Why in the world would someone take whole wheat grain, crack the grain, pulverize it with rollers, and separate the endosperm from the dark, fibrous bran and the wheat embryo?  Why would they take out important nutrients, vitamins, unsaturated fats, fiber and magnesium?  And if intact grains are so healthy, why did we stop eating them and shift to highly refined grains? 

White flour was a novelty for the upper classes.  The fact that you could take this brown, grainy flour and “purify” it also helped make bread and cakes lighter, airier and fluffier.  Buying white flour became a status symbol.  White flour can also survive longer without refrigeration.  But the damage we have done to ourselves in the process has been severe. 

Whole grains protect against diabetes.  According to two large ongoing studies, people who consume whole grains are 30% less likely to develop diabetes.  Because whole grains take longer to digest, you don’t get repeated insulin spikes, which lead to Type II diabetes. 

Intact grains mean less heart disease.  Also according to a large study, women who consume more whole grains were 30% less likely to develop heart disease than those who consumed refined grains.   

Less refined grains mean better GI health.  The fiber in whole grains helps keep the stool soft and bulky.  This prevents constipation, which is the number one gastrointestinal complaint in the United States.  725 million dollars is spent annually on over-the-counter laxatives. Whole grains also help to prevent diverticulitis and diverticulosis.

Whole grains may prevent cancer.  A recent overview of 40 control studies indicated that whole-grain consumption reduced the chances of developing mouth, stomach, colon, gallbladder and ovarian cancer. 

Be sure the products you are buying are truly whole-grain.  Often, breads are brown in color, but are made with white processed flour.  Check the ingredients to be sure.  If the taste of a whole-grain food like pasta or brown rice isn’t palatable to you, begin by mixing it with the white refined version and slowly increasing the ratio of intact grains to refined grains.  Remember – the more any food is processed, the more nutrients and vitamins are lost.   

Whereas at one time, you could only find whole wheat, whole rye, brown rice and whole grain pasta in health food stores, now they are available just about everywhere.  According to the USDA, only 1% of ingested energy in the United States is unrefined as opposed to 20% for refined grains.  Studies suggest that the more this ratio changes in favor of whole grains, the less disease there will be.  Once you make the change, you will realize how much natural flavor and taste are in whole grains and you may never want that piece of white bread again.   

Eating whole, unrefined grains is another way to “add hours to your day, days to your year and years to your life.”   

Alan Freishtat is an A.C.E. CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER and a LIFESTYLE FITNESS COACH with over 14 years of professional experience. He is the co-director of the Jerusalem-based weight loss and stress reduction center Lose It! along with Linda Holtz M.Sc. and is available for private consultations, assessments and personalized workout programs. Alan also lectures and gives seminars and workshops. He can be reached at 02-651-8502 or 050-555-7175, or by email at [email protected]  Check out the Lose It! web site – www.loseit.co.il.  US Line: 516-568-5027.