Why We Eat Whole Grains
Nowadays more and more whole grain foods are received by people of all ages, so why we eat whole grain foods:
1. Whole grains are an excellent fiber source.
As noted, most of us get far too little fiber – both soluble and insoluble. The health benefits of fiber are considerable. Grains are generally an excellent source of it. Since even diets with grains tend to fall far short of fiber targets, diets that exclude them are very unlikely to come close. This dietary deficiency can contribute to risk for a range of conditions including constipation, diverticulosis and diabetes.
2. Whole grains provide a variety of valuable micronutrients.
Grains are a diverse food group with a diverse nutrient profile. In general, though, they provide a rich array of B vitamins and a variety of minerals. Many contain antioxidant compounds, and some provide novel antioxidants found almost nowhere else in our food supply.
Grains are also an important protein source. Some are better than others, but in general, the amino acid profiles in grains are complementary to those of other plant foods, such as beans and legumes. Rice and beans, for instance, make up a traditional dish in a number of cultures, and perhaps not coincidentally, provide a complete array of essential amino acids, serving as an alternative to meat. Whole grain pasta with beans (pasta fagiola) does the same.
3. Grains can improve glycemic effects of other foods.
There is research to show that both low-carbohydrate and high-carbohydrate diets can result in a comparably low glycemic load. The same research suggests that a low-glycemic, high-carbohydrate (meaning high in plant food) diet has preferable effects on an array of chronic disease risk measures. Other research shows that a high intake of fiber from cereal grains at one meal can actually blunt glycemic responses to another meal later that same day.
4. Whole grains are a versatile dietary component.
From an eater’s perspective, the diversity of grains available to us means a whole array of options for adding their nutritional benefits to our diets, from oatmeal at breakfast, to tabbouleh for lunch, to pasta fagiola for dinner. For a cook, they similarly expand options for enhancing dishes and meals with appetizing, if generally mild, flavors – all while adding favorable nutrients.
At the same time, you can also find some use of health care products by NLS to assist and improve the body's resistance.