Lucy Pagano Would you like whole wheat or regular?
That’s a question that you’ll hear when placing your order at a restaurant. Especially if you are being served grains like pasta or bread.
You’re all like, “whole wheat cause I’m on my health grind”. But you don’t actually say “cause I’m on my health grind” to the waiter cause that would be weird. But you’re definitely thinking that in your head and you pat yourself on the back because you just got an A+ for sticking to your health game.
You start to wonder if though, is whole grain even that much healthier to begin with?
Last week we chatted about how whole wheat pasta, whole bread, or whole wheat whatever was actually processed food. I’ll get into why that is and why they’re actually not healthy for you in a little bit. Before I get in the zone and drop some knowledge – let’s give you a quick preview of what exactly is in this article so you can get back to those emails.
Here’s what you’ll learn today:
- What is the Difference between Whole Wheat Grains and Refined Grains?
- How to Find Unprocessed Grains
- Do Grains Even Belong in Your Diet?
What’s the Difference between Whole Grain and Regular Grain?
Got to first start off by filling you in on “regular grains” is really referring to refined grains. For context, your run of the mill refined grains are white bread, white pasta, etc. Want to point out that across the board amongst health professionals, it’s agreed that refined grains are bad for your health. But is whole grain really that much healthier?
FDA guidelines which food companies abide by are loose and quite honestly, misleading. Let’s check out what the FDA has to say about what earns the label “whole grain”.
Here’s a link to the actual site I checked out and what the FDA guidelines are:
“Cereal grains that consist of the intact, ground, cracked or flaked caryopsis, whose principal anatomical components – the starchy endosperm, germ and bran – are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact caryopsis – should be considered a whole grain food.”
So basically, as long as there are equal amounts of endosperm, germ, and bran you’d expect to see an intact grain it can get a label slapped on it saying “whole grain”. It’s like, what’s the point of even being asked if you want one or the other? Cause you’re getting it processed either way.
Major bummer. If you want to make a healthier choice though, definitely go for the whole grain. It’s certainly less processed and you get the benefits of the real thing. Something is always better than nothing. The good news is that you can still find and eat unprocessed grains, as long as they’re intact.
How to Find Unprocessed Grains
You can find these bad boys in your local grocery store without a problem. At restaurants you have the option of of ordering brown rice too, so there’s hope for you grain lovers. And there are studies that show that intact grains are good for your health.
When thinking about consuming grains, go the intact route. When trying to find unprocessed grains, ask yourself these questions:
Tip #1: If the whole grain you’re buying comes in the form of bread, pasta, chips, or Cheerios, etc. – it’s processed.
Tip #2: If the grain is intact, it’s in it’s original form – think rice, oats, or barley. This doesn’t include anything instant either – if that’s the case it’s probably processed.
The down side? Intact grains are generally tasteless and take a while to prepare and cook. Which kind of takes the fun out of eating the grains in the first place. For the most part, your conventional grains in the form of pasta, bread, etc. really shouldn’t be on your daily menu. Okay to indulge, but should not be a staple in your diet. But, if that’s the case it makes you think . . .
Do Grains Even Belong in Your Diet?
Before I can answer this question we have to take a brief detour off of nutrition and get into some human history 101. We (like us humans) have survived on eating meats, nuts, leafy greens, and occasionally fruits. Hundreds of thousands of years ago we hunted and gathered. Grains were really only introduced into our diets at the beginning of the agricultural boom, which was about 10,000 years ago. Seems like a long time but in the context of evolution that’s like blinking your eye. Bottom line, Fred Flintsone didn’t get asked “whole wheat or regular” because grains weren’t on the menu. It was more like, “Would you like that raw or cooked?”
Surprisingly, archeologists point to the fact that humans have been smaller and more fragile since beginning to consume grains 10,000 years ago. Here are some more of the negative effects grains cause on your body:
Grains contain anti nutrients like:
Lectins, which are mild toxins inhibit the repair of the GI tract in your digestive system and are Possibly linked to autoimmune disorders.
Gluten which is a large water soluble protein that is use in wallpaper paste (gross) and causes inflammation. Over time it can cause dermatitis, acid reflux, reproductive problems, and even joint pain. Finally, it’s linked to Celiac’s disease. Believe it or not, roughly one third of the population is not gluten tolerant. The remaining two thirds still bears the brunt of the negative affects of gluten over time.
Phytates void out the vitamins and minerals that you get from the grains initially!
And I know what you’re thinking, there are health benefits:
Grains contain fiber which helps to clean out your digestive system. And also contains vitamins and minerals like B1, B2, magnesium, zinc, iron, and potassium which are no doubt great for your body.
However, all the benefits that you can get from grains, you most certainly can get from eating vegetables and fruits. So the scoop on grains? Not optimal, and by no means a necessity in your diet. You can always go with healthier options but if you want to be optimal in your health, just leave them out.
Now, in no way am I saying that you should never allow a piece of bread or pasta to make its way onto your plate ever again. That’d be unrealistic. It’s like telling you to not eat pizza. And we both know that we’re still going to eat pizza. Why? Because it’s absolutely delicious. That’s why.
Treat grains like you do any other food you like to indulge on that’s not necessarily good for your health. Eat it sparingly. And make sure at the very least you know what you’re putting into your body.
did you miss our previous article…
Top Macro (& Mindset) Mistakes
