There’s a lot of talk in the media these days about wholegrains and how we should be eating more of them to keep our hearts healthy. But what exactly are they?
Wholegrains are basically cereals such as oats, corn, barley, rye, rice and wheat. A grain has 3 layers- an outer layer, inner layer and the endosperm in the middle. When a grain is processed or refined the outer layer and the inner layers are removed leaving only the endosperm. Whilst this part is healthy some of the goodness is also removed in the other layers. These include fibre, B vitamins and antioxidants which can help the body fight against heart disease and cancer. So, processed grains take away some of the goodness that our bodies need. Wholegrains have not been processed so they still have all 3 layers of the grain and the goodness they contain.
What Foods Contain Wholegrains?
• Wholemeal bread
• Wholegrain breakfast cereals
• Brown rice
• Sweetcorn
• Oats
So give the following a try and put a little whole-grains into your diet:
• A little bowl of shredded wheat
• A nice hot bowl of porridge with a crunchy apple pieces on top
• A slice of granary or wholewheat bread
• 2 or 3 rye crispbreads or brown rice cakes
• 2 or 3 oatcakes with a tasty topping
• Half a cup of wholewheat noodles or pasta
• A serving of sweetcorn or barley
• A handful of popcorn occasionally for a little treat
• A lovely stir fry with a serving of brown rice
Ideally we should having whole-grains every day.
