The whole truth

Swapping refined flour for whole grain for a more organic, wholesome lifestyle

In earlier times, your breakfast would comprise of few slices of white bread with liberal servings of butter or jam and a cup of tea. Today, those slices have been replaced with multi-grain bread or oats, while the tea has made way for juice.

Food fact

Any food grain, when left unpolished, is whole grain. Unlike corn flour of plain flour (maida), it's not refined. For instance, wheat germ is not removed from wheat. Whole grain is highly beneficial and has a great amount of nutrition value, as the fibre is intact. Whole grains include whole wheat, whole oats/oatmeal, whole-grain corn, popcorn, whole rye, whole-grain barley and millet.

Grain gain

According to nutritionist Naini Setalvad, whole grain protects you from diabetes, cancer and all types of heart diseases. It's rich in iron, folic acid, niacin, vitamin E, B and an assortment of phytochemicals (plant chemicals) that protect you from degenerating diseases like arthritis, osteoporosis and diabetes.

For the uninitiated

The whole grain trend started around seven years ago when people became more conscious about their health and diet, says Setalvad. According to executive sous chef, Subhash Sinha of JW Marriot, Indians always used whole grain in the form of wheat or atta rather than refined flour (maida) in rotis. "It's only in the last seven years that people became more aware and started using these grains in sandwiches and pastas. Whole grain pastas, sandwiches, cookies and breads are a huge hit."

Testimonial

Cancer specialist Dr Sindhu Nair has been using whole grain food products since 2003. She started off by switching from normal bread to brown bread and later to multi grain bread. She also opted for wheat pasta, oats and bran. Today she uses refined flour only in cakes. "Whole grain is definitely healthier than flour-based products. They are easy to digest and rich in nature," says Dr Nair.

Buyers' check list

• While buying whole grain products, you should always check the list of ingredients and calorie count per serving. True whole-grain foods always list the main ingredient as whole wheat, whole oats, whole rye or some other whole grain cereal.

• People who are using whole grains for the first time should not take the plunge drastically. Don't switch from white bread to refined flour products to whole grain products immediately; do it gradually.

• If you have acidity or indigestion problem, you might feel uneasy after consuming bran or oats. So the best way is to mix small portions of bran or oats in wheat (atta) while making rotis. Once your body and digestive system is accustomed to the whole grain products, then you can increase the intake and also switch to oats for breakfast and whole wheat pasta.

Cooking-wise

Chef Sinha recommends using whole grain products with natural sweeteners to gain maximum benefits.

• While cooking whole wheat pasta, use the water in which you boil the pasta for sauce. "The water in which the pasta is blanched has maximum nutrients," says chef Sinha.

• Use olive oil rather than loads of butter while making whole wheat sandwiches.

• Opt for honey, a natural sweetener and low fat milk for wheat flakes. "If you use too much of sugar or fat with whole wheat products, then the entire purpose of healthy eating is defeated," says Sinha.
So get smart and opt for whole grain products and lead a healthy lifestyle.