Should i eat grains

I have lost over 10 lbs. I have been enjoying trying new recipes and eating really well no hunger. I want to keep it up for at least 60 days, then slowly reintroduce a few things and see how I feel. Perhaps your experts would care to investigate, I recommend Dr Mercolas website for good advice!

Forget all of the studies about pros and cons for grains. Argue the fact that ranchers take their cattle to feed-lots 90 days before slaughter, to fatten up their cattle. They are not feeding them vegetables but grain! Also the tooth decay statement is validated by looking at these animals teeth at time of death. They are completely ground down. Why do you surmise there are more dentists today than ever before in our history.

The cows are sick or they have been given antibiotics to keep them alive to make it to slaughter. We are not even close to eating the grains our ancestors ate. This world does not need more doctors, it needs more nutritionalists. To think healthy you need to think how you would eat in the wild WITHOUT access to food that requires a lot of processes to become palatable. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile.

Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Do you know how many grain-based foods you should eat? If you ask different people, you will get probably different advice. Plus, there are different types of grain-based foods to choose from and not all of them provide the same nutritional value.

When considering your total servings of grains per day, everyone has different needs depending on a variety of factors. Find out how many servings of grains you should be eating and learn about the best choices to stay healthy. There are two types of grains: whole grains and refined grains. Common grains include oatmeal , white rice, brown rice , popcorn, barley, buckwheat , and, of course, wheat. A grain in its whole form includes three parts: the bran, germ, and endosperm.

Grain-based foods include anything made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain—such as bread products, crackers, cakes, bagels , tortillas, and grits. Grain and grain-based foods are generally considered carbs, although they may also provide some fat and protein. All grains start out as whole grains. When the grain stays intact during the food manufacturing process, the resulting food is considered to be a whole grain food.

Consumption of whole grains is associated with several health benefits including a lower risk of disease and mortality. Studies have also shown that increased whole grain consumption is linked to a reduction in both body weight and systemic low-grade inflammation.

Other grains that are consumed in smaller amounts include barley, oats, sorghum, millet, rye and several others.

Then there are also foods called pseudocereals, which are technically not grains, but are prepared and consumed like grains.

These include quinoa and buckwheat. Foods made from grains include breads, pasta, breakfast cereals, muesli, oatmeal, tortillas, as well as junk foods like pastries and cookies.

Grain-based products are also used to make ingredients that are added to all sorts of processed foods. For example, high fructose corn syrup , a major sweetener in the US diet, is made from corn. Grains are edible dry seeds from plants called cereals. They provide more food energy worldwide than any other food group. The most commonly consumed grains are corn maize , rice and wheat.

A whole grain consists of 3 main parts 2 , 3 :. A refined grain has had the bran and germ removed, leaving just the endosperm 4. Many grains are mostly consumed after they have been pulverized into very fine flour and processed into a different form. This includes wheat. Important: Keep in mind that the whole grain label on food packaging can be highly misleading. These grains have often been pulverized into very fine flour and should have similar metabolic effects as their refined counterparts.

These foods are NOT healthy, even though they may contain small amounts of pulverized whole grains. A whole grain contains the bran and germ of the grain, which provide fiber and all sorts of important nutrients. Refined grains have had these nutritious parts removed, leaving only the high-carb endosperm.

Whereas refined grains are nutrient poor empty calories , this is not true of whole grains. Whole grains tend to be high in many nutrients, including fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, manganese and selenium 5 , 6. This also depends on the type of grain. Some grains like oats and whole wheat are loaded with nutrients, whereas others like rice and corn are not very nutritious, even in their whole form.

Keep in mind that refined grains are often enriched with nutrients like iron, folate and B vitamins, to replace some of the nutrients that were lost during processing 7.

Refined grains are nutrient poor, but some whole grains like oats and wheat are loaded with many important nutrients. Nothing is left except the high-carb, high-calorie endosperm with lots of starch and small amounts of protein. For this reason, they get broken down fast , and can lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar levels when consumed. When we eat foods with refined carbohydrates , our blood sugars go up rapidly, and then drop again soon after. When the blood sugar levels drop, we become hungry and get cravings 8.

Numerous studies show that eating these types of foods leads to overeating, and may therefore cause weight gain and obesity 9 , Refined grains have also been linked to numerous metabolic diseases. They can drive insulin resistance and are linked to type 2 diabetes and heart disease 11 , 12 , They are low in nutrients, fattening, and harmful, and most people are eating way too much of them.

Very few people in Western countries eat significant amounts of whole grains. Refined grains are high in carbs that get digested and absorbed very quickly, leading to rapid spikes in blood sugar and subsequent hunger and cravings. They are linked to obesity and many metabolic diseases. Whole grains tend to be high in fiber and various important nutrients, and they do NOT have the same metabolic effects as refined grains.

There are so many delicious ways to consume whole grains in your diet! Here are just a few ideas:. We hope this article informed you about the complex topic of grains — and you feel empowered in your diet choices surrounding them — and maybe even excited to try some new types or ways of preparing them!

Stay tuned for the second article in the series where we talk all about grains and anxiety! Your email address will not be published. Photo By: Hailey Aitkins. Salad made with Sprouted Quinoa. Photo: Whole grain sourdough toast with hummus, yam, chickpeas, and radish.