Whole grains may curb belly fat, inflammation

[Celebration]

http://in.reuters.com/article/health/idINKIM05928020080220

(Reuters Health) - Cutting calories helps people lose weight, but doing so by filling up on whole grains may be particularly heart-healthy, new research suggests.

In a study of obese adults at risk of heart disease, researchers found that those who trimmed calories and increased their whole-grain intake shed more belly fat and lowered their blood levels of C- reactive protein or CRP.

CRP is a marker of chronic, low-level inflammation in the blood vessels, and both abdominal fat and CRP, in excess, are linked to heart attack and stroke.

In contrast, dieters in the study who mainly ate refined grains, like white bread, were able to lose weight, but they trimmed less fat from the middle and showed no change in CRP.

[shireen]

1. Is corn bread considered whole grain? nt

[Warpy]

3. Only if it's stone ground, whole grain cornmeal

The stuff that sits on the supermarket shelf for months is degerminated, meaning it's not the whole grain. Much of the bran is also gone. You need to go to a place that sells whole grain flours to get whole grain cornmeal. It goes rancid quickly because of the oils in it, so choose a place with a high turnover and refrigerate it when you get home.

Whole grains can be stored at room temperature. Once they're turned into flour, they can be refrigerated for a couple of weeks. More than that, the freezer is best.

[shireen]

4. thank you, very useful to know. nt

[bananas]

8. Does it have to be stone ground? nt

[Warpy]

9. That's the preferred method because it doesn't heat up the oils

and hasten their decomposition.

[bananas]

7. Whole grain popcorn!

http://www.cerealprocess.com/fractionation.htm


http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/flgragui.html

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2. Question: What are some examples of cereal grains?

Answer: Cereal grains may include amaranth, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, corn (including popcorn), millet, quinoa, rice, rye, oats, sorghum, teff, triticale, wheat, and wild rice.

<snip>

4. Question: Should a corn flour or corn meal made from corn grain to which the pericarp has been removed be considered whole grain?

Answer: The four principal parts of a mature corn kernel consist of the hull or bran (pericarp and seed coat), germ, endosperm, and the tip cap (Ref. 2). The tip cap, the attachment point of the cob, may or may not stay with the kernel during handling, and, thus, is not considered an integral part of the kernel or caryopsis. However, the bran, germ and endosperm are integral parts of the kernel and should be present in the relative proportions as found in the kernel to be considered "whole grain." Therefore, for corn flour or corn meal to be "whole grain" it should include the pericarp as well as the other essential fractions.

We note that there are standards of identity for various types of corn flour and corn meal in 21 CFR Part 137 (i.e., § 137.211, white corn flour; § 137.215, yellow corn flour; § 137.250, white corn meal; § 137.255, bolted white corn meal; § 137.260, enriched corn meals; § 137.265, degerminated white corn meal; § 137.270, self-rising white corn meal; § 137.275, yellow corn meal; § 137.280, bolted yellow corn meal; § 137.285, degerminated yellow corn meal; and § 137.290, self-rising yellow corn meal). Degerminated and bolted corn meals should not be considered whole grain products because germ or bran has been removed during processing. Because the rest of the meal standards allow removal of some of the hull, these also should not be considered whole grain products.

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http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/food/articles/popcorn.html

Popcorn: A Whole-Grain Snack

Popcorn is a "good-for-you" snack that is a fun and convenient way for you to meet your daily intake of whole grains.
What Makes Popcorn a Whole Grain?

Whole grains include all three parts of a grain: the bran, the endosperm and the germ. The Bran is the multi-layered outer skin that protects the kernel from damage by weather, water, pests and disease. It contains antioxidants, B vitamins and fiber.

The endosperm in the middle of popcorn provides energy to the plant and is the largest part of the kernel. It contains starchy carbohydrates, proteins and small amounts of vitamins and minerals. The nutrient-packed germ is the embryo of the plant that will reproduce if fertilized by pollen. It contains B vitamins, some protein, minerals and healthy fats. In contrast, refined grains have been stripped of the bran and germ.

Pop Up Three Cups for a Whole Grain Serving

The Dietary Guidelines recommend that we follow an 1800 to 2000-calorie meal plan containing six servings of grains daily, with at least three of these servings being whole-grain. It's not all that difficult to get those three servings! One serving of whole grains is equal to just one ounce.

What Counts as an Ounce Equivalent of Grains?
3 cups popped popcorn
1 slice whole wheat bread
1 /2 cup cooked oatmeal
1 /2 small (2 ounce) whole wheat bagel
1 /2 whole wheat English muffin
1/ 2 cup brown rice or whole wheat pasta
5 whole wheat crackers
6-inch whole wheat flour tortillas

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[monmouth]

2. Cereal w/low fat milk, filling and really helps the digestive system..n/t

[pansypoo53219]

5. taint belly fat for me.

i just need to say no to 1/2 &1/2 and use less butter to remove last cellulite. i am german. but if cindy crawford could have it. so what.
but my mom, the apple, does eat whole wheat healthy. but then she eats diet ice cream.

[supernova]

6. I'm tryin'

to find some grains that I can live with, at least occasionally.

I can't do wheat though; I"m sensitive to it.

Corn is OK, rice is OK (though a very little bit does me -- like a sushi roll is too much), Spelt seems to give me the same problem as wheat, since it's a primitive wheat.