It seems like every day a news reporter is spouting a headline associated with some type of health and nutrition discovery. You are bombarded with conflicting stories reporting on the same subjects. It becomes difficult to know which news report is correct and so you begin to just disregard all of them. After all, many of today’s health news reports will probably be discounted on later news casts many months or years later. How are you supposed to know what’s good for you if the experts can’t even agree, right?
But there is one topic often reported in health news that doesn’t elicit conflicting reports. Experts seem to agree that eating whole grains promotes good health and helps maintain a healthy weight. Whole grains provide numerous essential nutrients. Whole grains are rich in fiber, thiamin, nicacin, riboflavin, folate, iron, magnesium, and selenium.
The high fiber content in whole grains help reduce the risk of heart disease and reduce your cholesterol. Fiber makes you feel fuller longer helping control your appetite. The feeling of fullness associated helps reduce your calorie consumption. The B vitamins in whole grains are essential elements in metabolism and the nervous system. Magnesium helps build bones and releases energy from the muscles.
Whole grain foods provide irreplaceable health benefits. Whole grains are key to good health and a healthy weight. It is recommended that you consume at least 2.5 servings of whole grains each day to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease by more than 20 percent. Whole grain consumption has been linked with lower incidence of diabetes, high blood pressure/cholesterol, and obesity.
Whole grain foods contain the entire grain seed. A whole grain contains the germ, endosperm, and bran. The bran and germ hold the bulk of the nutrients. When grains are refined, the bran and the germ are removed. The whiter the remaining grain is, the more processed it was. Choose foods like wild and brown rice, oatmeal, popcorn, and whole grain breads. Try to eat at least the recommended number of servings (2.5) every day for a month. You will be amazed at the weight loss results.