The idea that whole grains are beneficial to health has been deeply rooted, however, not everyone understands the essence of eating them. The following points about eating whole grains are something everyone should know.
The amount consumed should account for about 1/3 of the daily staple food
Eating too little whole grain fails to provide the various health benefits, such as preventing chronic diseases. However, whole grains contain more dietary fiber and phytic acid. Long-term, excessive consumption can affect the body's absorption of minerals like calcium and iron, and also reduce immunity. Therefore, the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" suggest consuming 50-100 grams of whole grains daily. For healthy adults, it's appropriate for the amount to make up about 1/3 of their total staple food intake.
Drink more water after eating whole grains
Whole grains contain a significant amount of dietary fiber, which requires sufficient water to ensure normal digestion in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, if the whole grain products you eat have low water content, such as mixed bean rice or corn steamed buns, you should drink more water appropriately.
Oat Cookies
Elderly and children should eat whole grains in a refined way
Due to weaker digestive and absorption functions, the elderly and children whose digestive systems are not yet fully developed may experience an increased gastrointestinal burden and hinder the absorption and utilization of other nutrients when they eat too many whole grains. For these groups, in addition to choosing easily digestible whole grains like millet and yellow millet and appropriately reducing the amount, they can also improve absorption rates by adjusting cooking methods, such as cooking porridge until it's soft, mushy, or grinding whole grains into flour. However, it should be noted that for diabetic patients, the softer and mushier the porridge, the faster the post-meal blood sugar will rise.
Adjust varieties according to your own constitution
Oats are rich in soluble dietary fiber, making them suitable for people with high blood lipids or obesity. Red beans and Job's tears promote urination and reduce swelling, suitable for those with a "edema" constitution. People with a "heat" constitution can eat more cooling and moistening grains like mung beans and buckwheat. Those with a "cold" constitution should choose warming grains like sorghum, red adzuki beans, and glutinous rice. People with poor gastrointestinal health can choose millet, yellow millet, and brown rice, which are easy to digest when cooked into porridge.
Use a pressure cooker to preserve nutrients
Darker whole grains like red beans, mung beans, and black rice are often rich in antioxidant components that help the body eliminate free radicals and resist aging. Pressure cooker cooking prevents food from contacting excessive oxygen, which is very beneficial for preserving precious antioxidant components like polyphenols. Foreign studies have also confirmed that steaming and boiling can reduce the antioxidant capacity of beans. However, when cooking beans to the same softness, using a pressure cooker can reduce the loss of antioxidant substances.