From party frocks to invites and Christmas cocktails, we've got everything you need to throw a fabulous party
Eat whole grains for health
If you've taken on board the many healthy eating messages we consumers have been bombarded with over the past few years, you'll know that as well as eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day, we should also be making whole grains a regular part of our daily diet.
Just three servings of whole grain foods a day will not only help keep you feeling satisfied, they'll also help stabilise blood-sugar levels so you don't experience those sugar highs and lows that come from eating refined foods. That's because whole grain foods release energy in a slow, steady stream.
What are whole grains?
So what exactly are whole grains? It's not as if you can walk into a supermarket and find a shelf dedicated to them. Grains are the seeds of plants which, when whole, include the bran, germ and endosperm, all of which contain valuable nutrients. In foods containing whole grains, all three parts of the grain are used. This means they are not only more nutritious than refined grains; they're also more fibrous and take longer to digest, which is great news for your digestive health and for your weight, as you'll stay feeling fuller for longer. To make sure you're buying whole grain products, go for basmati, brown, wild or red rice; brown pasta; whole grain breakfast cereals and bakery products made with wholemeal flour such as wholemeal bread, pittas, wraps and scones.
What are the benefits?
As well as the benefits outlined above, whole grain foods have other advantages over refined foods. They're a source of magnesium, zinc and copper, minerals that are all essential for good health; they also contain B vitamins, which help release the energy from the food we eat and help the body to work properly; vitamin E, which is an antioxidant; protein, for growth and repair of the body; and fibre, which aids digestion, promotes the health of the digestive tract and helps rid the body of waste products. Whole grains also help to lower levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol, which is great news for heart health. So you can see it makes sense to make the change to whole grain foods (as part of a low fat diet).
How do I get three portions a day?
Because eating three portions of whole grain foods a day can offer these great health benefits, the simplest way is to split that into breakfast, lunch and dinner. So, for example, you could choose a portion* of whole grain cereal such as Nestlé Shredded Wheat, Shreddies or Cheerios for breakfast - look out for the green banner on the packaging that tells you they're whole grain products. Then eat a wholemeal pitta bread with lunch, and include a serving of basmati, brown, red or wild rice with dinner. For lots more ideas on what to eat, and to see if you are getting three servings of whole grain a day, check out the 3-a-day calculator at www.wholegrain.co.uk.
**In the US there is a recommendation to eat at least 48g of whole grains per day (US Department of Health and Human Services and US Department of Agriculture 2005), which splits down into 16g three times per day, but as some foods contain a higher percentage of whole grain than others you'll need to read the labels to be sure you're getting enough.
printer friendly
send to a friend
Delicious
Digg
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Horoscopes| Message Boards | Quizzes | Newsletters | Join
iVillage Ltd is a UK company registered in England & Wales (3837269) at 80-110 New Oxford Street, London WC1 1HB
