Whole grain foods are very popular these days, and supermarkets offer a dazzling variety. Many people, influenced by advertising, believe that whole grain foods can help with weight loss and aid a child's development... So, what are the facts really?
Reader's Intelligence:
I personally love eating biscuits, but I'm afraid of gaining weight. Recently, I saw a commercial for "whole wheat biscuits" on TV, endorsed by a celebrity, who claimed that these "whole wheat biscuits" are very nutritious, won't make you fat, and are a healthy food choice. I was quite tempted after hearing this. My question is, can you really eat a lot of these "whole wheat biscuits" without gaining weight?
Ms. Zhou's Expert Commentary: Eating whole grain foods does not equal not gaining weight
The whole wheat biscuits mentioned by Ms. Zhou are just one of the foods made from whole wheat. Common whole grain products include whole wheat bread, whole wheat biscuits, oatmeal, popcorn, brown rice, and coarse-ground grains. Eating whole grain foods is beneficial for weight loss, and the reasons are:
1. Whole grain foods contain bran, which is not found in regular flour. The main component of bran is fiber. 100 grams of refined white flour produces about 350 kilocalories (1 kilocalorie = 4.18 kilojoules), while the same amount of whole wheat flour produces 317 kilocalories.