Now that the new U.S. Department of Agriculture food guidelines are out, we can jump for joy and forget about those boring low-carb diets. The guidelines, released last month, recommend 3 ounces of whole grains and 3 ounces of other grains daily. For the whole-grain portion, that amounts to three slices of 100 percent whole-grain bread; three cups of 100 percent whole-grain cereal; or 1 cups of cooked brown rice, barley, kamut, bulgur, quinoa or any other whole grain. If some of those foods sound unfamiliar, get ready to increase your grain vocabulary and cooking repertoire.
Many who haven’t eaten whole grains think of them as brown, heavy and all tasting more or less the same, but those already hooked know that each type has a unique taste and texture:
• Brown rice has a nutty chewiness, while barley has a mild taste and a soothing texture.
• Kamut, an ancient form of whole wheat, is a large golden grain that is slightly sweet, with a buttery texture.
• b Bulgur, made by steaming hulled wheat kernels, then drying and cracking them to fine, medium or coarse textures, has an earthy taste.
• Grano is a variety of durum wheat that has been lightly polished to remove some layers of bran, resulting in a delicious, chewy whole grain.
• Quinoa, long a staple in the Andes, is a tiny sesame-like seed that cooks up like fluffy couscous and has an appealing crunch and a mildly sweet, grassy fragrance.
Whole grains have their outer bran layer and nutritious germ intact. Because of the bran layer, they typically are chewier and take longer to cook than refined grains.
The intriguing tastes and proven health-promoting properties of whole grains were celebrated in a fall conference in New Orleans called “Closing the Whole Grains Gap.” The conference was organized by the Whole Grains Council, a group of nutrition scientists, chefs and industry leaders determined to see whole grains go mainstream.
Among the council’s goals are to convince consumers of the health benefits of a diet rich in whole grains and to inspire them with delicious and imaginatively prepared recipes.
“Most Americans have grown accustomed to eating refined foods, such as white rice and white bread, and they have become lazy about chewing,” said K. Dun Gifford, a driving force behind the Mediterranean Food Pyramid and now a prime mover in the formation of the Whole Grains Council. “Getting consumers to change their eating habits is going to be one of our biggest hurdles,” Mr. Gifford said.
Another conference speaker, professor Joanne Slavin of the department of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota, said epidemiological studies have revealed that because whole grains are high in dietary fiber and antioxidants, they “are protective against cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.” Yet, despite recommendations to consume three servings of whole grains a day, she said, the usual intake in Western countries is only about 1 serving per day.
A big part of the problem, according to professor Julie Miller of the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minn., is that “most consumers cannot identify whole-grain foods, and most do not understand how much good whole-grain foods can do for them.” One company devoted to raising consumer awareness is General Mills. It is converting all of its breakfast cereals sold in the United States to 100 percent whole grains.
If the Whole Grains Council has anything to say about it, the push by the Department of Agriculture and General Mills toward the whole-graining of America will be only the beginning.
To help educate consumers, the council is developing a series of stamps to be displayed on packages. They would mark foods that are excellent sources of whole grains, as well as those that are moderate or poor sources. Such stamps could help us avoid the common mistake of assuming that bread labeled “seven grain” contains whole grains when in fact it may be made of seven types of highly refined flour.
The stamps could also clear up other confusion. Whole-wheat flour, whole-wheat flakes and cracked wheat all have the same nutritional value as the wheat berry. But when consumed separately, wheat bran, wheat germ and unbleached white flour have dramatically reduced nutritional values.
Food producers attending the conference said one idea is to modify whole grains by changing their texture and appearance so that they more closely resemble refined products. To this end, Elizabeth Arndt, a researcher for ConAgra Foods, discussed a recently developed strain of whole-grain white wheat.
“By utilizing this white wheat in combination with special milling technology to grind the grains to an extra-fine particle size, the hurdles of whole-grain-product texture, color and flavor can be overcome,” she said.
Here are some simple steps we can take to help make healthy and delicious whole grains a bigger part of our lives:
• With their nutrient- and oil-rich germ in place, whole grains should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer so they stay fresh longer.
• Buy breakfast cereal made of 100 percent whole grain. At first, mix it with another favorite cereal, then slowly increase the amount of the whole-grain version.
• Serve oatmeal for breakfast. Both instant and old-fashioned oatmeal are whole grains. For a quick-cooking breakfast of steel-cut oats, soak them overnight in a mixture of 4 parts water to 1 part grain. Simmer until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. For more information and recipes, visit the Quaker Oatmeal Web site, www.quakeroatmeal.com.
• Buy bread made of 100 percent whole grains. If you can’t find any locally, consider ordering from Great Harvest Bread Co. Visit www.greatharvest.com, or call 800/442-0424.
• Serve hamburgers on whole-wheat buns.
• Make brown rice according to the basic recipe that follows. Serve it instead of potatoes once a week.
• Switch to whole-grain crackers, such as Triscuits or Sun Chips.
• Use whole-wheat pita as the crust for homemade pizzas.
• Use half whole-wheat pastry flour with the white flour in your favorite cookie or pie-crust recipe. (You may need to increase the liquid slightly.) Request a mail-order catalog from Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods, and treat yourself to stone-ground, whole-grain, organic flours, cereals, and pancake and muffin mixes. For information, visit www.bobsredmill.com or call 800/349-2173.
For whole-grain recipes, scientific data and related information, visit the Whole Grains Council’s Web site: www.wholegrainscouncil.org.
For more information on the new Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines, visit www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.
Basic recipe for whole grains
Cook grains as you would pasta, in a large quantity of water. Using the technique that follows, the grains cook faster and you never have a scorched pot. If you wish, soak the grains overnight and cook them in the soaking water to divide cooking time in half. If serving the grains as a side dish to replace potatoes or pasta, dress them up by tossing with a little olive oil and some chopped fresh herbs.
8 cups water
1 cups whole grains, such as brown rice, barley, kamut, wheat berries or sorghum (milo)
In a large pot, combine 8 cups water and grains. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and cook at a gentle boil until grains are tender (they will remain slightly chewy), about 35 to 45 minutes for all grains expect quinoa, which requires only about 11 minutes. Drain thoroughly. If not serving hot, spread out on a large platter to cool. Makes about 4 cups cooked grains.
Note: You can double this recipe and freeze extra cooked grains for future use. Stir frozen grains directly into hot soup or stew. Or set them in a bowl, cover lightly with a paper towel and defrost in the microwave.
Grain salad with oregano, feta and cucumbers
This recipe, created by chef Jesse Cool of the Flea Street Cafe in Menlo Park, Calif., got raves at the 2004 Whole Grains Council meeting in New Orleans. His recipe called for sorghum (also called milo), a slightly sweet and earthy-tasting grain that is available via mail order from www.twinvalleymills.com. The salad also works well with short-grain brown rice, barley, kamut or wheat berries, or a combination. Serve it on a bed of mixed greens for a light lunch.
DRESSING:
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon zest
6 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or teaspoon dried
teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Generous pinch cayenne
SALAD:
4 cups cooked grains
4 scallions, chopped
3 cups diced, seeded cucumber (peeling optional)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
For the dressing, combine olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, salt and cayenne in a small bowl; blend well. Make the salad by combining cooked grains, scallions, cucumber, feta and pine nuts in a large bowl. Pour dressing over and toss.
Add extra lemon juice and salt, if desired. Makes 6 servings.
Mushroom, bean and barley soup
3/4 cup baby lima beans, soaked 4 to 8 hours in enough water to cover
1 tablespoon oil
1 cups coarsely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth, plus more if needed
1 pound mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
cup pearl barley
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream and chopped dill for garnish, optional
Drain beans and set aside. In a large soup pot, heat oil. Add onion and garlic, and cook over medium-high heat until golden. Add broth, drained lima beans, mushrooms and barley. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook at a gentle boil, stirring occasionally, until beans and barley are tender, about 45 minutes.
If the soup becomes too thick, stir in additional broth until desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. If desired, garnish each portion with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of dill.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.