The FIRST ingredient should start with “Whole” when it comes to grains!

Food manufacturers are really good at tricking the public into thinking that the food they are eating is healthy, especially when it comes to grains. In particular, snack manufactures trick those people trying to make health conscious decisions by calling products “multigrain” or even “whole grain” crackers or chips, when they are not even close! For example, Stacy’s Multigrain Pita Chips, “Whole Grain” Ritz Crackers, and Lance Whole Grain Peanut Butter crackers all have “Enriched Wheat Flour” (i.e: white, refined flour) as their FIRST ingredient. Rye is technically a whole grain, but good luck finding a whole grain rye bread at the supermarket. Every sliced rye bread I have found on store shelves has “enriched wheat flour” as the first ingredient. The only true rye bread I have found at a grocery store is the Mestemacher brick of a bread loaf. 

Whole grains are incredibly important to health because of their antioxidant, phytonutrient, fiber, and vitamin and mineral makeup. Whole grains are essential to expedite weight loss and for people looking to maintain weight loss. Eating refined grains won’t do you any good, so do your best to make it a habit to look at the ingredients when purchasing products. Don’t fall into the marketing tricks!

My recommendation: Try new grains! Get more adventurous than just whole wheat flour, whole grain corn, brown rice, and wild rice- though they are all very nutritious. Try quinoa, farro, oats, barley, bulgur, spelt, teff, amaranth, millet, etc- many of which are found in the bulk bins at Whole Foods! I also recommend making your own bread. It really isn't that difficult to do. Try making your own homemade roti, which requires no yeast and can be made in a matter of minutes. Whole Wheat Beer Bread is also a crowd pleaser, and very easy to make (I recommend using ALL whole wheat flour, or whole wheat pastry flour). Becoming more domestic will make you a healthier, richer person!

Quin-what??? Oh, quinoa!

As you may or may not know, March is National Nutrition Month (NNM), and the theme is "Eat Right With Color." Two of my goals for NNM are: 1) For everyone to try to eat a healthy diet (full of naturally colored foods) for at least the month of March, and 2) Try a new (healthy) food each week. For this week, I encourage you to try Quinoa (If you read my post a few months ago on vegetarian sources of protein, I touched on quinoa).

Quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah") is an ancient grain that was once labeled the "Gold of the Incas" because of it's superfood qualities... it was one of three staple crops for the Incas (corn, potatoes, quinoa). Quinoa is actually a seed from a plant that is a relative of swiss chard and spinach. This super- seed contains carbohydrate and tastes a little like a couscous, but unlike other grains, it is also a source of complete protein. By complete protein I mean that it contains all essential amino acids... yes, the same quality as meat, imagine that! So for all of those people who worry about vegetarians not eating enough protein (or high-quality protein) because they don't eat slaughtered animals, be comforted by the fact that they can obtain the same quality of protein from meat-free sources (same is true for soy!). In addition to being a high quality protein, quinoa contains high levels of magnesium and manganese, and is a good source of iron, fiber, and contains 60 mg omega-3's (higher than other grains).

As far as taste goes, it is somewhat nutty, but like pasta and rice, it takes on the flavor of whatever you are cooking it with. You can always roast the dry quinoa before cooking to bring out a more nutty flavor. Quinoa is somewhat chewy, yet soft, and crunchy at the same time. You'll just have to try it....

Nutritional Breakdown: 1/4 cup dry contains 160 calories, 2.5 g fat (0.25 g SFA, 0.65 MUFA, 1 g PUFA), 30 g carb (2.5 g fiber), 5.6 g protein, 10% DV Riboflavin, 10% DV Vit E, 22% DV Iron, 22% DV magnesium, 48% DV manganese, 9% DV potassium

Where to find: Most grocery stores have caught on that quinoa is a hot superfood and it is now stocked in most markets. The most popular brand is Ancient Harvest (see picture above) and you can find this in the natural foods section or with pastas and grains at Whole Foods.

How to Enjoy: Mix one part quinoa to two parts water, boil, and bring to a simmer until water is absorbed (around 15 minutes for 1 cup quinoa).
Breakfast: Cook as detailed above and then prepare like oatmeal (add cinnamon, sweetener, and fruit).
Lunch: Cook grain and use to add crunch to salads or sandwiches
Dinner: Use instead of rice, or make a pasta salad substituting quinoa for the pasta.
Dessert: Cook with coconut (or cow's) milk, add sugar, walnuts, and cooked fruit

Recipe: Quinoa and Black Beans

1 tsp canola oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, pressed and chopped

1 block extra firm tofu

¾ cup uncooked quinoa

1 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp tumeric

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup fresh, salt-free canned, or frozen corn kernels

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups mixed vegetables

½ cup fresh cilantro

Heat oil in medium saucepan and sauté onion and garlic until fragrant and light brown in color. Add tofu and some chicken broth until tofu begins to brown. Add quinoa, top with chicken broth and spices and bring to a boil and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Stir in corn, black beans, and cilantro and cook for a few minutes until heated through.

References:
1. World's Healthiest Foods Website. "Quinoa" Available at: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=142&tname=foodspice

2.  Recipe adapted from http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/quinoa-and-black-beans/Detail.aspx

The Stats on new 'stas (Pastas that is)

My friend Lauren requested that I write a blog about all the new pasta and grain products on the market. In the future, I plan to give my two cents on gluten-free diets (so look for that blog to come). One of the reasons there are so many new pasta products on the market is because of exceptional marketing strategies by food manufacturers and the media hyping up gluten-free diets.

Quick background: Gluten is the protein found in wheat, barley, rye and triticale. Note: gluten is not naturally found in oats, but many people on a gluten free diet avoid oats because of potential cross-contamination.

People who need to avoid gluten are those with Celiac disease (more info: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/) or people who have been told by their doctor to avoid gluten or wheat because of an intolerance. To give you some sort of reality, it is estimated that up to 1% of the population may have celiac disease (which is high, but the media would have you believe it is much higher).  However, a lot of people have gone on gluten-free diets because they have seen reports that eating gluten-free will resolve any problems they may have (ADHD, autism, stomach pains, learning disabilities, etc) or because it is a great weight loss method. There is limited research showing the benefit of a gluten-free diet on children or adults who do not have a gluten allergy or intolerance. However, if a person does actually have celiac disease, they probably will see an improvement of symptoms by going gluten-free:
"The data indicate that ADHD-like symptomatology is markedly overrepresented among untreated CD [Celiac Disease] patients and that a gluten-free diet may improve symptoms significantly within a short period of time" (2).

If you don't believe that gluten-free won't benefit people without celiac, I would first advise doing your own research through reputable sources (ie: not just typing in a search engine or looking at media sources- use PubMed and other research databases to look at research through peer-reviewed scientific journals) and talk to your doctor before going on this diet for a long period of time. As far as weight loss, you might actually GAIN weight if you go on a gluten free diet, and miss out on very important nutrients. But anyway, my blog on this topic will come in the future, right now I need to focus on the new products on the market:

A general rule of thumb is to always look for a pasta or grain product that is a WHOLE GRAIN. So, if you are going to buy rice pasta, make sure that it is brown rice pasta and contains at least 4 grams of fiber per serving. It is simple to determine whether a pasta or grain product is good for you, here are the steps:

1. Look at the ingredients. Make sure the #1 ingredient is a whole grain (whole grain wheat, whole grain oats,  quinoa, barley, etc.). Then, make sure there are no additives or strange ingredients you have never heard of in the mix. Whole grain wheat, whole grain corn, whole grain rye, whole grain triticale, whole grain oats, soy beans, whole grain millet, whole grain barley, whole grain brown rice, oat bran, and flaxseed are all good!
2. Check out the fiber content (I recommend >4 grams/serving).
3. Look at the serving size and make sure that the amount you eat won't add up to a couple hundred calories.

Do not be afraid of wheat unless you have a valid reason to be. Most people have survived on eating wheat, and it is not until recently that every disease and possible problem has been blamed on wheat. Whole grain wheat contains fiber, protein, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, and iron, magnesium, and selenium, making whole grain wheat a very nutritious food!


When buying pasta or grain products, I recommend the following:

• Quinoa
• Barley
• Whole grain pasta
• Wild Rice
• Super Pastas (high in fiber, protein, Omega-3's)
• Whole grain/Multigrain (Wheat) Pastas- or anything made of whole grains with high fiber, protein, and lots of vitamins/minerals without fake ingredients

REFERENCES:
1) http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/
2) Niederhofer H, Pittschieler K.; A Preliminary Investigation of ADHD symptoms in Persons With Celiac Disease; Journal of Attention Disorders, 2006 Nov;10(2):200-4
3) http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/FoodAllergensLabeling/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/ucm111487.htm
4) http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/grains.html

Vegetarian Protein Sources Everyone Should Try

Clarification: VEGAN means no animal products are in the food (that is, no dairy, no fish, chicken, pork, beef, gelatin, and in some strict vegans, no honey).  The definition of VEGETARIAN varies greatly depending on if one is  lacto-ovo-vegetarian (eats dairy and eggs), pescatarian (eats fish products), or flexitarian (a new term that doesn’t mean much- surveys show that most Americans believe they are flexitarian, or  ”occasionally eat meat”- but it still means you are a carnivore). Flexitarian is usually defined as a mostly vegetarian diet, but you can consume chicken, fish, or other lean meats occasionally. This is a good goal for people to strive for, although, I do recommend that people eat fish a few times each week. I would call myself “flexitarian” if I wanted to be trendy and label my eating style. When I was at school I was pesca-lacto-ovo-vegetarian except for the few weekends I woud be at home where my parents cooked meat. So, during college and grad school I became very familiar with cheap vegan food items (since I was on a limited budget and didn’t feel like buying raw meat and cooking it just for myself). Thus I learned to cook unique vegan protein sources and use them in recipes. Below are a list of a few that I used regularly to add protein and nutrition to meals, along with helpful websites to find out more info on the products.

TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)
A very cheap dried form of soy protein. Rehydrate and add to any meal without adding flavor. https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/information_center/all_about_textured_vegetable_protein.htm

Seitan or Wheat Gluten
Dr. Blair at Penn State introduced me to this during my Global Foods Class. You can find these prepackaged at Whole Foods or any healthfood store. However, I recommend making your own with wheat gluten flour, chicken broth, garlic, and any other spices. Follow the recipe listed here: http://www.vrg.org/recipes/vjseitan.htm then use just as you would beef (bake, stir fry, grill, etc.). Very high in protein, but for all you gluten-phobes, you may want to stay away.

Tempeh
Tempeh is higher in fat than tofu, but even more delicious and nutritious (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=126). It is fermented soybeans, but don’t let that dissuade you. You can find pre-packaged in the refrigerator sections of most healthfood stores.

Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional yeast is a wonderful product because it is an excellent source of B12 for vegetarians. Vegetarians often become deficient in Vitamin B12 b/c it is mostly found in animal products. You can add this to popcorn to make it taste cheesey, add a little butter to make a cheesy tasting sauce, or add to anything to add a spicy and cheesy flavor. (http://www.bestnaturalfoods.com/nutritional_yeast.html)

TOFU!!!
Of course I have to write about Tofu! This food product is made from soybeans. Firm varieties make a great addition to stir fries, or you can marinate in BBQ sauce and grill. Be sure to press out all the excess moisture before cooking. Use silken tofu in smoothies or to reduce the fat content in dips and cheesey recipes. (http://www.nasoya.com/)

Quinoa
An ancient grain that is high in fiber, protein*, and other essential nutrients. It is kind of like cous cous but way more nutritious. *See my note below

Quinoa and Soybeans offer a complete protein- many people I come across don’t believe that vegetarians can get enough protein or any high quality protein in their diets. Well, if you plan on becoming vegetarian, I recommend researching complementary proteins and making sure you eat enough of each type throughout the day (contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to eat rice and beans at the same meal). Also, eating quinoa and soy is very similar in protein quality to meat and contain all the essential amino acids that make up a “complete protein.”