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Whole grains offer excellent nutritional benefits
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Brown rice (photo by Rob Qld)
Whole grains are an excellent source of nutrition, yet they are often a missing food group in the typical American diet. The low carb craze, which began years ago, still keeps many individuals away from some of the most nutritious foods on earth. Letting go of your fear of carbohydrates may serve you well as incorporating whole grains in your diet can provide the balance you need for optimal health.
Brown rice, rolled oats and whole-wheat pasta tend to be the most popular grains in the American diet. These three grains are a good start, but there are many more to be explored. How about trying quinoa, barley, kamut, bulgur or wheat berries? Most grains are easy to prepare as they can be added to boiling water and left to simmer from as little as fifteen minutes (quinoa) to as long as two hours (rye berries and spelt). Whole grains provide essential enzymes, dietary fiber, iron, vitamin E and B-complex vitamins. Grains are digested and absorbed slowly in the body, therefore they provide sustained energy.
The most time efficient way to prepare grains is to cook them in bulk and eat them throughout the week. For instance, brown rice can be cooked on Sunday and eaten as a side dish along with your favorite fish and a healthy portion of lightly steamed vegetables. On Monday, leftover brown rice can be turned into Spanish rice by adding some tomato paste, onions, chili powder and cayenne pepper. On Wednesday, the leftovers can be warmed up in the morning with some cinnamon and rice milk to be eaten as a breakfast porridge. Cooking in bulk only requires upfront cooking time as well as a little creativity with meal planning.
The following grains don’t contain gluten so those individuals with a gluten sensitivity can safely enjoy them.
Gluten-free grains:
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