If you have had weight loss surgery, you probably understand the importance of eating nutrient dense foods. As a result of the surgery, a small stomach pouch is created, limiting the amount of food you can eat. This small stomach pouch fills quickly, which helps you feel satisfied with less food intake. It is therefore very important to eat healthy foods rather than to fill up on highly caloric, less nutritional foods such as sweets, fried foods, juice smoothies, milkshakes, etc. Highly nutrient dense foods contain more beneficial components such as protein, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals than they do calories per serving. Whole-grain foods are an excellent example of a nutrient dense food source.
WHAT ARE WHOLE GRAINS?
Whole grains are grains that contain the entire grain kernel: the innermost germ, the endosperm that surrounds the germ, and the outermost bran that surrounds both.
? The germ contains B vitamins, vitamin E, trace minerals, and healthful unsaturated fats, phytochemicals and antioxidants
? The endosperm portion contains complex carbohydrates, protein, and smaller amounts of B vitamins
? The outer bran layer is full of fiber, B vitamins, 50 to 80 percent of the grain?s minerals and phytochemicals
BENEFITS OF WHOLE GRAINS
Making smart carbohydrate choices is a great way to boost your health protection. Whole grains provide a multitude of health benefits because they are packed with healthy nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein, fiber, B vitamins, antioxidants, vitamin E, and trace minerals.
Many epidemiological studies find that wholegrain intake is protective for the human body on many levels. For instance, the fiber content in whole grains has been shown to decrease the risk for Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Whole grain fiber has also been successful in reducing total cholesterol levels. Whole grains reduce the risk for several types of diseases due to its antioxidant content. Antioxidants are helpful compounds that reduce damaging free radical activity in the body. Free radicals are produced not only through normal bodily processes, but also by external factors such as exposure to air pollution and tobacco smoke. The combinations of beneficial compounds found in whole grains help reduce the risk for several types of cancers. In addition, whole grains contain phytochemicals, which are non-nutritive plant chemicals that also have protective or disease preventive properties.
REFINED GRAINS
During the refining process, the bran and germ are removed from the grain kernel. This results in the loss of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Most refined grains are then reenriched with some of the nutrients which were lost in the milling. Compounds like thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, folic acid, and iron are added back in. However, fiber and phytochemicals are not added back. As a result, refined grains do not provide the same health benefits as whole grains. Some examples of refined grains are white rice and pasta, corn flakes, and white bread.
HOW TO FIND WHOLE GRAINS
Many consumers would like to eat whole grains, but just don?t know which foods qualify. Therefore, the Whole Grains Council and General Mills developed a special packaging symbol, the Whole Grain Stamp. It is available now on hundreds of popular products. If the product does not have the Whole Grain Stamp, look at the ingredients. Choose foods that name one of the following whole-grain ingredients first on the label?s ingredient list:
? Whole wheat or whole grain wheat
? Brown rice
? Oatmeal or whole oats
? Whole grain corn, whole cornmeal
? Bulgur or cracked wheat
? Wheatberries
? Whole grain quinoa
? Whole grain buckwheat
? Graham flour
? Wild rice
According to MyPyramid.gov, another tip for finding whole grain products is to look for the whole grain health claim??Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol may help reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers??on food product labels. Foods that bear the whole grain health claim must:
? Contain 51 percent or more whole grains by weight
? Be low in fat, saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol
Color is not a good indication of whether a food contains whole grains. Molasses or caramel food coloring may be added to bread thereby giving it the appearance of containing whole grains. Also be careful with the following phrases found on food packaging:
? ?Made with whole grain?
? ?100% wheat?
? ?Multigrain?
? ?Stone ground?
? ?Pumpernickel?
? ?Cracked wheat?
? ?Seven-grain?
These products may contain some whole grains or even wheat, but refined flour may be the first ingredient or they may not contain whole grains at all. Your best bet is to look closely at the ingredient list.
WHAT COUNTS AS A SERVING?
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends at least 3 whole grain servings a day. This is the minimum recommended for all but very young, inactive children. The Dietary Guidelines define a serving (or ?ounce-equivalent?) of grain as:
1 slice of 100% whole grain bread
½ whole grain bagel, pita bread
½ cup of 100% whole grain hot cereal, brown rice, or whole-wheat pasta
5 to 7 small whole grain crackers
HOW TO ADD WHOLE GRAINS TO YOUR MEALS
BREAKFAST
½ whole grain bagel
½ cup oatmeal
½ whole grain English muffin
1 small whole grain pancake
1 slice whole grain French toast
1 slice whole grain raisin toast
LUNCH
Small whole grain wrap
½ stuffed whole grain pita
½ turkey burger on whole grain bun
½ turkey sandwich on whole grain bread
½ whole grain veggie burger
½ low-fat ham sandwich on whole grain bread
DINNER
½ cup Bulgar pilaf
½ cup of brown rice with a stir fry
Taco made with a corn tortilla
½ cup whole grain pasta with your favorite red sauce
½ cup wild rice
1 small piece of whole grain cornbread
BOTTOM LINE
Because your overall intake, and especially your grain or starch intake, will be relatively low, it is important to incorporate whole grains into your meal plan each and every day. The goal is to eat three servings per day. Besides the multitude of health benefits whole grains provide, they also taste good, help you feel satisfied longer, help provide you with more consistent energy, and make you feel better overall.
Natalie Buntzen, MS, RD, is the bariatric surgery program dietitian for St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California (www.sjo.org/Clinical_Services/Bariatric_Care_Center.aspx).
March 2009