By now it is more than known, it is well known that the best way to take cereals is to eat them whole .
All the authoritative scientific sources recommend us to do so, in some cases arriving to consider refined grains, and foods made with them, not even suitable for human consumption and, especially when taken in large quantities as we often do with pasta, rice and bread, harmful .
If it is true that refined grains are easier to preserve, more practical to cook and easier to digest, it is also true that their nutritional intake is almost zero, as the seed of the seed and the bran, the vital parts of the seed, are eliminated.
Without feeding the alarmisms, let's try to throw down a list of good reasons to go back to eating almost whole grains almost exclusively : corn, wheat, barley, oats, rice, spelled, millet, sorghum, quinoa and so on and so forth.
Nutrients of whole grains
As we have said, the seeds including germ and bran are rich in nutrients : fiber, vitamins (especially those of group B), various antioxidants, and various traces of numerous trace elements; all elements almost entirely absent in refined cereals.
They are also the best source of dietary fiber, both soluble and insoluble, much more than fruit and vegetables.
The fiber is essential for the proper functioning of the organism and is almost absent in refined grains; helps fight diverticulosis, intestinal inflammation, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain .
How to digest the fibers: here are some suggestions
Whole grains against various diseases
It has been shown that a diet rich in whole grains and poor in refined grains lowers the risk of contracting numerous diseases, among which we mention the cardiovascular problems, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some forms of cancer, especially of the colon.
Cholesterol
Whole grains help the body not absorb bad cholesterol and lower triglycerides, number one suspects in heart attacks.
Scientific studies show that those who regularly eat whole grains, especially barley, lower the possibility of incurring problems caused by high cholesterol by 30%.
Hypertension
The contribution of cereals to our cardiovascular system does not stop at the lowering of cholesterol and triglycerides: whole grains lower blood pressure, reducing by 20% the possibility of contracting hypertension in people who consume it daily.
Asthma
Dutch scientific studies reveal that children between the ages of 4 and 8, who grew up eating whole grains regularly, have a reduced risk of contracting asthma, rhinitis and numerous allergies .
Whole grains for gum health
A large-scale study seems to have shown that the consumption of whole grains reduces the risk of gum-related problems by 25%, considering that the real risk factors are mainly smoking, alcoholism and a poor or incorrect oral hygiene.
Whole grains for weight control
Large-scale studies have shown that women who regularly take intergal cereals with sprouts, bread with bran, brown rice, etc., have a risk of gaining weight over the years reduced by 20% compared to women who preferably consume cereals refined.
Not only: the way in which weight is controlled through a diet that integrates whole grains is very healthy because it is not based on simple weight reduction, but on its correct distribution, although a significant effective weight loss exists, due to the sensation of satiety brought by cereals .
How many whole grains do you eat?
How many cereals should be consumed? Everything varies depending on the metabolism, sex, age, physical activity and type of work performed.
We can say that in general the quantity of cereals to be taken daily goes from 100 to 200 gr, of which 2/3 should be whole grains .
In this dose, breakfast cereals, bread, pasta or rice, biscuits and any type of processed cereal should be considered.
pseudocereals
Alongside whole grains, pseudocereals should also be promoted, such as quinoa and amaranth, which are particularly rich in antioxidants, vitamins, iron, and numerous interesting amino acids for maintaining a high level of health.
