Meet the nutritional dynamos
Wholegrains are loaded with good-for-you stuff and research shows they have a beneficial effect on health, yet most of us eat woefully few of them. You’ll be all ears for Sue Quinn’s smart advice on upping your intake
They taste good and are packed with vitamins, minerals, healthy plant compounds and fibre. Plus there’s good evidence that eating lots of wholegrains can help protect against an array of serious health conditions.
Unfortunately, though, our intake in the UK is low and, when we do tuck in, we reach for the same familiar favourites: rice, wheat and oats. So let’s take a look at the benefits of eating more wholegrains – and how easy it is to up your intake.
FIRST OFF: WHAT ARE THEY?
Wholegrains are the seeds of cereal plants that retain three integral parts: the bran, germ and endosperm. The bran is the fibre-rich outer layer, full health matters. of B vitamins, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, antioxidants (which help protect cells) and phytochemicals (beneficial plant chemicals). The germ is in the core where new growth happens, and contains healthy fats, B and E vitamins, phytochemicals and antioxidants. The endosperm is the central, carbohydrate-rich part that’s milled to make white flour. It contains some proteins and vitamins but is less nutritious than other parts of the grain.