WOMEN AND CARBS

Studies show that women who eat diets high in the 'wrong' carbohydrates (white bread, crackers, soda pop and white rice for examples) have double the risk of heart disease than the women who only eat them occasionally.  That is not a good thing!  If you are guilty, promise yourself to change your dietary habits immediately.  Start out with small changes such as no longer buying white bread or white rice.  Only purchase whole-grain breads and start using brown rice.  It is easy to switch to white whole-wheat bread as the change isn't as drastic. This bread is just made with white wheat rather than the red wheat which is bleached to produce "regular" white bread. Add more lean protein to your diet and start out by replacing one soda pop a day with a glass of water.  It really isn't hard to make these potentially life-saving changes to what you eat on a regular basis.  Remember, these changes could save your life later.

Note:  While the studies I looked at were only done with women, it is much better for men and children to make these changes, too. So why not make these changes for the whole family?

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EASY WAYS TO ADD WHOLE-GRAINS

You probably get tired of reading about whole grains on this blog.  Well too bad because here I go again. I do so because adding whole grains to your diet on a daily basis is essential to good health!  You may say, "I don't like whole-grains, I can't have wheat, etc."  Well, here is an easy way to sneak whole grains into foods that you and your children will not even notice.  When making a meatloaf, meatballs, or burgers, mix in 3/4 cup of uncooked oats (quick oats are fine and are smaller, thus less noticeable) per 1 pound of meat.  If you choose to use breadcrumbs, be sure you are using whole-grain bread to make the crumbs. 

Whole grains are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, all essential to good health.  Whole grains have been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and they can assist with weight control, too.

If you have a hard time transferring from all-purpose flour to whole-wheat, give white whole wheat flour a try.  It is made from hard white Spring wheat rather than the traditional red wheat.  It bakes up lighter in texture than does the traditional whole-wheat flour.

Another way to get more whole grains into your diet is to make less side dishes with white rice, potatoes, and regular pastas.  Make more side dishes with brown rice, whole-grain pastas, and start adding risottos, pilafs, etc to your meals using barley, brown rice, bulgar, or quinoa.

Make changes gradually if you have to but make them.  Your body will thank you by feeling better, performing better, and lasting longer.  That is a pretty good trade-off!

WHAT DOES THE LABEL ON YOUR BREAD MEAN?

Do you get confused when you go to the bread aisle?  Here is a little breakdown on what the "title" on your bread means.

• White Bread - This bread is made from refined white flour with nutrients such as iron, calcium, and several of the B vitamins restored.
• Wheat Bread - Usually made from refined white flour, although it may contain varying amounts of whole-wheat flour, bran, and other ingredients.
• Whole-Wheat Bread - Mostly made from whole-grain wheat flour.  But unless the label says, "100% Whole Wheat," such bread may still contain some refined white flour.
• High Fiber Bread - Usually made from white wheat flour with the addition of other grains.

Personally, I only buy bread that is labeled 100% Whole Wheat or 100% Whole Grain to be sure I am getting the needed whole grains and fiber.

FIBER - NEED VS CURRENT

You probably hear often you should eat more fiber.  But do you know how much fiber you should have on a daily basis?  Here are the basics for you.  Adults should eat between 25 to 38 grams of fiber per day.  But here is the downside; most adults are only getting about 14 to 17 grams a day.  As you can see, most of us are only getting about half the amount we should have!  If you are a diabetic, it takes about 40 to 50 grams a day to favorably affect your blood sugar.

To be sure you are getting enough fiber, which has a definite benefit for your body (various articles on this site have that information), you should learn to read nutrition labels for everything you eat and make sure you eat foods that have at least 2 1/2 grams of fiber per serving.

One simple way to up your fiber intake is to switch from refined grains to whole grains including from white bread to whole-wheat or other whole grain bread. The label needs to read whole-wheat. Just saying wheat on the label is not whole grain bread.

from my pantry

Whole Wheat White Bread

For those who are wondering about the whole wheat white bread, it is a good choice.  It is made from an albino variety of wheat that contains all the nutritional value of the darker wheat.  If you can't get your youngsters (or adults) to eat the darker version, go for the white version.  This is a good alternative and an easy way to "trick" your picky eaters into eating something that is actually good for them! Personally, I recommend you never bring refined white bread into your house. Get your family eating something better for them.

Not a brand suggestion.

For reference only.

WHOLE GRAINS AND HEART DISEASE

Studies have shown a 46% decrease in heart disease risk for people who eat the most whole grains.  Whole grains should also be used by diabetics. You can easily add more whole grains to your diet by making some simple changes.  I made many of these changes when I was diagnosed with diabetes and my family didn't even notice.

• Switch from white rice to brown rice
• Use only whole grain pastas
• When you buy breads, read the label.  Wheat bread does not mean whole-grain.  If it is whole-wheat, the ingredients list will state whole-wheat.
• Popcorn is a simple whole grain snack.

This is just 3 simple ways to add whole grains to your diet.  There are many more.