Spring Break
Food focus: Whole grains
Issue date: 10/22/07 Section: Money/Health
Some things may not come as natural as they should.
Take whole grains, for example. Joanne Slavin, professor of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota, said many people aren't used to the taste of whole grains, despite the fact they are healthier.
"If people start eating really good whole grains they'll actually start to like (the taste)," Slavin said.
On its health benefits …
The benefits apply to anybody with blood vessels. They make your arteries more flexible and run more freely, and reduce the level of inflammation, which has been heavily tied to chronic diseases.
- Cynthia Harriman of the Whole Grains Council
The strongest benefit is less cardiovascular disease. Many studies have found people have less cardiovascular disease if they eat whole grain - usually three servings per day is most effective.
- Slavin
Depending on the study, whole grains reduce the risk of diabetes by 21 to 30 percent.
- Harriman
On white wheat …
Because whole grains are so popular, people are getting creative. Some new wheats on the market are just naturally whiter that are being put into white bread. In general, that's a step in the right direction, but people are encouraged to go with a wide variety of grains.
- Slavin
On the satiety of whole grains …
Eating heavy whole grain bread tends to be more filling for people, and so people tend to eat less. That's an advantage to including more traditional whole grains in your diet.
-Slavin
Satiety, when the body feels full, is a big issue and an advantage of whole grains. Research done in the Children's Hospital in Boston studied the affects of eating the same calories worth of oatmeal, a whole grain, and refined grains. By lunch time, those that ate the refined grains were generally hungrier, despite having consumed the same amount of calories.
- Harriman
On a serving size …
One serving of whole grains comes in many forms: one slice of whole wheat bread, half of a cup of brown rice cooked, half of a cup of oatmeal, half of a cup of popcorn. And popcorn is the most commonly consumed whole grain.
- Slavin
On the whole grain stamp …
Products that use the whole grain stamp must have at least a half serving of whole grain in them, however most offer a full serving or more.
- Harriman
The stamp is on more than 1400 products now.
- Harriman
On the number of servings …
The U.S. government says people should have between three and six servings each day. However, most Americans get less than one serving. A great way to start increasing intake is to start looking for foods that have the stamp.
- Harriman
Food focus is a bi-weekly feature highlighting the aspects of a specific food, compiled by Money/Health Editor Lyssa Beyer.
Take whole grains, for example. Joanne Slavin, professor of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota, said many people aren't used to the taste of whole grains, despite the fact they are healthier.
"If people start eating really good whole grains they'll actually start to like (the taste)," Slavin said.
On its health benefits …
The benefits apply to anybody with blood vessels. They make your arteries more flexible and run more freely, and reduce the level of inflammation, which has been heavily tied to chronic diseases.
- Cynthia Harriman of the Whole Grains Council
The strongest benefit is less cardiovascular disease. Many studies have found people have less cardiovascular disease if they eat whole grain - usually three servings per day is most effective.
- Slavin
Depending on the study, whole grains reduce the risk of diabetes by 21 to 30 percent.
- Harriman
On white wheat …
Because whole grains are so popular, people are getting creative. Some new wheats on the market are just naturally whiter that are being put into white bread. In general, that's a step in the right direction, but people are encouraged to go with a wide variety of grains.
- Slavin
On the satiety of whole grains …
Eating heavy whole grain bread tends to be more filling for people, and so people tend to eat less. That's an advantage to including more traditional whole grains in your diet.
-Slavin
Satiety, when the body feels full, is a big issue and an advantage of whole grains. Research done in the Children's Hospital in Boston studied the affects of eating the same calories worth of oatmeal, a whole grain, and refined grains. By lunch time, those that ate the refined grains were generally hungrier, despite having consumed the same amount of calories.
- Harriman
On a serving size …
One serving of whole grains comes in many forms: one slice of whole wheat bread, half of a cup of brown rice cooked, half of a cup of oatmeal, half of a cup of popcorn. And popcorn is the most commonly consumed whole grain.
- Slavin
On the whole grain stamp …
Products that use the whole grain stamp must have at least a half serving of whole grain in them, however most offer a full serving or more.
- Harriman
The stamp is on more than 1400 products now.
- Harriman
On the number of servings …
The U.S. government says people should have between three and six servings each day. However, most Americans get less than one serving. A great way to start increasing intake is to start looking for foods that have the stamp.
- Harriman
Food focus is a bi-weekly feature highlighting the aspects of a specific food, compiled by Money/Health Editor Lyssa Beyer.
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