Why are cereals and whole grains good for you?
The research about increasing whole grains and cereals in your diet proves an amazing range of benefits. It is likely that this is the result of an increased fiber intake for those adding more whole grains to their diet. In one study men who ate more fiber had a far lower risk of weight gain: up to 48% lower for the highest intake of fiber. For women, the effect was not as dramatic, but those eating the most fiber still had a decreased risk of weight gain of 19%.
The benefits extend well beyond weight control, however. Eating more whole grains has been shown to lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and prevent heart disease. And it doesn't take a major change. One study showed that having only about 2 slices of whole grain bread per day had a major impact. The difference in reduction in risk of heart attack was major with a 21% lower risk in those eating more whole grains.
I think that the best advice that I can give to folks for changing their
diet is to try to eat foods that have been processed as little as possible.
This is most true with grains or cereals. For instance, if you are going
to have cereal for breakfast, the more basic the cereal is, the better.
Oatmeal is better than shredded wheat or Cheerios, which are better than
corn flakes. All of these are better than Frosted Flakes or Fruit Loops
(but you already knew that). Use the 20/5 rule here. Look at the Nutrition
Facts box and choose a cereal with higher fiber and lower sugar.
When looking at other ingredients, remember that brown is better than white.
If you are used to eating white bread, make the transition slowly. You'll find "light" whole wheat breads in the grocery that taste great. They are not as high in fiber as regular whole wheat bread, but this is a great place to start moving yourself toward whole grain breads. Once you have made the transition you will find a wide variety of baked goods including whole wheat hamburger buns, whole grain waffles and whole wheat pizza crust.
Whole wheat pasta is another easy change to make, and you'll find that
it gives a whole new flavor to your pasta dishes. What's really interesting
is that whole wheat pasta is actually the more authentic ingredient. Refining
flour strips away the fiber and nutrients and is a relatively new creation.
When all that goodness is taken away, so is most of the richness of flavor.
The same is true of brown rice. Like whole wheat pasta, this is one of the easiest changes to make to increase your fiber intake. Brown rice takes a little longer to cook and requires more water (generally about half again as much as when cooking white rice). Wild rice is another great choice, with tons of fiber, and even better, lots and lots of flavor. In almost any recipe that calls for rice you can also substitute bulgur wheat. It goes well in soups and is wonderful for making salads.
Lastly, people don't think of corn as a whole grain, but it is, and fresh or even frozen corn is a great option. Snacking on popcorn is also a great way to increase your intake of whole grains.
You can see what a profound effect on your health the small and easy change of adding more whole grains to your diet can be. Look to include as many of these on your shopping list as you can, as these make perfect products for your cupboard or fridge.