This month's newsletter is focused on taking a closer look at white flour. It also delves into commonly used definitions of types of grains (whole vs. refined). I have thrown in the added bonus of some "other" types of grains that are more healthful than wheat and white rice.

White flour doesn't taste sweet, but in the body it directly breaks down into sugar. Too much white flour can lead to trouble regulating blood sugar.

White flour is produced when all of the nutrients and fiber are stripped from the whole wheat grain and the flour is then bleached and sterilized. Whole wheat is rich in Vitamin E, Calcium, Zinc, copper, manganese, potassium and fiber, all of which are removed during processing.

Often times, white flour is not the only ingredient in white flour. The flour often contains other fillers such as Alum, potassium bromate and emulsifiers. Alum gives the bread a whiter color and causes the flour to absorb and retain a larger amount of water than it would otherwise hold. This enables the factories to produce bread which imitates bread made from higher quality flour. The emulsifier, mainly used as a softening agent, prolongs shelf life and tends to deceive buyers as to the real age of their bread. This emulsifier can hide the signs that your bread is rotting. What is sold as whole wheat bread in stores is often just white bread that is colored with caramel coloring.

Enriched Flour: After whole wheat has been stripped of all nutrients, bleached and sterilized, it is then artificially "enriched" by adding back a fraction of the vitamins, minerals and other materials which were destroyed during chemical processing. I would argue that whole wheat flour was just fine and perfectly nutritious to begin with. Enriched food is a poor substitute for the original nutrient-dense foods that we should be eating instead.

Whole Grains: Grains by definition are small seeds from grasses (i.e., Wheat). Whole grains are cereal grains that contain bran and germ as well as the endosperm, in contrast to refined grains, which retain only the endosperm. Whole grains can generally be sprouted while processed grains generally will not sprout. Whole-meal products are made from whole-grain flour. The term "whole-grain" has been overused as of late. I would prefer that someone cook the grains at the time of consumption instead of relying on products like bread and cereal to be their main source of whole grains. I prefer the kind of grains that need water to be cooked and still have the same shape that they had at harvest.

• Common whole-grain products include: rolled oats or oat groats, hulled (not pearled) barley, popcorn, brown rice, whole-wheat flour, sprouted grains, whole-wheat bread.
• Common refined-grain products include: white rice, white flour, white bread, hominy, pasta (although whole-grain varieties of pasta are available).

My Favorite "Grains" and Why:

• Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah): A grain-like crop that is technically a seed or pseudo-cereal and is therefore gluten-free. Rich in protein and fiber. Extremely rich in vitamins and minerals. It is regarded as a complete source of protein as it contains a full spectrum of amino acids (including lysine).
• Buckwheat: Pseudo-cereal not related to wheat and therefore it is gluten-free. Rich in vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. This nutrient dense grain will break down into sugar more slowly than white flour.
• Millet: From a family of small-seeded grasses. Gluten-free and hypo-allergenic. Low in calories and carbohydrates. Rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber.
• Amaranth: a gluten-free grain, rich in protein and essential amino acids such as lysine (reported to have a 30% higher protein value than other cereals, such as rice, wheat flour, oats, and rye). Also rich in vitamins and minerals.
• Brown Rice: low in calories and carbohydrates. Rich in minerals. Some fiber and protein. Also considered gluten-free.
• Sorghum: a gluten-free grass. Rich in Protein and fiber but careful because it is really high in calories. Often used to replace wheat or other grains in beer production. Rich in vitamins and minerals.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein contained in the grains wheat, barley, rye, and oats. It is a unique protein based on its structure that lends a doughy/elastic consistency to flours derived from these grains. This is why over the centuries, gluten-containing grains have come to be used so extensively in breads and other baked goods. Many people have allergies or sensitivities to gluten. I have chosen my top grains for many reasons but they all are gluten-free as well.

USDA Recommendations vs. My Opinion

Why do we need so many refined grains anyway? I don't see refined grains as being a necessary part of a meal let alone the diet as a whole. Refined grain products are suggested with every meal (by the US Dept. of Agriculture) but I think this is an unwise approach. To me, refined grains = sugar. I'd like to argue that we can get the nutrients found in whole or refined grains from other foods (like beans, seeds, broccoli, brewer's yeast, fish, brown rice, sweet potatoes, seaweed, watermelon and bananas) that aren't so high in starch/carbohydrates/sugar.

Summary

Grains should not be considered a staple of a well balanced diet. Only ½ cup of starch should be in every meal maximum. Starches include whole grains, yams/sweet potatoes, corn and other high carbohydrate foods. Whenever possible, refined grains should be avoided altogether. A diet rich in refined grains can result in the same consequences of a diet rich in sugar rich food ,weight gain , mood and memory trouble, diabetes, fatigue and much, much more. The choice is yours, but I really encourage you to take the white flour out of your diet and attempt to reduce grain consumption in general.