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September: National Whole Grains Month

Holly Heim
Issue date: 9/24/07 Section: Pulse
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Step aside all you followers of low-carb diets - it's time to celebrate Whole Grains Month, an entire month dedicated to cooking, eating and enjoying whole grains as suggested by the Whole Grains Council.

The first doctor to identify the true health benefits of whole grains was Dr. Thomas Allinson of Britain in the late 1800s. At first, Allinson merely preached to his patients the importance of a whole grain diet, but eventually he went on to produce whole meal flour. His efforts led to the introduction of whole grain bread to consumers in Britain.

Now, there are many different types of whole grains available in local grocery stores. Of course, health food stores often offer a greater variety of whole grains in comparison to a corner shop. According to Mary Meck Higgins Ph.D., R.D., L.D., CDE of Kansas State University, easily found whole grains include brown rice, oatmeal, popcorn and whole wheat. Harder to find are products consisting of buckwheat, quinoa and spelt. The Whole Grains Council even created a logo in order to assist consumers in identifying whole grain products at the grocery store.

So, what is the difference between a whole grain and a refined grain? A common definition for whole grain is one that consists of three parts - bran, germ and endosperm. In contrast, a refined grain (think any white grain) is only made up of the endosperm portion of the grain.

From being a source of essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to acting as a major supply of fiber, the health benefits of whole grains appear endless. According to the American Heart Association, fiber can decrease the risk of heart disease, and Weight Watchers considers fiber to play a key role in weight loss and controlling obesity.

Whole grains need to be a part of a healthy diet. As stated by the USDA's 2005 Dietary Guidelines, the average human being should consume between three and five portions of whole grains per day. USDA simplified the portion size to one ounce: a piece of whole grain bread or a cup of whole grain cereal.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 11

Heather Heim

posted 9/24/07 @ 11:17 AM CST

Good job on your first story, baby sis!

jasonglades

Accounting papers

posted 2/10/09 @ 8:05 AM CST

According to the American Heart Association, fiber can decrease the risk of heart disease. I can agree with this.

Gillian Kerr

posted 2/25/09 @ 12:58 AM CST

Wait for next writes!

Angela James

posted 3/05/09 @ 1:57 AM CST

Good and interesting article, thanks!

Gloria Capel

posted 3/09/09 @ 2:55 AM CST

That looks like lots of fun. When I was in college we didn't had so many fun activities.

Courtney Bailey

posted 3/11/09 @ 1:33 AM CST

Cheers for writing about this. FYI - here's some more info about watch bones you might like!

Wilma Shakeshaft

posted 3/12/09 @ 5:37 AM CST

Thank you for writing the article, I am very pleased with how it came out.

Janet Reese

posted 3/14/09 @ 10:46 AM CST

I have to agree with teh poster above... :/ looks like a lot of hot air to me.

Penny Bhatti

posted 5/23/09 @ 12:02 AM CST

That looks like lots of fun. When I was in college we didn't had so many fun activities.

Janet Klinker

posted 6/20/09 @ 4:51 AM CST

wow, this brings back some great memories! it seems like just yesterday i was watching all of these great shows, and more great shows. this homecoming theme has been so much fun!

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