Wizard Recipes

It helps, of course, that you can eat your fill of whole grains and actually feel virtuous. (How many foods can  you say that about?) Eating a variety of grains is the most enjoyable way not only to add lots of daily fiber to your diet but also to steer away from over refined carbohydrates.

There is a type of grain to fit every cooking situation. Some-like couscous and bulgur-require only steeping in boiling water for a few minutes, while others simmer without any attention for anywhere from 10 minutes to more than an hour. And none of this should be intimidating..

The Basics of Grains

Almost all grains are grasses and therefore have the same basic composition: If you were to look at a single grain and work from the outside in, you would first see the bran, very thin but tough layers that protect the interior.

Next comes the germ, which is the embryo at the base of the grain, and the endosperm, which makes up the bulk of the grain and provides food for the germ. We sometimes eat the bran and germ, which contain the most nutrients and fiber, as well as the oil that makes grains perishable, but all parts of most grains are edible, though rice, barley, and oats have an additional protective outer layer, an inedible husk or hull that must be removed before being eaten.

Milling

The process of removing parts of grains to make them edible or (by some standards) more palatable is called  milling. When only the hull is removed from a grain kernel, it retains its bran and germ and is called brown, as in brown rice, or whole, as in whole oats (or, for that matter, whole wheat, which can be eaten with no milling at all).

The less grains are milled, the higher they are in both  nutrients and flavor, and the longer they take to cook. This is a trade-off and a choice. (You can precook and have the best of all worlds-convenience, flavor, and nutrition.) Highly milled grains, like white rice, pearled barley, and rolled oats, contain just the endosperm, the white or light tan interior of the grain, containing little more than starch and protein.

They’re not as nutritious as whole grains, like wheat, oats, barley, quinoa, and rye-which have more fiber, micronutrients, and protein-but they’re faster cooking, a characteristic that’s easy to like.

Buying and Storing Grains

Though whole grains are increasingly available in supermarkets, your best shopping bets remain specialty supermarkets, natural food stores, and places that sell a lot of foods in bulk. International markets may be the only sources in your area for grains like farro, millet, and hominy. Mail-order and on-line shopping also offer a wide selection.

Stored in a cool, dry place, white rice, for example, will keep almost indefinitely. Brown rice and other whole grains are more sensitive; the natural oils in the bran and germ can turn rancid. Since you never know how long they’ve already been sitting on the store shelf, brown rice and other whole grains are best stored in the refrigerator, or even your freezer if possible. (No need to defrost before use.) I try to buy relatively small amounts (a pound or so) of many, many grains and use them within a year or so.

Rinsing and Draining Grains

Grains are cleaned in the milling process, so you don’t need to pick through them as you do beans. But because rice may have been coated with talc, quinoa may retain a bit of its natural saponin (a slightly bitter compound), and any grain may be gritty, I like to rinse them before cooking.

Swish them in a strainer under cold running water or put them in the pot you’re going to use, fill it with water, swirl the grains around, then pour off the water; repeat until the water is clear. You need not drain the grains well if you’re just going to boil them, but you should if you’re making pilaf, risotto, or similar dishes.

Barley, an annual plant that grows to a height of 1 to 4 feet, is hardy enough to withstand various growing conditions. For this reason, throughout history it has been cultivated as a food crop and remains a staple in many nations, particularly in North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Today, however, much of the barley produced in Western nations is fed to animals or used in the production of beer or distilled liquor. An enzyme in malt made from barley transforms the starch in beer or liquor mashes into sugars that alcohol-producing yeast can feed on and, therefore, ferment, a process that leads to the production of alcohol.

Given the health benefits of barley, its versatility, and its pleasing, lightly nutty taste, its banishment from many nations’ kitchens is something to reconsider. Barley has a tough husk surrounding the grain seed which must be removed before it is edible.

Barley is a source of soluble fiber, niacin, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. Barley grains are usually off-white, but the color may range from black to purple. How the grain is milled determines its nutritional content.

Nutrients are most concentrated near the bran. Therefore, the more milling the barley undergoes, the less nutritious it is.

Types of barley sold in stores include:

Flaked barley-As its name suggests, barley flakes are grains that have been flattened. They resemble rolled oats.

Pot barley or Scotch barley-This type of barley is coarsely ground, but it loses most of its nutrients because almost the entire husk is removed.

Pearled barley-So-named because processed barley grains are the same size as pearls and ivory-colored, pearled barley is processed multiple times to scour or polish off the outer husk and the bran. The result is a barley that cooks much more quickly than other types of barley.

Hulled barley-Hulled barley has only the outer husk removed and still contains most of its bran. This makes it one of the most nutritious types of barley available.

Barley flour-Barley flour is simply barley grains ground very fine. It is darker than refined white flour and has a delicate, nutty flavor.

Supermarkets typically do not carry a wide variety of barley products, although pearled barley and prepared barley soups are easy to find. Health food stores or specialty food markets are more likely to carry less refined barley products.

Preparation Tips

Less refined barley should be soaked several hours before cooking. Generally, these types of barley are cooked for about an hour over low heat in 3 or 4 cups of water for each cup of barley. Refined types of barley, such as pearled barley, do not need to be soaked and can be cooked in about a half hour.

Barley flour has a low gluten content. It must be combined with higher-gluten flours (such as wheat) in baked goods or they will not rise as desired.

Serving Suggestions

Barley can be substituted for rice in many recipes or combined with beans and vegetables to provide a high-protein meal without meat. Barley readily absorbs the flavors of the liquid it is cooked in, and thus it is an excellent addition to soups and stews, where it also acts as a thickening agent.

Barley also can be served on its own as a hot cereal-it is excellent topped off by plain yogurt and fruit. Barley makes an excellent base for an entrée at lunch or dinner when cooked in chicken, beef, or vegetable stock and then mixed with steamed vegetables.

The mix of nutrients supplied by grains varies. But because grain seeds are composed mostly of starch, between 65 and 90 percent of the calories supplied by grains are carbohydrates. Between 8 percent and 15 percent of calories come from protein, and fat contributes the remainder of the calories.

Because grains are plant-based proteins, they do not supply all of the amino acids (the building blocks of protein) that your body needs. However, grains also do not have the twin disadvantages of animal-based protein-saturated fat and cholesterol, both of which are linked to cardiovascular disease.

Grains can be eaten in combination with other foods-such as legumes, small servings of meat or poultry, and dairy foods-to provide the complete balance of amino acids.Important minerals found in whole grains are iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc.

Whole grains are also a source of B vitamins (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin) and antioxidants, such as vitamin E and selenium. Scientists are just beginning to explore the health role of substances called “phytochemicals,” which are also found in whole grains.

Grains are rich in dietary fiber, both insoluble fiber (which helps bowel function and may reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer) and soluble fiber (which may have a role in lowering blood cholesterol levels).

The refining and processing of grains remove many of the nutrients grains naturally provide. The bran and the nutrients it contains are often removed during the milling process. Refined wheat flour has both the bran and the germ removed.

Many grain products are enriched meaning nutrients originally found in the grain are added back to the product during processing. But not all the nutrients are returned. Insoluble fiber is milled away when the bran is removed, and antioxidants usually are not added back into refined flours. Phytochemicals also may be missing in refined products.

The bottom line is that even though refined grains are a good source of many nutrients, whole grains are better. You can tell whether a product is made from whole grain by checking the ingredient listing of the label. Look for the words “whole grain,” indicating that the product contains the endosperm, bran, and germ, and all the benefits they bring.

Selection

Grains, even those that have been processed or lightly cooked, contain some of their natural oils. Over time, they may go rancid, which is why ensuring freshness when buying them is key. Look for grains that are in sealed packages. This protects them from air, moisture, and spoilage. Some may have freshness or “best if used by” dates to help ensure quality.

If you are buying in bulk, check whether the store has a rapid turnover of that particular product. There may not be a great demand for bulgur in supermarkets, for example, and so the product may have been on the shelf for some time.

In contrast, specialty food markets or those specializing in natural foods may have greater demand for the product, sell more of it, and therefore have a fresher product. Grains also should smell fresh and appear clean and free of debris.

Storage

Because grains may attract insects or may become moldy if they become moist, keep them in tightly closed, moisture-proof containers. Grains can be stored at room temperature, but they will remain fresh longer if stored in the refrigerator, where they will keep for several months.

Most grains can be kept much longer if stored in the freezer. They do not need to be thawed before cooking. Cooked grain may be stored in the refrigerator for several days and then reheated.

Preparation

Whole grains are hard and dry. Thus, cooking involves not only heating them but also rehydrating them. For that reason, whole grains, with few exceptions, are cooked in liquid. Here’s a traditional method for doing so:

• Bring water (or other liquid, such as a stock) to a boil.

Many cooks use a ratio of two to three parts water to one part grain.

• Add grains and other seasonings.
• Cover mixture and reduce to a simmer.
• Simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed.
• Remove mixture from heat and drain excess liquid if necessary. Let sit for approximately 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork

Cooking times vary depending on the kind of grain used, how it has been processed, and whether it has been precooked (bulgur and kasha are often lightly cooked, then dried before they are sold in stores).

Most cooks recommend cooking whole grains as you would pasta. Simply cook them until tender-a time that may range from 8 minutes for “instant” types of white rice to more than an hour for whole wheat or other unmilled grains.

Some grains that are particularly tough-such as wheat or rye-may be easier to cook if they are first soaked.Rinsing whole grains before cooking also is advised to remove debris or other residues.

Cereal grains are the fruit of plants belonging to the grass family (Gramineae). Ten thousand years ago, wheat underwent spontaneous mutations causing this grass to hang onto its seed rather than scatter it to the wind.

Although this change was not in the interests of the wheat from the standpoint of its own reproduction, it enabled humans to store seed for the winter. The calorie density of grains prevented starvation and so played an important role in human history worldwide.

In China, rice was domesticated about 6,500 years ago, and in the New World corn was domesticated about 3,500 years ago. Until the past century, most grains were consumed as “whole” grains. In other words, the grain kernels were intact - not stripped of their vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Whole grains provide fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates, lignans, phytates, other phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals.

Fat-soluble vitamins are found in the germ of the grain, and B vitamins and phytochemicals are found in the husk or bran. Grain and grain products are also naturally low in fat.

Whole grains can be consumed plain as hot cereals, used in pilafs, added to baked goods, and eaten in dozens of other ways. Hundreds of products are made from grain. Two of the main ones -bread and pasta - are diet staples in nearly every culture on every continent, from couscous in North Africa to soba (buckwheat noodles) in Japan.

Grains and grain products literally feed the world, providing most of the calories and much of the protein consumed by the world’s population.

Basics

Grains are the seeds of plants. Although the grains eaten by humans belong to a wide range of botanical families, they have the same basic structure   and contain these components, from which plants begin to grow:

Bran - This is the outer layer of the grain seed. It’s full of B vitamins, trace minerals, and, especially, fiber.

Endosperm - Sometimes referred to as the kernel, the endosperm contains the majority of the material within the seed and is meant to nourish a seedling. The endosperm is where most of the protein, carbohydrates, and small amounts of vitamins are located. It is composed mainly of starch, and often it is the only part of the grain that is eaten.

Germ - The germ is the part of the seed from which the new plant sprouts. As the embryo within the seed, it has the highest concentration of nutrients, including B vitamins, trace minerals, and some proteins. It also contains fat, which increases its perishability.

Grains are usually milled before they are used as food. Milling usually means that the bran and any husk surrounding the grain seed (along with the nutrients they contain) are removed. Then the seeds are ground in a process that converts the grain into flour or other products.

The product’s use and name often depend on how much of the bran is left. Wheat, for example, can be milled into whole-grain flours that contain all parts of the seed. Refined flours, which are used most often by Western nations, contain only the endosperm: the bran and germ are removed (along with much of the grain’s nutrition).

Nearly any grain can be milled and made into products such as bread, cereal, or pasta-food staples worldwide-with varying degrees of success depending on the chemistry of the grain.

History has taught us which grains work best and in what combinations. Gluten, which is found in grain protein, gives bread its springy texture. It becomes stretchy and thickens when liquid is added to the flour and the combination is kneaded.

The resulting gas from the fermentation of the carbohydrate in the flour is trapped by the dough, causing the gluten to stretch and, thus, the bread to rise. Because wheat and rye contain the highest quantities of gluten, flour made from these grains has proved best suited for making bread.

Other grains, such as corn, have less gluten, and products made from them are more crumbly. In most countries, the highest proportion of cultivated land is devoted to grains.

Crops such as wheat, rice, corn, barley, oats, and millet remain critical components in the diets of people worldwide. Wheat is amino acids (the building blocks of protein) that your body needs.

However, grains also do not have the twin disadvantages of animal-based protein-saturated fat and cholesterol, both of which are linked to cardiovascular disease. Grains can be eaten in combination with other foods-such as legumes, small servings of meat or poultry, and dairy foods-to provide the complete balance of amino acids.

Important minerals found in whole grains are iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc. Whole grains are also a source of B vitamins (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin) and antioxidants, such as vitamin E and selenium. Scientists the most widely grown grain. But, because multiple crops of rice can be grown in a year in tropical areas, a nearly equal amount of rice and wheat are grown each year.

For many cultures, beans and grains are the major source of protein. Although this low fat, high-fiber dynamic duo also provides a healthful amount of minerals and vitamins, the protein in beans or grains alone is incomplete.

Luckily, the amino acids missing from beans can be found in grains, and vice versa, so when served together, they create a complete protein. Beans or grains can also be served along with small amounts of meat or dairy to complete the protein.

Dry beans encompass a variety of legumes, including split peas and lentils. Since tofu is made from soybeans (actually soy milk), it is included here as well.

Dry beans keep for about one year, but they become less flavorful and drier as time passes, and older beans take longer to cook. Buy them in small quantities and use within six months. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Canned beans are a great time-saver because they don’t require soaking or cooking. However, they do need to be rinsed under cold water and drained before being used. This quick rinse freshens their flavor and removes some of their sodium. One can of beans (15 to 19 ounces) yields about 2 cups beans once drained.

SOAKING  DRY BEANS

Before soaking, always sort through beans to remove tiny stones or debris. Place the beans in a colander and rinse well with cold water. Transfer the beans to a bowl. (Dry beans rehydrate to at least double their size, so use a large bowl.) Add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches.

The standard overnight soaking time is really for the cook’s convenience. The job is done when the beans have swelled to about double their size, which takes about four hours, but beans can be soaked for up to 24 hours. In hot weather, to prevent the beans from fermenting, refrigerate them while they soak.

When time is of the essence, use this quick-soak technique: Combine the beans and water in a pot and heat to boiling; cook for three minutes. Remove from the heat, cover tightly, and set aside for one hour. Drain and rinse the beans.

COOKING DRY BEANS

There are two reasons to soak dried beans before they’re cooked. Soaking returns moisture to the beans and softens them. In so doing, it reduces the cooking time and also allows some of the hard-to-digest complex sugars to dissolve in the water.

There is an enormous range of cooking times for dry beans. Use the directions on the package as a guide, then taste often to check for doneness.

Dry beans should always be cooked in soft water or they will be tough. If you live in an area with hard water, be sure to add a pinch of baking soda to the cooking water. Because water boils at a lower temperature at high altitudes, beans will take longer to cook, so be sure they are well soaked and softened before cooking.

Adding salt to beans at the beginning of cooking toughens the skins and increases the cooking time. But beans usually taste better when seasoned early, so we often use a minimal amount of salt when the cooking begins, then add the remainder at the end.

BEAN YIELDS

Although the volume changes with each bean variety, in general, 1 cup dried beans yields about 2 cups cooked beans. Large beans, like limas, yield about 21?2 cups, whereas small beans, such as black beans, yield just under 2 cups. Cover leftover cooked beans with some of their cooking liquid in airtight containers; refrigerate for up to five days or freeze for up to six months.

BEANS  AND BEAN PRODUCTS  GLOSSARY

Black Also called turtle beans. They’re the major component of black bean soup and burrito fillings; often mixed with rice for greater nutrition.

Black-eyed peas Beige beans with a black circular “eye,” they are also called cowpeas.

Fava Also known as broad beans, these flat light-brown beans resemble large limas.

Garbanzo Also called chickpeas, they’re best known as the base for hummus.

Great Northern These white beans have a delicate flavor. They can be used in place of other white beans in most recipes.

Lima Also called butter beans, these large oval beans hold their shape well when cooked.

Miso Used in Japanese cooking, this is a salty paste made from fermented soybeans. Several varieties are available: the lighter the color, the milder the flavor.

Navy (pea) Small white beans, also called Yankee beans. They’re most often used in baked bean dishes.

Pinto Spanish for “speckled,” these pale pink beans have reddish brown streaks. They are used in refried beans, soups, and stews.

Red Small red beans that are the main ingredient in red beans and rice. They are also called chili or Mexican red beans.

Red kidney Good all-purpose beans that have a firm, burgundy-colored skin, sweet and pale flesh, and a slightly mealy texture.

Split peas (yellow or green) Dried peas that have been peeled and split in half.

Tofu Made from soy milk that has been coagulated and pressed into cubes. Tofu can be extra-firm, firm, or soft. Silken tofu, sold in aseptic boxes, has not been pressed. Available soft or firm, this tofu is more delicate than the pressed variety.

White kidney (cannellini) These beans are creamier and milder than the red variety

If vegetables make up the soul of traditional Mediterranean cuisine, then grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds comprise the body. This food group constitutes the bulk of the traditional Mediterranean diet, and the many manifestations of grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds make delicious, comforting, fragrant, filling, and deeply satisfying food.

Nothing distinguishes a Mediterranean kitchen more than the aroma of fresh-baked bread. Whether a dense, round loaf of country bread from France or crispy Moroccan flatbread, whole-grain bread accompanies most Mediterranean meals in one form or another.

Imagine steaming pots of pasta in shapes ranging from prodigious lasagna noodles and giant shells to rice-shaped orzo and the “little ears” called orecchiette to couscous, the grain like pasta so common in African and Middle Eastern cuisine.

The types of pasta are endless: spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, penne, rigatoni, ziti, conchiglie, and fusilli, to name just a few.

Creamy risotto, a heavenly Italian rice concoction, may be flavored with any number of vegetables from artichokes to zucchini. Other rice dishes are prevalent as well: saffron colored Spanish rice that is the one consistent ingredient in a Spanish paella, the classic Greek rice pilaf, and various combinations of rice with vegetables or seafood, baked in the oven or added to soup.

Porridge like when fresh, crispy when chilled, sliced, and grilled, cornmeal-based polenta is an Italian specialty, as are gnocchi, little Italian dumplings made with flour and often potatoes. From the Middle Eastern shores of the Mediterranean comes bulgur wheat, cooked into pilafs or tabouli salad. And then there are pizzas, calzones, vegetable and meat pies, moussaka. Anybody hungry?

Grains sit at the base of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, which suggests eight or more servings of whole-grain breads, pasta, cereal, rice,  bulgur, couscous, polenta,and others each day. One of the best ways to eat Mediterranean is to add more whole grains to your diet.

Grains of all types become even heartier and more delectable with the addition of protein-rich legumes, nuts, and seeds: penne with white beans, rice with peas, chickpeas with bulgur wheat, spaghetti with walnut sauce. Legumes exist in every Mediterranean country, often taking the place of meat as a main course and, even more often, serving to stretch very small amounts of meat to serve many.

Legumes contain many vitamins (such as folacin) and minerals (such as selenium), are protein- and fiber-rich, and are satisfying dressed with nothing more than a little olive oil and a splash of lemon juice. Their sizes, colors, and types are far too numerous to list here, but some of the more common Mediterranean legumes are white canellini beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), fava beans (broad beans), black beans, green and red lentils, tiny white haricot beans, red kidney beans, lima beans, and Egyptian ful beans.

Many cultures have used legumes for centuries as a primary protein source, and the Mediterranean region is no exception.

Nuts and seeds (technically, nuts are large seeds of fruits with hard husks, except for peanuts, which are actually legumes) are often used to add flavor and crunch to raw and cooked foods, whether part of an appetizer, such as almond paste mixed with chickpeas for hummus; a feature of the main meal, such as pasta with pesto rich with pine nuts; or sprinkled over stewed fruit for dessert.

Nuts and seeds can add significant nutrients, phytochemicals, protein, and mono-unsaturated fats to a traditional Mediterranean inspired diet. Although most nuts and seeds can be high in total fat, generally only 10 percent of this fat is saturated.

Frequent nut and seed consumption has been linked to low rates of many chronic diseases such as certain cancers and heart disease. Despite many fears that eating these beneficial foods (especially nuts) will cause weight gain, recent studies have shown otherwise.

Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts (filberts), pine nuts (pignolia), pistachios (in the Middle East), and peanuts (technically a legume) are the nuts most common in the Mediterranean.

Mediterranean or not, all nuts and seeds, except for the coconut (which is high in saturated fat) can be added to a Mediterranean-inspired way of eating. Just be sure that the nuts and seeds you consume (whether in spreads, such as peanut butter, or in the “whole” form) are not packaged with added hydrogenated oils, which spells trans-fatty acids.

Other types of nuts and seeds include chestnuts, cashews, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds.

Nuts and seeds, either plain or roasted without added oils and salt, make a wonderful and convenient snack food. A handful of nuts and another handful of dried fruit-raisins, currants, dates, dried cherries and blueberries, and so on- make a nutritious quick fix between meals.

Grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds are delicious and filling sources of good nutrition in the true Mediterranean style.

In 1930, with the discovery of vitamins, scientists have understood what had happened and so the miller men began adding B vitamins to refined grain. So the obvious deficiencies have been corrected. More recently, scientists have recognized that many of our diets contain not enough folic acid, so in 1996 the public health authorities have imposed those from the milling industry to add folic acid to flour. But it will take a long time until the science will understand that this strategy of addition for the “wonder bread”, so as it was called by a nutritionist, will not resolve all issues generated from the refining of grain. Diseases caused by deficiencies are easier to follow and to be treated (the successful medicine in their treatment is an important element for the nutrition prestige) rather than chronic diseases and found that the refinement of carbohydrate is involved in the appearance of some chronic diseases- like diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancers.

The refined grain story is a parable about the reductionist science boundaries which are applied to something so complex as food. For several years, nutritionists know that a food rich in whole grains reduces the risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer. (The statement remains valid even beyond the indication that people who eat more whole grains probably have a healthier lifestyle and other point of view) Different nutritionists have attributed the benefits of whole grains to different nutrients: fiber of bran, folic acid and other vitamin B from the germ, antioxidants and various minerals. In 2003, “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” published a non-reductionist study which demonstrates that benefits of whole grains can not be attributed to a single nutrient. The usual reductionist analysis of isolated nutriments could not explain the health improvement of whole grains consumers.

The epidemiologists David R. Jacobs and Lyn M. Steffen from the University of Minnesota has reread previous research and discovered ample evidence of the fact that a rich in whole grains diet reduces mortality which has different causes. Surprising was the fact that, after adjusting the levels of fibers, vitamin E, folic acid, fitic acid, iron, zinc, magnesium and manganese in food (all the benefits that we know about are found in whole grains) it has been discovered an additional benefit of consumption of whole grains, which couldn’t be attributed to any single nutrient nor their totality. So, subjects receiving the same amount of the listed nutrients, but from other sources were not as healthy as those who ate whole grains, “the analysis suggests that another element from the whole grains protects against death”. The authors concluded, somehow vague, but suggestive that “the various grains and their component act synergistically” and they have suggested to their colleagues to take into account the concept of “food synergy”. So here is an argument for a revolutionary idée in relation to the nutritional standards: it could happen that a whole product is much more than the amount of nutrients that it is made.

It is no need to tell you that the proposal was not enthusiastically received by the food industry and this thing is probably not happening anytime soon. Even while I write, Coca-Cola launches drinks full of vitamins, there is the concept of “wonder bread” for industrial food products in their ultimate state (wonder drink?). Since ever there have been invested large amounts of money for processed food and not in whole food marketing and probably the industry investment in a reductionist approach to nutrition is just one. The problem is that there is something in us that love carbs, and that something is the human brain. Human brain keens on to carbs that are reduced to their essence power, which is pure glucose. Once the industry discovered a way to transform the seeds of cereals in the chemical equivalent of sugar, there was no going back.

Because we must focus our attention on these aliments due to their important role in our eating habits,  let me tell you more about cereals, muesli and grains, some tips and tricks that are worth sharing.

When consuming cereals, we must take into consideration the following:

- when consuming fats with grains or cereals, the absorption and carbon hydrate digestion decrease.

- the acidity from citric fruits, vegetables and vinegar increases iron absorption, so please do consume rice or pasta, for instance, with vegetables and sauces.

- muesli and breakfast cereals may contain large amounts of sugar, so consume them moderately and choose minerals and vitamins enriched ones.

- fats can be contained in small quantities in breakfast cereals. So do not fall into the FITNESS type of cereals, because all types contain pretty much the same amount of calories. Just choose the ones that taste better :p.

-rice and corn do not contain gluten, so these cereals can be consumed by gluten intolerance sufferers

- basmati rice is considered to be the easiest to digest

- popcorn without oil added is very low on calories

- cook pasta ‘ al dente’ to make it easier for your organism to digest. Pasta cooked with tomato sauce contains less fats

- focaccia and ciabatta are bread assortments with spices and olive oil and their energetic value increase from 215 cal/100 g to 280 cal/100 g.

Given the fact that carbohydrates and fibers from grains and cereals represent a very important part in one’s healthy diet, it is mandatory to continue our journey through the advantages and disadvantages of consuming these aliments.

So, here are some disadvantages for cereals and grains (advantages were discussed previous post):

- cereals are being cultivated only for the last 10000 years and some studies say that the human body cannot yet digest them completely. Gluten from wheat is one of the most spread allergen, irritating the intestine walls (gluten intolerance).

- proteins from cereals do not contain all essential amino acids, so, when goin’ vegan, you must be careful with the excess of cereals and grains consumption in the diet. Also consume vegetables, greens and SOYBEANS (for proper proteins)

- be careful with cereals for breakfast, because they contain a lot of sugar that transforms them from slow carbohydrates to fast sugars.

- bread contains, along with flour, water, salt, also yeast, and its fermentation process lasts for 24 hours. So if you don’t want to have indigestion problems , bloating and gastric burns, try and consume 1-day-old bread, or pastry without yeast.

- calories in cereals have some calories (250 cal )so beware when on a diet.

Cereals are the most important part in an adult’s diet due to a substance known as starch, a complex carbohydrate with slow absorption that offers the organism the energy needed for best functioning. Cereals also contain fibers, proteins, minerals (calcium, iron, zinc), vitamins (B and E) and antioxidants.

Advantages:

- it is mandatory to consume daily these types of carbohydrates, but in small quantities. With a small amount of starch in our body, we have the needed glucose that helps us maintain satiety till the next meal

- lipids are eliminated when carbohydrates are consumed, so, to lose weight we need carbohydrates in every meal.

- a healthy diet contains bread, rice, pasta and cereals but in a moderate amount, because only the EXCESS of starch can be transformed into lipids.

-cereals contain fibers which accelerate intestinal transit and prevent constipation. Colon cancer risk is also diminished.

- the fibers from cereals have an antioxidant and noninflammatory effect; with vitamin E, these fibers prevent risk for developing arterial diseases. Wheat germs increase vitamin E absorption and decrease cholesterol level

- oil extracted from the wheat grain is called oryzanol and influences cholesterol absorption

- corn flakes assure the daily dose of B vitamin for pregnant women

- carbohydrates increase serotonin level

- cereals are low in fat

- white bread contains cellulose which does not affect cholesterol level and cereal bread contains hemicellulose which decreases cholesterol level