporated into my diet?
- What nutrients do wholegrains contain?
- What health benefits do wholegrains offer?
- What is the individual nutritional composition of popular wholegrains?
- How can you increase your intake of wholegrains?
What are wholegrains?
Grains are the seeds of cereal plants. To describe a product as whole grain the entire grain must still be present. The entire grain is made up of the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. During the milling process the bran and germ are removed to give a white colour to the cereal for example plain flour. By removing these elements, you reduce the beneficial effects of consuming grains because the bran layer and germ layer contain up to 75% of all nutrients found in grains.
How many wholegrain products should be incorporated into my diet?
Whole grains are part of the starchy foods section of our diet. Starchy foods are a main source of carbohydrate and have an important role as part of our diet. We should try to eat starchy foods every day, and where possible choose whole-grain varieties.
Starchy foods to make up just over a third of the food to eat. Your meals should be based on starchy carbohydrates in order to maintain a healthy, balanced and nutritious diet.
What nutrients do wholegrains contain?
- Fibre
- B vitamins (niacin, thiamine and folate)
- Omega three facts
- Protein
- Antioxidants (vitamin E, selenium, phytic acid, lignins, ferulic acid and sulphur compounds)
- Micronutrients (copper and magnesium)
- Phytochemicals, polyphenols, stanols and sterols
What health benefits do wholegrains offer?
Research shows that wholegrain products consumed in the correct amounts, as part of a healthy balance diet, have many positive health benefits:
- Improve the composition of your gut bacteria. The composition of your gut is crucial for health. Eating food products that encourage the growth of ‘good’ bacteria and support existing ‘good’ bacteria should be included in your diet. Whole grains can aid ‘good’ bacteria in producing substances that may help protect the gut wall and support short chain fatty acid production.
- Wholegrains will keep you fuller for longer, therefore reducing hunger cravings, unnecessary snacking and helping you to lose weight.
- Wholegrains have a low glycaemic index. To understand more about sugars and glycaemic index click this link here. Having a low Glycaemic index means that the sugars from carbohydrates will be released at a slower rate into the blood, which prevents spikes in blood sugar levels after eating. This is beneficial for Type II diabetics.
- Whole grains have also been associated with reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke and Type II diabetes.
- Consuming whole-grain as part of a healthy balanced diet has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing some forms of cancer of the digestive system such as bowel cancer.
- Consuming whole grains regularly can also help improve digestion and aid healthy bowel movements.
What is the nutritional composition of popular wholegrains?
| Type | Calories | Fat | Carbohydrate | Protein | Fibre |
| Rice (white, cooked) | 97 | 0.19g | 21.2g | 2.02g | 1g |
| Buckwheat (groats, roasted) | 92 | 0.62g | 19.9g | 3.38g | 2.7g |
| Dalia (cracked wheat) | 220 | 0g | 48.78g | 7.32g | 2.4g |
| Barley (hulled) | 354 | 2.3g | 73.5g | 12.5g | 17.3g |
| Millet (cooked) | 119 | 1g | 23.7g | 3.51g | 1.3g |
| Maize (corn grain) | 365 | 4.74g | 74.3g | 9.42g | 7.3g |
| Amaranth (cooked) | 102 | 1.58g | 18.7g | 3.8g | 2.1g |
| Wheat (durum) | 339 | 2.47g | 71.1g | 13.7g | – |
| Oats (bran cooked) | 40 | 0.86g | 11.4g | 3.21g | 2.6g |
| Quinoa (cooked) | 120 | 1.92g | 21.3g | 4.4g | 2.8g |
How can you increase your intake of wholegrains?
- Adapt your style of cooking to include more whole grains.
- When shopping try to choose whole grain products over refined items. For example, choosing whole wheat flour instead of white flour and whole-grain pasta over regular pasta (nutrition labels will help you make the right decisions).
- Try and incorporate whole grains into different meals and snacks throughout your day. For example, having whole-wheat toast, or a whole-grain breakfast cereal as part of your breakfast.
Conclusion
To conclude, incorporating whole grains in your diet is an excellent idea and an easy way to reduce risk of certain diseases as well as increasing vitamins, fibre, carbohydrates, minerals and other beneficial compounds in your diet.
