According to the Food and Drug Administration, "Diets rich in whole-grain foods and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers." A recent study conducted by Eating Well Magazine and the USA Rice Federation found that the majority of the respondents were confused as to what was and what wasn't a whole grain. Perhaps this is why only 10 percent of Americans get the recommended three 1-ounce servings of whole grains per day.
Want to test your knowledge of whole grains? Take this quick quiz to see how you shape up:
Which of the following foods are whole grains?
A. Steel Cut Oatmeal
B. Bran Cereal
C. Brown Rice
D. 100% Wheat Bread
E. Corn
Answer: A, C and E.
If you guessed incorrectly, you're certainly not alone. Knowing which foods are whole grains can be tricky! The key to knowing whether or not a food is a whole grain is the ingredient label and the processing. You should look for the word "whole" listed on the ingredient label. In the choice of answers above, oatmeal is an example of a whole grain. Although oatmeal can be manufactured using a number of methods, the only difference is the form of the oatmeal. Oat groats are oats in their most wholesome form. They are the largest of the oatmeal choices and take the longest to cook. If they are cut into two or three pieces with a metal blade, the result is steel cut oats. Steel cut oats that have been pressed flat with a roller and lightly steamed produce rolled oats. And rolled oats that have been chopped up are called quick oats. The smaller surface area of quick oats means faster cooking time. Instant oats are finely cut quick oats that have been partially cooked and then dehydrated. The only difference between each of these oatmeal forms is texture and cooking time. They are all whole grains, and the nutrition they offer remains the same.
Brown rice and corn are also considered whole grains because these foods have not been refined, cut or processed in a way that removes the nutrients and/or fiber.
Although bran cereal and 100% wheat bread are healthy choices, they are not considered whole grain because the grains within them are no longer in their "whole" form and are refined. If you were to look on the ingredient label, you would notice that you don't see the word "whole" listed, which typically means the grains have been refined, taking out the important fiber and nutrients.
Not sure how to prepare whole grains in a healthy yet tastey way? Try this recipe!
Quinoa and Black Beans
Makes 10 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Ready in: 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels (can use fresh if you prefer)
- 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
- Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,
- Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.
Nutritional Information
Calories per serving: 153
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Total Fat: 1.7g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 250mg
Dietary Fiber: 7.8g
Protein: 7.7g
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