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Whole Grains for Life
Health
Benefits
There
is no doubt:
Various
studies show mortality rates were 17 to 43% lower for individuals
who consume one or more servings of whole grain per day versus those
that ate few or no servings of whole grains.
(University of
Minnesota whole grains web site listed below)
Whole grains
can claim a wide array of health benefits that other foods cannot.
Studies have shown that people who eat whole grains have lower body
mass index, lower total cholesterol and lower waist to hip rations.
Large epidemiological studies have shown that people who eat three
daily servings of grain reduce their risk of heart disease (25-36%),
stroke (37%), Type II diabetes (21-27%), digestive system cancers
(21-43%), and hormone-related cancers (10-40%).
There is
little adoption:
The
American Heart Association, The Dietary Guidelines for Americans
and Healthy People 2010 all recommend 3 servings of whole grains
daily.
YET the average American eats less than one serving per day
and 30% of Americans never eat whole grains. Fewer than 7% of Americans
get the 3 recommended servings a day.
WHY? Labeling on foods can be confusing. Products are difficult
to find and many are not knowledgeable regarding cooking with whole
grains. As adults we tend to eat the way our families ate when we
were children. To overcome this socialization takes a deliberate
conscious effort.
SO to lower cholesterol, to increase iron intake,
to add complete protein, to boost calcium intake,
and to improve overall health and reduce disease risk
consider adding whole grains to your diet.
For more information
on the health benefits of eating whole grains go to www.wholegrain.umn.edu/health/index.cfm
Common types
of whole grains are corn, bulgur, wheat, quinoa, rice, rye, oats,
and barley. Lesser known grains include spelt, millet, teff, buckwheat,
amaranth, kamult, and flax.
Part II of this
series will be on how to find and identify whole grain foods.
Part III will
provide information on how to cook and prepare whole grain foods.
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