Wellness Blog

8/24/20

Whole Grains

You probably know that you should aim to make at least half of your grains whole grains. This is with great reason as whole grains are considered to be nutritional powerhouses. They provide healthy doses of fiber, protein and healthy fats which may help reduce your risk for heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, inflammation and certain cancers.

When baking, try substituting all purpose flour with half whole wheat flour. Buckwheat, oat, millet and quinoa also work well as partial replacements for all purpose flour when baking. The 50/50 technique is a great step in the right direction towards becoming your healthier self. Just be aware that this method will take longer to proof and will make your baked goods denser than refined flour will.

When shopping for breads, choose breads that have 100% whole wheat on the label. Oftentimes, wheat bread is mistaken to automatically be a healthy choice although it may only contain a small portion of whole wheat flour. The ingredients on the label will tell the truth. Look for “whole wheat flour,” or another whole grain at the top of the list as the ingredients are listed in order from the most used to the least.

Lastly, be open to exploring other whole grains besides whole wheat. Aside from the more common millet, buckwheat, bulgur, quinoa and farro, let me introduce you to the super grain, fonio which can be found at your nearest Whole Foods. The nutritional profile on this ancient West African grain is similar to quinoa in that it does not contain gluten and is a complete protein that boasts 12 grams per cup.