Health Front
News that's good for you
March 2008 | by Susanna Baird
Reprinted with permission from Taste For Life

Peels Pack a Punch
Infant Alert!
Shopping for Sustainable?
Fruits Protect Against Alzheimer's
Green Tea to the Rescue

Many American shoppers, influenced by the low-carbohydrate craze, are steering their grocery carts clear of the bread and cereal aisles. It’s time to put on the brakes.   Whole-grain breads and cereals, even whole-grain pastas, offer multiple health benefits and play an important role in personal nutrition.

all carbs are not created equal
During the national low-fat diet fad, carbohydrates were dieters’ best starchy friends. Today, “carbohydrate” has become a bad word. But as with fat, not all carbohydrates are bad carbohydrates. Many nutritionists today make a distinction between refined and complex carbohydrates, recognizing that consumption of the latter, including whole grains, is a central part of a healthy diet.

The body converts carbohydrates into glucose (blood sugar), and insulin carries the glucose to cells, which burn the glucose for energy. Your body steadily digests complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, converting them to glucose and carrying glucose to your cells at a regular rate.

By contrast, the body quickly processes highly refined carbohydrates such as white bread, causing a rush of glucose production, which leads to increased insulin production. If your body produces too much insulin, your cells may eventually become resistant to insulin, keeping glucose in your blood and out of your cells. Too much glucose in the blood can be toxic to your kidneys and other organs. Too much insulin promotes the formation of fat. And insulin resistance is a precursor to full-blown Type 2 (adult- onset) diabetes.

Refined grains also lack many of the nutrients found in less-processed grains. Milling wheat, for example, splits the grain into three components: the endosperm, the bran, and the wheat germ. Bran is a good source of fiber, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc. Wheat germ also contains vitamins—thiamine, riboflavin, niacin—as well as magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, protein, and unsaturated fats. Both bran and wheat germ are tossed out during the refining process.

my whole grains are healthy
In addition to providing valuable vitamins and minerals, whole grains have protective powers. In two studies, people who got lots of fiber through whole grains (eating the equivalent of one bowl of oatmeal and two slices of whole-wheat bread a day) were 30 percent less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than study participants who ate the lowest amount. Whole grains have been shown to give women extra protection against heart disease: Eating cereal with 5 grams of fiber a day may reduce the likelihood of heart disease by 33 percent.

Whole grains protect the rest of your body, too. The fiber found in many whole grains contributes to healthy levels of glucose and insulin. Fiber also reduces constipation, lowers cholesterol, and may help stave off blood clots. Whole-grain consumption has been linked to lower occurrences of several types of cancer, including breast, colon, esophageal, gallbladder, lung, mouth, ovarian, prostate, and stomach. (Note: Research indicates it’s the entire whole-grain package that contributes to cancer protection, not the fiber alone.)

Whole grains possess powerful immune-system-boosting antioxidants and other beneficial plant chemicals, too.

shopping for whole grains
Beyond reading labels, the simple mantra “less processed is better” helps. For breakfast, eat cereals made with whole wheat, whole oats, whole barley, and other whole grains. If you like it hot, opt for steel cut oats or old-fashioned oatmeal. Of all the grains, oats pack one of the most fiber-filled punches. Brown rice is a whole grain, though white rice is not. Pastas and couscous come in whole-grain varieties; even veggie-based pastas (e.g., spinach) typically have more fiber than regular pasta. Pizza-dough makers are experimenting with whole-grain crusts. Explore less familiar whole grains, including barley, buckwheat, bulgur, and quinoa. Try baking with whole-wheat flour. Start slowly to test: Add one part whole-wheat flour to three parts white. Increase the whole wheat next time if you like the taste.

selected sources

• Eat, Drink and Be Healthy Walter C. Willett, MD ($14, Free Press, 2002)
• Food & Your Helath by Beatrice Trum Hunter ($7.95, Basic Health Publications, 2003)
• The Real Age Diet by Michael F. Roizen, MD, and John La Puma, MD ($13.95, HarperResource, 2002)