I had not heard of whole grains and their importance in the daily diet until recently. Ignorant me! I guiltily realized that brown colored bread and whole grain brown bread are not one and the same. Once I knew this, my eyes automatically started scanning for whole grain labels in the food stores. Yes, they are expensive. But they are healthy too. Again, to confuse me there was the Whole Grain Stamp on products which certified that the products were either 100% whole grain or at least half or part of it is whole grain.

Whole Grain Foods

The present era we live in constitute people of both extremes. Those who are very health conscious and those who do not “give a damn” to health or wealth. The health consciousness in the younger generation contributed to a new sect in the society called Non-vegetarian turned Vegetarians. And this sect of people follow a very balanced diet devoid of meat, fish and perhaps eggs. The whole grain consciousness also jumped in to the picture without delay.

Whole gain is unrefined grain with its bran, germ and endosperm unremoved. It contains a lot of dietary fiber, complex carbohydrates, minerals like magnesium, selenium, manganese and phosphorus, protein, antioxidants and vitamins B6, Vitamin E and Niacin. Because of its high nutrient content it is preferred over refined grains. Whole Grain foods refer to food products which have whole grain as their primary ingredient.

Whole Grain Vs Refined Grains

Refined grains are whole grains deprived of their thousands of natural nutrients and health benefits. For example, wheat loses 17 of its vital nutrients once it gets processed. Whole grains have zero fat,( only healthy fats) and no cholesterol . If you can eat three servings of whole grain a day it can certainly help you to lose weight and be healthy. Whole-grain foods are a good source of both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. Consumption of soluble fiber has been proven to reduce blood cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease. Insoluble dietary fiber helps to prevent gastrointestinal disorder, bowel regularity (constipation and diverticulitis) and certain types of cancer. Whole grains contain Lignin fibers which may reduce the risk of colon and breast cancer.

Whole grains are rich in fiber. This makes them chewy and helps to keep your stomach full for a longer duration. Thus they can control hunger and help with weight management and obesity. Antioxidants are key deterrents to health problems like heart disease, cancer, cataract and so on. Whole grains also help to prevent aging and immune deficiencies with their range of dietary minerals. Studies prove that whole grain rich diet in the older age also minimizes the onset of metabolic syndrome leading to obesity and cardiovascular problems.

Most refined grains are enriched with B vitamins and iron after refining. But go for the “enriched” label on the pack for maximum nutrition.

Whole Grains You Can Choose From

1. 1. Whole wheat contains folic acid, Vitamin E and other minerals like magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, selenium manganese and zinc. A whole wheat rich diet can improve your muscular energy and strength, reduce the effect of stress and help to improve the body reflexes. Whole wheat, the most ancient and popular grain also contributes to strengthen the immune system, prevent heart disease, ease out constipation. It can easily replace white flour in baked products and be a healthy part of your daily meal.
   2. Steel Cut Oats or oat groats make you a full breakfast until your lunch. They are very low in calories and rich in fiber. They also contain protein,fiber, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin E.  Oats is great for people with cholesterol and diabetes and is a good weight loss diet. Add oats to baked foods, cookies and to green salads.
   3. Hulled Barley contains lot of fiber and minerals phosphorous, copper, manganese and selenium. Replace the other grains with hulled barley but all the while remember that it takes a little longer for it to get cooked.
   4. Brown rice is more healthy, chewy and nutty than its white counter part. It contains 3.5:1 ratio of fiber than white rice. It is good for your heart health. Make stir-fries and curries or add it to pilafs, salads or desserts with brown rice.
   5. Corn, a popular diet in North and South America are cooked in different ways (grilled, caked etc).
   6. Millets are again high in B vitamins and minerals. The ground millets are added in flat breads, used in porridge and soups and form good base for patties and the like.
   7. A dessert after a course of 6 whole grain meals, Quinoa. It is a sweet grain with a nutty flavor rich in protein and calcium. Ideal for pilaf and side dishes, Quinoa can be a comrade to those with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis.

-Aparna K V

The globe is divided into various geographical and cultural terrains. That’s why we speak different languages, have different preferences and celebrate different festivals. However there are certain things which are unanimous throughout the globe. We all drink water, breathe in oxygen and eat food. Perhaps the most consumed drink throughout the globe is water. Whether you have the habit of consuming water as such or taking it in the form of a beverage, water is always consumed by every human being. Infact, a day without water can cause enormous changes in your body.

After water, the most versatile of beverages which is commonly consumed in various countries unanimously is tea. Indians are used to tea with milk and sugar, The western countries are used to consuming pure black tea and some may prefer the tea with cream. However the difference lies only in the way the tea is consumed. In India, children are traditionally not offered tea. The reasons are unknown. However current research says that tea can actually be beneficial for human health.

Misconceptions about healthy tea

As the information becomes more and more readily available so does the prevalence of myths increase with time. The notion of green tea and herbal tea to be better than black tea or traditional tea is only a myth. All teas whether black, green or white have active polyphenols which impart medicinal properties to the tea. However herbal tea is not a tea at all. It has a mix of herbs and flowers which impart a characteristic taste similar to tea.

Green tea, white tea and black tea

Black, green, white, and oolong teas derive their leaves from a warm-weather evergreen tree known as Camellia sinensis. The leaves from this tree contain polyphenols. The more processing tea leaves undergo, the darker they will turn. Green tea and white tea are the least processed tea. They are simply steamed quickly. White tea is derived from the young new leaves from the Camellia plant in early spring. These young leaves contain no chlorophyll, so they are silvery white. Black and oolong teas are partially dried, crushed and fermented. As we have mentioned before, regardless of the processing method, black, green, white and oolong teas all contain polyphenols. In fact, tea ranks as high as or higher than many fruits and vegetables in the ORAC score, a score that measures antioxidant potential of plant-based foods.

Health benefits of tea

The benefits of tea consumption may extend throughout the body, experts believe. Here is a partial list of conditions some research has shown may be prevented or improved by drinking tea:

Arthritis: Research suggests that older women who are tea drinkers are 60 percent less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than those who do not drink tea.

Bone Density: Drinking tea regularly for years may produce stronger bones. Those who drank tea on a regular basis for 10 or more years had higher-bone mineral density in their spines than those who had not.

Cancer: Green tea extracts were found to inhibit the growth of bladder cancer cells in the lab — while other studies suggest that drinking green tea protects against developing stomach and esophageal cancers.

• Sipping on a cup of hot tea may be a safeguard against cancer. Population studies have linked the consumption of tea with a reduction in risk for several types of cancer. Researchers speculate that the polyphenols in tea may inhibit certain mechanisms that promote cancer growth. Both green and black teas have been credited with cancer-inhibiting powers.

Flu: You may be able to boost your fight against the flu with black tea.
Your best defense against contracting the flu is to wash your hands often and get vaccinated against the influenza virus. Black tea may further bolster your efforts to stay healthy. In a recent study, people who gargled with a black tea extract solution twice per day showed a higher immunity to flu virus compared to the people who did not gargle with black tea.

Heart Disease: A recent study published in the journal Circulation found that drinking more than two cups of tea a day decreased the risk of death following a heart attack by 44 percent. Even less spirited tea drinkers were rewarded: Consuming just two cups a day decreased the risk of death by almost a third.
Tea is a rich source of the flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin, and research shows that high dietary intake of these compounds is associated with a reduced risk of fatal heart attacks. In one study, people who drank about a cup and a half of tea per day were almost 40% less likely to suffer a heart attack compared to tea abstainers.