Contents:
Medical Video: Breads: Whole Wheat Vs. Whole Grain White Bread - Diabetes Center for Children at CHOP
Want to reduce the risk of premature death from all kinds of diseases by 15 percent, just by making one small change in your diet? Start eating whole wheat.
It's no longer a common secret that we should eat more whole wheat, aka whole wheat. Whole wheat is good for the body (full of fiber, phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals) - helping to control weight reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and lowers cholesterol. However, most of us eat less than one serving of whole wheat every day. Why is that?
Maybe, some additional information about what whole wheat is and what its benefits to the body can help a little.
Here are some facts about whole wheat.
Whole wheat is whole grains
Grains are seeds and fruit from cereal crops, such as wheat, rye (rye), rice, oat, buckwheat (buckwheat), brown or brown rice, and barley, which has been a staple food for thousands of years.
This group of grains includes plants that are efficient in converting sunlight, fertilizer, water, and oxygen into macronutrients. The end result is long-lasting seeds, and can be stored for a long time.
In pre-industrial times, these whole grains were commonly eaten whole (wheat), but the advancement of milling technology and processing of raw materials made these grains have to go through a large-scale separation process (flattened, broken, inflated, or finely ground) before they could consumed, thereby removing the portion of the skin / bran and germ attached to the seed - which is actually the most nutrient-rich part of the seed.
The result, is wheat flour or white flour that you usually find in the nearest supermarket or stall, which only consists of starch. White flour products (such as white bread, white rice, white pasta, noodles, and lots of breakfast cereals, snacks and biscuits) are considered refined grain. In the flour manufacturing process, more than half of the vitamin B complex (B1, B2, B3) and E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron, and fiber are lost.
Whole wheat can only be called whole wheat if the seed still has germ (the inside of seeds containing good fatty acids), endosperm (middle layer, aka seed body, which is enriched by carbohydrates and proteins, and then coated with skin, or bran (the outermost layer with lots of fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Whole wheat can be a food of its own, such as oatmeal, brown rice, jam, or popcorn, or used as food support, such as whole wheat flour on breads and cereals labeled "whole grains".
What are the nutrients in whole grains?
Reported from Live Science, the American Heart Association recommends that we eat six to eight servings of whole grain foods, especially those with whole wheat versions, per day. Whole wheat is important for the body for a number of reasons.
For example, whole wheat contains fiber. Fiber is an important component of health.
Fiber in whole grains
Wheat is rich in fiber, which is concentrated in bran, while fine wheat flour contains almost no fiber. The whole grain fiber content ranges from 12-15% of the total dry weight.
The high fiber content in wheat makes whole wheat more filling. This is partly because you have to chew the seeds harder so you need more time to eat them. This means that your stomach has more opportunities to tell the brain that you are full, which can help reduce the risk of overeating.
The most common fiber found in wheat bran is arabinoxylan (70%), which is a type of hemicellulose. The rest consists mainly of cellulose and beta-glucan. All types of fiber are insoluble fibers. This insoluble fiber passes through the digestive system almost intact, some of them also feed friendly bacteria in the intestine, which leads to increased stool weight. Because of its high fiber content, eating whole grains helps smoothen your business more regularly. Eating foods high in insoluble fiber can also help women avoid gallstones.
The benefits of fiber above are the reason why a diet that prioritizes whole grains can help people maintain a healthy weight. Minimal fiber intake has been linked to a number of diseases such as constipation, hemorrhoids, appendicitis, diverticulitis, polyps, and cancer.
Essential vitamins and minerals in whole wheat
One important mineral in whole wheat is magnesium. Magnesium is used by more than 300 enzyme systems in the human body, including enzymes involved in glucose use in and secretion of insulin. Magnesium is also important for the health of the heart, brain and bones.
Whole wheat is slowly absorbed by the body and then metabolized gradually, while wheat flour is absorbed quickly by the body, causing a surge of insulin and blood sugar. This factor is the reason why regular consumption of whole grains regularly also reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Whole wheat can also bring benefits to the health of your eyes. The low glycemic index of wheat can help reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration, which is a major cause of severe vision loss in people over 60 years of age. In addition, vitamin E, zinc and niacin found in whole grains can also help improve overall eye health.
The health benefits of wheat, which are mostly related to the consumption of whole wheat versions, include vitamins (B vitamins, vitamin E), minerals (iron, magnesium, zinc, potassium, selenium), essential fatty acids, phytochemicals (physiological active components of plants that have functional health benefits) and other bioactive food components.
Most health promoting substances are found in germ and bran from whole wheat seeds, and include resistant starch, oligosaccharides, inulin, lignans (preventing colon cancer), phytosterols, phytic acid, tannins, lipids, and antioxidants, such as phenolic acids, alkylresorcinols (protect from heart attacks), and flavonoids. Nutritionists believe that this line of nutrients and other compounds, when consumed together, has an additive and continuous effect on general body health.
The risk of eating whole wheat
When switching to a whole-grain diet, you may experience a lack of folic acid, vitamin B. Often, process food ingredients (such as wheat flour, wheat flour, or fortified wheat cereals) are fortified with folic acid, while whole wheat bread is not. Be sure to examine the nutritional value information label on the product packaging to ensure this food contains folic acid.
On the other hand, wheat contains a small amount of soluble fiber (fructan) which can cause digestive problems in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, in people who have a high tolerance for soluble fiber, this effect becomes canceled.
Wheat also contains fairly high protein, especially in the form of gluten and lectin. Gluten may have side effects in people with celiac disease or sensitivity or allergies to gluten.
Meanwhile, lectin can cause flatulence. Eating whole beans and whole grains in raw form can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. This digestive disorder occurs because lectin can damage the intestinal lining. In people suffering from Crohn's disease or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the lining of the intestinal wall becomes more sensitive to lectins in food sources, can correlate with intestinal leakage.
However, lectin compounds in whole wheat will become inactive when exposed to heat, and become nil when whole wheat has undergone a mature process or grill. The effects of food lectins only exist as long as they are in the body, and the effects can be overcome by consuming various fruits, vegetables (instead of one type continuously), and foods with good bacteria (for example, yogurt).
READ ALSO:
- The Best Type of Wheat for Health
- 4 Sources of Carbohydrates that are Healthier than White Rice
- Which Noodles vs Rice Is Better?
