HealthKick: No Grains or Whole Grains ?

Many of the latest diets, and even some news reports, proclaim the need to eliminate “carbohydrates” from your diet. But do they really mean to eliminate all carbohydrates? Carbohydrate-rich foods include whole grains and fruits as well as pasta and potatoes and sugar.

The healthiest choice is to focus on whole foods while incorporating all food groups into your diet. For grains, make sure that your “carbohydrates” are whole grains, and not empty “white” foods. According to a recent survey, most people (86%) agree that eating whole grains is an important part of an overall healthy diet, but 53% reported eating whole grains less than once per day! Only 25% of those surveyed were getting at least one serving per day. Considering that the current nutrition recommendation for grains is six to 11 servings per day, your personal goal should be to make at least three of them whole grain, if not all of them. Non-whole grains (such as white potatoes, regular pasta, white rice, and white bread) are devoid of most of the nutrition that grains provide, such as fiber and phytochemicals, while still providing significant empty calories.

So avoid the mashed potatoes and the processed white bread, along with sugars of all varieties. Instead choose carbohydrates composed of whole grains. There are many varieties: wheat, oats, corn, rye, barley, spelt, groats, wheat berries, millet, and flaxseed, as well as brown rice. To transition to “whole grain” eating, try some simple substitutions, like mixing whole grain pasta with your regular pasta (and eventually replacing it completely), making sandwiches with whole grain or mixed grain bread, or even mixing whole grain cereal with a favorite breakfast cereal. But whole grain eating can be much more interesting than just replacing pastas, breads and breakfast cereal; you can incorporate new grains, or at least new forms of grains, into your diet. Try something new as a side dish or mixed in with other dishes. Try whole grain varieties of common foods, such as waffles, crackers, tortillas, and breads.

Like any dietary change, modifying your whole grain intake will take time. Start with simple substitutions. Add to those some new whole grain food items and recipes. Your new diet will be more interesting in addition to being much healthier.