Eat NU~DE: Whole Grains

Why whole grains? Because they are packed with fiber and that helps you eat and digest more slowly, giving your body time to register the sense of satiety. This makes you less likely to over eat at a sitting. There are a number of additional health benefits as well, like lowering your risk for heart disease and minimizing constipation. Little things like that.

Whole grains are pretty easy to distinguish from their refined counterparts since they tend to be darker and more texturally dense. Most whole grains will crumble when you squeeze them, rather than gel into a lump of something resembling play dough.

What kinds of whole grains are good? There are lots of choices but here are some of my favorites:

Oatmeal
Brown rice
Whole wheat pita bread
Grapenuts cereal
Shredded wheat cereal
Whole grain pasta
Granola

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know I advocate eating whole grains earlier, rather than later in the day. Here's why:
http://45yearold6pack.blogspot.com/2007/12/fitness-magazine-cover-model-ab-secret.html

I always include whole grains for breakfast and lunch, and usually for at least one snack. I'm a big fan of whole grain breakfast cereals that come in chunks, like shredded wheat and oat squares, because they're easy to pour into a bowl and eat dry while you're at the computer or throw in a baggie when you're on the run. And granola is great on yogurt or even cottage cheese as a protein and fiber-rich snack.

I also make soup with whole grain pasta and pasta salad with lots of veggies and chicken apple sausage. Watch the blog for a future post with my world famous (or at least in my own little world) oatmeal and cottage cheese power pancakes.

Just for reference, cheetos, cheeze-its and white bread don't count as whole grains - they're refined and don't share the same great qualities that whole grains do.

So refine your choices - not you grains.

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I'll be taking the next few days off for the holidays. Enjoy your loved ones who are near and send a silent prayer to the ones who are far away (or just call them!)