5 Reasons to not cut grains from your diet
Written by Delilah Bisase, RD
Defining whole grains
According to the whole grain council (a consumer advocacy group for whole grains) a food is considered a whole grain when “100% of the original kernel – all of the bran, germ, and endosperm” are present. Examples of whole grains are oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat bread / whole wheat flour, faro, millet, barley, teff, rye, spelt, bulgur and quinoa. Refined grains, on the other hand, are labeled as such because certain parts of the grain have been removed (typically they bran and germ) and it is therefore no longer a whole grain. This results in a softer texture and different flavor. However, when parts of a whole grain are removed to make a refined grain, the health benefits are removed too. Examples of refined grains are white rice and white bread/ white flour.
1. B-Vitamins + Carbs = Energy
Whole grains are a great source of b-vitamins and complex carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are our body’s preferred source of fuel because carbohydrates provide glucose. Even if our body is using a non carbohydrate source for energy, such as fat— it still converts it to glucose first in order for it to be useable— this is called gluconeogenesis. Yea, we can make glucose from fat, but that’s a mechanism our body uses intermittently, not continuously. Plain and simple, we need carbs for energy. In addition to carbs, whole grains also contain little helpers that assist the body in retrieving that energy stored in carbs. These little helpers are b-vitamins. There are many different b-vitamins, eight to be exact, and they all have various functions and support our body in different ways. Many b-vitamins play a vital role in energy metabolism as coenzymes, also referred as co-factors. Whenever we eat food our body has multiple, intricate enzymatic reactions and processes that must occur in order for us to be able to extract and utilize the nutrients from the food. B-vitamins are the little helpers that make those many reactions and processes work. Considering all of this, it makes sense that whole grain carbohydrates such as oatmeal and brown rice are often associated with energy. So don’t be afraid to not only start your day with whole grains, but include them on your plate throughout the day.
2. Fiber
Fiber increases diversity in gut bacteria (diverse gut bacteria promotes optimal gut health), reduces high blood pressure, stabilizes blood sugar, and reduces LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. The fiber in whole grains is anti-inflammatory and promotes stabilized blood sugar. Refined grains have reduced fiber due to their processing, and because of this they promote more inflammation and spikes in blood sugar. To touch a bit more on gut health, prebiotics are what are essentially food for our gut bacteria (probiotics are the actual bacteria). Soluble fibers in particular are a dietary source of prebiotics. Oats are a whole grain and a good source of soluble fiber. When our gut bacteria consume these prebiotic fibers, they create postbiotics. Postbioitcs are associated with various benefits for overall health, such supporting immune system function, reducing heart disease risk, and reducing inflammation in the gut.
3. Minerals
Similar to b-vitamins, minerals have a variety of benefits and functions within our body. Minerals that can be found in whole grains include selenium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and copper. These minerals have various functions & support our body in different ways. To name a few examples, potassium supports cardiovascular health, magnesium supports nerve cell function & muscle contraction, while zinc supports our immune system.
4. Antioxidants
This one might be a surprise to some. Antioxidants are one of the many reasons nutrition and other health experts advise people to include a wide variety of colorful vegetables in their diet. But people tend to forget that whole grains can be a source of antioxidants as well. So what exactly do antioxidants do? Antioxidants neutralize free radicals in our body, and in doing so they help our body stave off the development of chronic diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Antioxidants show up in whole grains in the form of polyphenols, vitamin E, and selenium. Berries, cacao, and spinach are well known sources of polyphenols, but now you can add whole grains to that list too- awesome!
5. (some) Protein
Not saying that whole grains are as dense a source of protein the way that beans and lentils are, however they do contribute to overall protein intake and that shouldn’t be overlooked. Here’s a short list of amounts of protein in various grains
½ cup cooked oatmeal: 5 g protein
½ cup cooked brown rice: 3 g protein
½ cup cooked quinoa: 4 g
1 slice whole wheat bread: 4 g
For comparison ½ cup of beans typically has about 7-8 g of protein
How much of grains to eat in a day
According the USDA food guidelines for grain consumption, women aged 19-50 years old are recommended to consume 6 ounces (oz) of grains per day, men aged 19-30 years old are recommended to consume 8oz of grains per day, and men aged 31-50 years old are recommended to consume 7oz of grains per day. The USDA recommends for at least half of your daily grain consumption to be whole grain. My personal recommendation is to aim for majority of your grain choices to be whole grain. Yes, there will be times where you have some white rice or white pasta, and it won’t be the end of the world. Try to make a habit of the majority of the grains you eat to be whole grains.
What is an ounce of grains?
Yea it can be a little bit tricky, but the USDA measures grains in ounces. As a very general rule of thumb, about 1/2 cup of cooked grains is typically equivalent to 1 ounce. Here’s a list of a few examples of what equals 1 ounce
1/2 cup cooked rice, oatmeal, or pasta = 1 ounce
One 6 inch diameter corn or flour tortilla = 1 ounce
1/2 english muffin = 1 ounce
3 cups popped popcorn