Some examples of readily available whole grains are:
- Wheat (durum wheat, soft wheat, medium and small spelled, spelled, kamut, etc.) and related flours (including couscous and bulgur), barley, spelled, corn and related flour, millet, oats and related flour, rice, wild rice, rye , sorghum, teff and triticale.
Other edible seeds, more correctly defined pseudocereals, are produced by species belonging to the Polygonaceae, Amaranthaceae and Chenopodiaceae families.
Some examples of readily available pseudo whole grains are:
- Buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth.
Despite having some similar nutritional properties, legumes (Fabaceae family) do not fall into the group of cereals or pseudo cereals. However, they too can be processed to obtain hulled seeds and purified flours; therefore, there are also whole and refined legumes and legume flours.
For the avoidance of doubt, many other edible seeds such as those of flax, chia, sunflower, safflower, cotton, hemp, sesame, poppy, dried fruit, etc., if not previously processed (squeezed), do not possess any characteristic common to cereals and pseudo whole grains.
Whole grains (and their derivatives) contain all the edible parts of the seed (bran, germ and endosperm), sometimes in slightly different percentages. In the event that they are subjected to processing (breaking, crushing, rolling, blowing, extruding and / or cooking), the food product must be reinforced to provide the same pool of nutrients that were found in the original seeds. For example, the most whole wheat flours are refined and subsequently added foods.
, thanks to the lowering of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and triglyceride levels, which translates into an overall moderation of 26% on coronary pathologies.
Consumption of whole grains also tends to be inversely proportional to the incidence of other diseases, such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity (also cardiovascular risk factors).
The greater the similarity of the cereal to its natural form, the better the impact on human metabolism. Whole grains are less caloric and have a greater satiating power and slower digestion and absorption; all this translates into the reduction of two fundamental parameters : the glycemic load and the glycemic index, both responsible for insulin peaks and the predisposition to insulin resistance (worsened by a sedentary lifestyle).
To conclude, it is also necessary to specify that whole grains are not recommended in case of diarrhea and a tendency to malabsorption. In fact, in addition to the fibrous component, whole grains are richer in anti-nutritional elements called phytates. The latter are chelators of certain mineral salts such as calcium and zinc (they reduce their absorption), but are almost totally degradable with the cooking and fermentation of the yeasts.
. This, mainly of the insoluble type, is a nutritional element that prevents constipation (in association with the right quantities of water), which improves the trophism of the bacterial flora of the colon (although not as much as soluble fiber), which promotes satiety , which slows digestion and modulates nutritional absorption. In fact, fiber helps to reduce the absorption and reabsorption (bile salts) of fats (including cholesterol) and to slow down that of sugars, preventing blood sugar and insulin peaks.
Whole grains have a higher concentration of mineral salts (or rather called "ashes") and vitamins. With regard to the first category, the one of greatest interest is undoubtedly magnesium (extremely important for athletes); as regards the second group, however, higher levels of all the water-soluble molecules of group B and of the fat-soluble E (tocopherols).
Whole grains contain fewer carbohydrates, more proteins (always of medium biological value) and more lipids. Regarding the latter, remember that their percentage varies according to the amount of wheat germ and that the composition is typical of polyunsaturated fatty acids (some of which are essential) and the presence of vitamin E.
of food.The mere wording "flour" is not a clear indicator of the fiber content in the product; moreover, if declared, both "wheat flour" and "whole wheat flour" (without any specification on the ratio), the food could contain a percentage between 1% and 51% of wholemeal flour.
This awareness is fundamental for orienting oneself in the choice of the various products. For example, many types of bread are colored brown (with the addition of molasses or caramel) so that they acquire the appearance of a wholemeal product.
In other cases, wholemeal flour is present but represents a quantitatively marginal ingredient.
Ultimately, contrary to what one might believe, the presence of whole grains (or their flours) is not always a good indicator of "high percentage of fiber".
In some products, the increase in fiber is obtained thanks to the addition of bran, legumes or other ingredients of vegetable origin. However, it should be remembered that a "true" whole grain should not be considered as such if deprived of the germ. This, which represents the lipid component of the seeds, is easily perishable (by rancidity) but also highly nutritious (essential fatty acids and vitamin E).
In the Italian legislation, the definition of flours in the Decree of the President of the Republic 187 refers only to the content of ashes, proteins and acidity. Furthermore, circular 168 makes no reference to the germ and limits itself to defining the parameters of a "wholemeal food" on the basis of the wholemeal flour content. However, it should be specified that the situation is quite complex and cannot be summarized in a few lines; in fact, if at first glance the germ would not seem indispensable to characterize a wholemeal product, however, reference is made to respect for the "characteristics of the original wholemeal cereal".
A different example is the Canadian one. There, any food which, in addition to containing the typical amount of fiber, can be subjected to the removal of the MA germ up to a maximum value of 70% is labeled "whole grain" or "whole grain product". Buyers can also identify foods of higher nutritional quality thanks to the words "from 100% whole grains or flours", ie containing the entire portion of the germ.
