September is also Whole Grains Month

Last week I wrote about National Cholesterol Education Month; this week I want to mention Whole Grains Month, which also complements last week’s blog quite nicely! I’m sure many of you are aware that whole grains can help lower cholesterol, but did you know that whole grains also have many other health benefits? The majority of studies have been done on heart disease, diabetes, and weight management. These studies have shown that consuming 1 to 3 servings of whole grains daily reduces your risk of heart disease by 25-28%, type 2 diabetes by 21-30%, stroke by 30 -36%, and supports better weight management. Some more recent studies have also shown less gum disease and tooth loss, healthier blood pressure levels, healthier carotid arteries, reduced risk of colorectal cancer, reduced risk of asthma, and reduced risk of inflammatory diseases. That should make you want to go eat some whole grains!

So you may be wondering, “what exactly is a whole grain?” According to the Whole Grains Council, “Whole grains or foods made from them contain all the essential parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed. If the grain has been processed (e.g., cracked, crushed, rolled, extruded, and/or cooked), the food product should deliver approximately the same rich balance of nutrients that are found in the original grain seed.” Some of the most common types of grains that can be found in their “whole” form include amaranth, barley, buckwheat, corn, millet, oats, quinoa, rice, rye, sorghum, teff, triticale, wheat (including varieties such as spelt, Kamut, emmer, durum, wheat berries, etc.), and wild rice.

With such a variety of health benefits, it makes sense that we should all try to incorporate whole grains into our daily diet. If you are not used to eating whole grains, start with just 1 serving daily. The high fiber content in whole grains could cause digestive upset if you increase your servings too rapidly. Make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids daily when consuming whole grains (i.e. at least 8 cups of water). Eventually, try to eat at least 3 servings daily. The following examples represent one serving: 1 slice of 100% whole grain bread, 1/3 to ½ cup of whole grain pasta, 1/3 - ½ cup cooked whole grain (e.g. amaranth, barley, oats, rice, etc. Note that these can be made as a “cereal” or as a side dish – think rice).

To celebrate, the Whole Grains Council is having an “I love my whole grains” contest. What you do is upload a picture of your favorite whole grain food and you could win a week’s worth of meals prepared by one of their chefs! They will actually prepare enough meals for up to 4 people. Sounds like a good deal to me! They are also giving away 47 other “smaller” prizes.

In addition, the Whole Grains Council is posting daily videos on different whole grains, including how to cook them. For more information (or to enter the contest) click here.