Grains: You knead it.
Abhirup Mukerjee Hr. 7
The introduction to grains.
Grains are what we eat and use for almost everything we know of. Bread, pasta, and dough are a few of the many food examples in the grain division. There are different types of each and the grain group is also divided into two sub groups: Whole Grains, and Refined Grains. Whole Grains contain all the parts of a grain (the bran, germ, and endosperm) while the Refined Grain contains only the endosperm.
Bread
Bread is one of the most widely known food that is used for many preparations such as bread pudding.
Pasta
Pasta comes in many different forms, and so do grains.
Dough
This is a picture of whole wheat dough, and although this one is thick, there are doughs that will be very liquid.
Ounces, Nutrients, and Health Benefits.
If curious about what counts as one ounce of grain, then 1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup of cooked rice, or cooked pasta can be counted as 1 ounce of grain. Eating any type of grain can deliver dietary fiber, vitamin B minerals, and iron. Dietary fibers are the parts that cannot be digested from the food that comes from plants. They help to reduce blood cholesterol levels, and could lower risk of heart disease. Vitamin B minerals help the body release energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Vitamin B also helps with a healthy nervous system. Grains are healthy for pregnant women too. Some grain products have folate in them and that can help prevent neural tube defects during fetal development. If having a weight loss problem, then whole grains can help with weight management. Whole grains can sometimes reduce constipation.
Last but not Least
Not all grain foods are healthy. Sometimes looking at the food label can be a good choice to see if what is being consumed is healthy for the body. Food labels can show whole grain ingredients in 5 ways: Brown rice, popcorn, whole-grain corn, wild rice, and whole rye. 2 tips which can help to read food labels is to use the Nutrition Facts Label, and see what has a higher % Daily Value for fiber. Many, but not all, whole grain products are good or excellent sources of fiber. One more tip to help choose whole grain products are to look for added sugars. The less added sugars, the better.
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