Whole grains include the entire grain
kernel, which is packed with essential
vitamins, minerals and fiber that are part of
a healthy diet. Whole grains also fill you up
by adding bulk, and they reduce your risk
of being overweight.
How:
-Eat whole-grain cereal, such as
oatmeal or a bran cereal, at
breakfast, or try whole-grain toast
instead of white.
-For ready use, stock your pantry with
whole-grain breads (for variety, don’t
forget bagels and pita bread),
crackers, and pastas, oatmeal,
whole-grain brown and wild rice, and
whole-grain cereals that aren’t
sweetened (if you want added
sweetness, pile on fruit).
-Prepare a meatless main dish such
as whole-wheat spinach lasagna, red
beans over brown rice, whole-wheat
spaghetti with marinara sauce, or
vegetable stir-fry over brown rice.
-Include a side dish using bulgur,
k as ha, brown rice or whole-grain
barley.
-Try adding wild rice or whole-grain
barley to soups, stews and
casseroles.
-Substitute half whole-grain flour for
the white flour in pancake, waffle,
muffin and bread recipes.
-When shopping for whole-grain
products, look at the food label for
specific ingredients such as whole
wheat, whole oats or brown rice.
Terms such as 100% wheat, multigrain
and stone-ground do not mean
the product contains whole grains.
-Use instant brown rice as a quick and
healthy alternative to white rice.
Whole-grain products may taste different
at first if you’re not used to them. But if
you give them a try, you’ll probably learn to
like them. Think about foods you didn’t like
when you were younger but that you like
now.
Many people find that when they get used
to the full flavor and texture of whole
grains, it’s hard to go back to their refined
counterparts.
