What are whole grains?

Throughout the year a huge variety of cereal crops are grown for food purpose throughout the world which include rye, oat, wheat and rice. Grains are the seeds of these cereal plants and the entire grain is referred as the ‘wholegrain’ which is made of three parts:

• The bran - a fibre rich outer layer
• The germ-  the nutrient packed inner part
• The endosperm- the central starchy part

Here’s a list of common wholegrains:

• Wheat
• Oat
• Barley
• Maize
• Brown rice
• Rye
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Amaranth
• Buckwheat

During the milling process, the bran and the germ are removed to leave a whiter cereal referred to as refined carbohydrates.

How nutrient dense are wholegrains

Most of the nutrients in grains are found in the outer bran layer and germ of the seed so wholegrains contain 75% more nutrients than refined carbohydrates.  Wholegrains provide

• Fibre-both soluble and insoluble
• Essential B vitamins and folic acid
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Protein
• Antioxidants including vitamin E and selenium
• Minerals like copper

Why use wholegrains?

Most of the carbohydrate intake in the UK comes from refined carbohydrates with minimum intake of whole grains. There’s been an increase in evidence showing that eating wholegrains regularly as part of a healthy diet can help maintain a healthy lifestyle alongside a varied diet. As whole grains are so nutrient dense they seem to offer the complete ‘package’ of nutrients compared to refined carbohydrates.

Wholegrains are usually lower in fat, rich in fibre and often have a low glycaemic index (GI). This means they provide a slow release of carbohydrates into the blood, together with fibre content which can keep you feeling fuller for longer which keeps you satiated and prevents snacking.

Remember nourish your body with nutrients!