The Benefits And Advantages Of Moving Towards A Vegan Diet

By Lexor Emman

Leading a healthy life is very important and that is the main objective of each and every one of us. There are many factors that go in making a person hale and healthy and food plays a very important role. We come from different types of societies and our cultures are different. In keeping with our cultures and traditions our food habits are also quite different and it varies from person to person, region to region and country to country. While there are many food habits, according to some people sticking on to a vegan raw diet is considered as a very important part of what is called a healthy food. As we have progressed economically and technologically our food habits have also changed significantly.

We have today split into nuclear families and the concept of joint family which was quite relevant in some Asian countries is no longer practical. Today we have families where both husbands and wives together have become bread winners and hence it has now become a regular habit to go in for readymade food or instant food as it is commonly known. These foods are generally are processed in nature and therefore have a number of preservatives that are used. Additionally there are rich in saturated fatty acids which lead to people putting on weight and developing cholesterol which start accumulating in the arteries. This causes a number of health problems like hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, renal failure, liver disorders and the like. Hence, many people have started understanding the importance of vegan raw diet and have started moving towards it.

Before we understand the features and benefits of these raw diets we should understand what exactly is a vegan raw diet? This is a diet that essentially consists of raw fruits and vegetables and various types of nuts, vegetables, grain products and fruits fall under this category. To put it simply, these food items are not cooked and are eaten raw. The first requirement for becoming a person who wants to survive on raw diet, you should refrain from eating any meat products, fish, dairy products, eggs and all types of fish. This sounds extremely interesting but in real life it could be a challenging change to your lifestyle. These foods are extremely rich in vitamins and minerals, but the question that comes in the minds of many people is whether they provide our body with the required amounts of proteins. Some vegetables are good rich in carbohydrates and hence this problem can also be solved. There is also no problem with proteins as all fruit and vegetables contain protein.

There are some inherent advantages with these types of vegan raw diet. First and foremost they provide the body with the right kind of minerals and vitamins which may get lost because of the process of cooking. Secondly, since most of the fruits come in a predigested stage it does not put unnecessary strain and stress on the digestive system. They are considered to be the ideal healthy food because of the fact that they are not very rich in saturated fatty acids and hence the risk of cholesterol building and fat accumulation is reduced to almost zero. These kinds of vegan raw diet habits help to keep our body and mind trim and alert and if we are able to follow it on a long term basis we could avoid all problems of obesity and lead a normal and disease free life.

However critics are of the view that vegan raw diet is difficult to sustain over long period of time because of the fact that they do not pamper the taste buds enough and the absence of oil as a cooking medium is something that may not interest many people. To provide the right kind of calcium and other minerals there are certain fruits and vegetables which have these vital nutrients in plenty. This calls for a bit of information gathering and could take some time and efforts. However, the fact of the matter remains that this is indeed a very healthy food habit and if one does a careful SWOT analysis they will surely find out that the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. The only thing required to succeed in this vegan raw diet is a bit of determination and commitment during the initial stages. Once the body gets adjusted to the diet pattern, then it would be difficult for you to move out from this diet. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6553509

VEGAN LENTIL FLATBREAD » Gluten-Free, Oil Free, Super Simple to Make!

Vegan Cheesecake - Baked New York Style

By Laurinda Erasmus

Baking without eggs, butter (or margarine) and sugar can sometimes be a real challenge. However, tofu makes a great substitute for heavy, set cream and tapioca flour binds the ingredients together the way eggs would. Sugar can be replaced with a fruit syrup, or sometimes just fruit pulp which in most cases would be sweet enough.

Before I became vegan, I made my usual baked cheesecake recipe fairly often and got used (of course) to that taste. However, when I re-wrote the recipe with healthier vegan alternatives, my family and I could not believe how exactly similar in taste and texture it was. The tofu creates the same slightly dry, crumbly baked result as the traditional version, but still with the same creamy mouth-feel, sweetness and lemon flavour. I now sometimes make use of the same basic recipe, but change it into a chocolate or even strawberry version. Have fun experimenting!

Pastry base:

5 tbsp finely ground toasted, unsalted cashew nuts
1 tbsp whole meal spelt flour / oat flour / buckwheat flour
2 tsp vanilla-infused grape-seed oil / walnut oil
1 tsp light agave syrup

Filling:

1 cup soy milk
2 tsp lemon juice / orange juice / apple cider vinegar
1 lemon, juice
2 cups firm tofu, drained and patted (very) dry, chopped
1 tbsp vanilla-infused grape-seed oil / walnut oil
6 tbsp light agave syrup
2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp tapioca flour
20 ml corn starch

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
2. Make the pastry by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl. It will be a firm, heavy mixture. Line the bottom of a 1 L round pie dish with the pastry and then oil the sides (or use a silicone baking dish). Press the pastry down firmly. Leave to rest in the refrigerator.
3. Thicken the soy milk by stirring in the juice (or vinegar). It will thicken immediately. Set aside.
4. If you have a food processor, fit the juicing part and squeeze out the lemon juice; or use a fork. Change to the plastic S-blade. Add the tofu, oil, syrup, zest and vanilla essence. Process until floppy. Sprinkle over the flours and pour over the thickened soy milk. Process until completely smooth. Pour the tofu mixture into the baking dish onto the pastry.
5. Place on a shelf just below the middle in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, uncovered. Reduce the temperature to 160°C (320°F)and bake a further 15 minutes. Lightly drape a sheet of tin foil over the top if the cheesecake browns too much.
6. Remove from the oven and cool completely. The filling will become firmer.
7. Decorate with lemon and lime zest. Cut into slices, or lift the cake from the mould before cutting.

Serves 8.

Cook's tip:

A cheesecake forms large cracks when the outside of the batter has firmed into a thin skin and the inner filling continues to expand with the heat. One can decrease this effect by placing a bowl of water on a lower shelf to create steam in the oven. The cracks can always be concealed by serving the cheesecake with slices of fruit on top. Or, simply don't worry about it - it still tastes delicious! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6437236

5 INGREDIENT VEGAN MEALS | student friendly

Go for Vegan Recipes and Be Healthy

By Earnest Billot

Introduction

Vegan Recipes have amazing nutritional value and can have marvelous and incredible results on the body providing essential nutrients to your body. They boost your energy and you can experience some life-changing benefits such as weight loss, clearer and vibrant skin, free of some common heart diseases, no blood pressure etc.

Become a vegetarian and enjoy the various benefits!

• Vegetarian recipes such as oat yogurt, green salads, tomato salad, raw whole grain muesli, vegetables soup provide essential proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, fiber, and minerals.

• They have no preservatives, no additives and also no oil.

• Generally they are broiled or boiled which is very good for health as then the food becomes oil free containing all the necessary nutrients.

• They taste delicious and at the same time provide nutrition and are useful in reducing cholesterol and other health alarming diseases.

• They help in reducing extra calories and you can stay fit and healthy while having these recipes.

• Vegan baking is another option, if you want to make your food oil free.

They have become extremely popular as they possess various advantages and they help in assisting various people suffering from alarming diseases in staying fit and absolutely fine.

You can also have fun and can enjoy having vegan recipes by going to healthy vacations. There are many benefits of adopting a vegetarian diet as it gives the energy and all the necessary nutrients also. It is available in different varieties giving you ample of choices to choose one according your taste.

They can be made easily and you should keep various things in mind while making a vegetarian recipe. It should be made using the things which contain low fat content, use less sugar and whole foods should be used more.

Fatty things should be avoided and you should always try to replace the things containing fat with raw, healthy and oil free things.

Sugar can be replaced by various substitutes of sugar or sweeteners like sucanat or maple syrup; as they break down and get absorbed into the blood stream much slower than the normal white sugar. Various fruits can also be used as they contain natural sweetness which is not harmful to health and body. Thus we can maintain the blood sugar balance in our body in easier manner.

Whole foods should be included in the recipes in their natural state, so that they do not loose their essential components. Whole wheat flour instead of white; sucanat, brown rice syrup or maple syrup instead of white sugar, and coconut oil instead of butter or margarine should be used in making healthier and yummy recipes.

Conclusion

Gain amazing energy, bounce on the walls all day long by eating vegetarian recipes and remain fit and fine! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5905863

For More Recipe Ideas ==>CLICK HERE<==

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Tips For The Beginner Vegan - 10 Tips On How To Start A Vegan Diet

By Loren Antonios

Making the transition to a vegan diet for the first time can be both daunting yet exciting at the same time. The beginner vegan often has many questions or uncertainties about this lifestyle that they are seeking to get answers for. Below is a list of 10 helpful tips for those who are new to the vegan diet, focusing on how to smoothly start a vegan diet and how to ensure that the transition to becoming vegan is as easy and stress-free as possible.

1. Research & Gather Information

Before you make any kind of lifestyle change, it is always a good idea to do plenty of research beforehand. By doing so, you will know exactly what to expect. You need to gather information on what vegans do and don't eat, what benefits there are to going vegan, what obstacles and challenges vegans face, etc. You will thank yourself later on for your thorough research.

2. What Do You Want To Achieve?

For the beginner vegan, I always advise them to write down on paper exactly what they want to achieve on the vegan lifestyle. Whether it be weight loss, to clear up skin conditions (e.g.: acne, psoriasis, eczema) to achieve inner peace, to reduce allergies, to reverse chronic illness, to concentrate better, to help save the planet, animal rights, etc. - Whatever your reasons are for making the transition to the vegan diet, write them down on paper. Stick them where you can see them every day such as on the fridge.

3. Find Good Recipes

It is absolutely necessary to find and collect some good vegan recipes, since you will be doing a lot of different cooking from now on. You need to find some quick and easy recipes for the times when you are too tired or busy to cook anything fancy. Also gather a wide assortment of vegan recipes including vegan breakfast recipes, lunches, dinners, snacks, cakes, slices, desserts, etc... Find your recipes online, purchase a vegan recipe e-book- You choose, just make sure you have your vegan recipe folder well-prepared for when your start your new vegan lifestyle.

4. Let Family & Friends Know

Let your beloved ones know as soon as you make the decision to become vegan. This will ensure that when you visit them, or when they visit you, food will not be a problem since they have already been informed about your new vegan diet.

5. Be Prepared For Cravings

When you stop eating certain foods, you will inevitably have food cravings from time to time. Be prepared for this and make sure you have some healthy snacks or frozen baking easily accessible so you don't cave in. Find some recipes also for "vegan clones" of your favorite meals and snacks (Note: Professional vegan chefs have written an assortment of recipe e-books to cater for your cravings).

6. Know Your Vegan Food Brands

Nowadays the supermarkets and health shops tailor to the needs of the vegan, so you should have no trouble finding meat-free, dairy-free snacks and foods such as vegan cheese, tofu, vegan chocolate, health bars, "bacon" and cereal. Try them all out and get to know your favorites.

7. Stay Motivated Online

There are many vegan online support groups, chat rooms and blogs that you can visit and interact with fellow vegans online. This will help you to stay motivated, encouraged, and will also help you to realize that you are not the only vegan on the planet!

8. Enjoy Your Fruit & Vegetable Shopping

You will be eating a lot more fresh produce now that you are vegan. Find some fruit and vegetable markets or food stores that deliver quality produce at a reasonable price. Keep in mind that supermarkets are often more expensive. Enjoy choosing your fresh produce and make your fruit and vegetable shopping a relaxing experience!

9. Bake Your Own Healthy Treats & Snacks

Since you will be limited to buying treats and sweets out at cafes and restaurants, bake your own vegan treats such as brownies, cakes, slices and muffins. Bake an entire batch every week and freeze in individual portions for when you need a treat. Once again, you can find an abundance of vegan baking recipes online either by websites, blogs, or recipe e-books.

10. Don't Give Up Easily

The transition to the vegan lifestyle is often the most difficult right at the beginning. After a while, it will become easier and easier until it becomes second-nature for you. So for the beginner vegan or those relatively new to the vegan lifestyle, my advice is not to give up straight away but to give your new lifestyle a fair chance. Chances are that after a few months you will be extremely grateful that you never gave up! The rewards and benefits of this lifestyle always outweigh any challenges that you may face from time to time! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8206763

10 Health Benefits of Brown Rice

Rediscovering Brown Rice

By Jo A Adams

Rice is a staple food for more than one and a half billion people. For many, a meal would not be complete without rice. There are over 120,000 known varieties of rice. Though white rice is the most common and preferred, there is a lot to be said about brown rice. This healthy grain has been available it seems since day one, it really became popular during 1960s and 1970s when organic and more health conscious diet started to take root.

I was always told that brown rice is better for you because of the vitamins in the hull. I tried this wholesome healthy grain in my early 20s (around late 70s, early 80s). I did not like the texture or the taste, I found, for me, it was an acquired taste (like whole wheat bread).

But now, brown rice is making a come back. Japan, a huge consumer of white rice, is creating some exciting recipes using brown rice. Since writing about dishes served over rice, and learning about its come back, I decided to re-explore this healthy grain.

My first positive experience with brown rice was at a high end Chinese restaurant that offered brown or white rice. I saw a bowl go by on a tray and thought it was fried rice. Our waiter told us it was brown rice. He told me that their version is actually very good and recommended it. Feeling adventurous, I thought I would try it again. I found the texture wonderful! It was nothing like my early experience. It started me wondering if it may be time to re-explore this not so new grain and the wonderful recipes that uses it.

Brown rice is really just unhulled rice that contains the bran. This retains more of the vitamins and fiber. This gives a more nutty and chewy texture. Just like white rice, brown rice has several varieties. There are over 40 different varieties including short grain, medium and long grain. There are also different levels of stickiness as well. It has a higher nutritional value over white rice. It is full of fiber, oils, minerals and antioxidants compared to white rice. Because of the outer hull, cooking process takes longer than white rice (approximately 45-60 minutes).

There has been a lot of research into growing brown rice. There are several organic farms in California that specializes in growing this wonderful grain. These are small farms in contrast to the white rice farms. Brown rice takes longer to grow and harvest. In the past, growers were not allowing for this difference, hence, the experience we had during the first introduction. Brown rice farmers are allowing their rice to mature longer. Giving the grains a chance to acquire its more subtle and rich taste and texture. Changes in the removing or husking the inedible hulls help retain the fibrous bran layers that surround the grain. Because of the new cultivation and gently milled process, this produces a better tasting grain. Japan has also explored and created new milling techniques and cooking process to provide a better tasting grain.

The cooking process makes a huge difference in the texture and taste. In Japan, several restaurants are creating new cooking techniques and revamping recipes to accommodate brown rice's texture and flavor. Cooking this grain well can be tricky. The goal is to soften the texture of each grain or rice. This makes the cooking process longer. But, you have to be careful that it does not come out mushy. Most packaged brown rice does not provide the best cooking method. The most recommended method is boiling the rice and then allowing it to simmer until all liquid is absorbed (approximately 40 minutes). This does not provide the best texture or taste. The best cooking method is a combination of boiling and steaming. Below is the perfect brown rice.

1 cup brown rice (short, medium or long grain) Kosher salt to taste 12 cups water

Rinse rice 3-4 times with cold water and allow to drain through a strainer. Bring the 12 cups of water to a boil in a large pot with a tight lid. Add the rice and continue to boil uncovered for 30 minutes. Pour the rice into a strainer over the sink. Allow to drain for approximately 10 seconds. Return the rice to the pot with the heat turned off. Cover the pot with the lid and allow it to steam for approximately 10 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and season with salt if desired.

With its come back, it is no longer a substitute for white rice. With the new hulling and milling techniques and cooking process, this grain stands on its own. Calling for its own recipes that show cases its wonderful texture and flavor. Brown rice is not a side dish that just takes on the flavor of foods as white rice does. It is the star of its own recipes and plays a very distinct role. Good brown rice holds it own against bolder, meatier flavors. It holds up well in soups, hearty stews and aromatic braises. It can be fried in butter or oil as a delicious fritter.

I think about the brown rice I had back in the early days and compare it to today's new and improved version. There is just no comparison. I am inspired to create dishes using this wonderful grain and exploring new flavors and textures. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4189741

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Whole Grain Facts - How to Tell How Much Whole Grain is in Foods

By Teagan King

When you go grocery shopping and pick up a loaf of whole grain bread, that sounds like it ought to be really nutritious doesn't it?

Unfortunately, it might not be quite as good as you were hoping. If you look at the labels of breads that are something like "Whole Grain Wheat", you'll likely discover that it doesn't have near nutrients and fiber of bread that's labeled "100% Whole Wheat."

Blame it on marketing ploys. With whole grain foods becoming more popular, the companies are looking to give the consumer what they want... sort of. In other words, if the people buying the bread think it is made with whole grains, that's supposed to push our buttons so we'll buy it. The catch, of course, is while they can put "whole grain" or "wheat" on the label, they aren't saying how much of the product is actually whole grain or wheat. It could be most of it, or it could be they put a tiny bit in there, just enough to be able to say "We used whole wheat flour making this bread."

It might be the last ingredient on the list, the smallest amount of anything put in the bread, but it's still in there, so technically they can say it's made with whole grains!

That's why the 100% Whole Wheat bread has more nutrients, because it is indeed 100% - every bit of the product - whole wheat. If it's labeled 100% whole grain, it has to be whole grain, with no refined grain as part of the ingredient. There can't be any bleached or unbleached white flour hiding in there.

That's the rules, as formulated by the FDA. They consider "whole grain" to include cereal grains that consist of the intact, ground, cracked or flaked fruit of the grains whose principal components -- the starchy endosperm, germ and bran -- are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact grain. Such grains may include barley, buckwheat, bulgur, corn, millet, rice, rye, oats, sorghum, wheat and wild rice.

The Whole Grains Council, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, is trying to make it easier for consumers to see how much grain is in a product. They've made labels for manufacturers to use showing how much whole grain is in their products.

There are two kinds of stamps, the Basic stamp and the 100% stamp. They look a little like a postage stamp, being mostly yellow and brown. There is a sheaf of grain on the stamps, with "WholeGrainsCouncil.org" running up the right side on a black border.

If a product bears the Basic Stamp, it contains at least 8g - a half serving - of whole grain, but may also contain some refined grain. Even if a product contains a large amount of whole grain, it will use the Basic Stamp if it also contains extra bran, germ, or refined flour.

If a product bears the 100% Stamp, then all its grain ingredients are whole grains. For these products, there is a minimum requirement of 16g - a full serving - of whole grain per labeled serving.

Each Stamp also shows a number that tells you how many grams of whole grain ingredients are in a serving of the product.

Since the stamp isn't required, there can still be products out there that are whole grain but don't have one of these handy stamps on the label. In that case, all you can do is check the ingredients list to see if it states how many grams of whole grain are in the product. If it says "100%" you're good to go. If all it says is something like "crackers made with whole grain", be wary. It's only pretending to be a whole grain health food.

Other waffle-words include wheat flour, semolina, durum wheat, organic flour, and multigrain (may describe several whole grains or several refined grains, or a mix of both). None of these specifies a 100% whole grain product.

These words on the label -- enriched flour, degerminated (on corn meal), bran and wheat germ -- are never 100% whole grains. Enriched flour loses most of the nutrients it contained in processing, so a little stuff is thrown back in to "enrich" it and make it sound like a better buy. Why not eat the whole grains to start with?

In short, be careful of tricky labeling. Sometimes labels barely contain a grain of truth.

The bottom line? If you want whole grain foods, look for labels that SAY 100% whole grain, either in the ingredients list or by displaying the 100% whole grain stamp.

And that's the whole grains facts. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4085946

Multi-Grain, Whole Grain, and Organic Grains - What These Food Label Terms Mean

By Ross Harrison

In a previous article series, I discussed a number of tips to help you understand the complexities and misleading information found on food labels. Unfortunately there is a lot more to understand about food label terminology than what I was able to cover in my previous writings, so today I will cover some additional food label terms that are commonly misunderstood. The terms covered in this article are multi-grain, whole grain, and organic and I chose to cover them together, because they are related and all three can even be used on the same product.

Multi-grain and whole grain are obviously terms used with grains (wheat, corn, rye, etc.), so they are often found on packages of high carbohydrate foods, such as breads, cereals, flour, pasta, etc. Organic is a term that can be used with grains, but it is also used many other types of foods, such as vegetables, meat, dairy products, and fruit. However, for this article I am really just focusing on the term organic as it relates specifically to grains.

Organic Grains - When a raw grain is labeled organic, it means it has been grown and transported without the use of artificial pesticides, chemicals, and other additives, however, natural pesticides may still be used on occasion. Both the grain and the land it is grown on must be considered organic for the ingredient to be certified organic. As a side note, when dealing with foods like meat, there are also requirements for additives, such as hormones, which do not apply for grains.

Raw organic grains are more natural and healthier than their non-organic counterparts, but when it comes to foods labeled as organic, there is some room for manufacturers to add in non-organic ingredients. When every ingredient in a product is certified organic (excluding water and salt), the package can contain the words "100 percent organic." If non-organic ingredients are included, other terminology must be used. As long as long as 95% of the ingredients are organic, then the product can still be labeled as organic, just not 100 percent organic.

However, that still leaves 5% of the product that can be made up of ingredients that are non-organic and potentially unwanted and unhealthy. Products that do not reach the 95% organic ingredients requirement can instead be labeled with the phrase "made with organic ingredients," if at least 70% of the ingredients are organic. These labeling standards are important, because it means organic products can still have added ingredients you don't want to consume, so you should always read the label to know what you are getting.

Whole Grains - A food is considered a whole grain when all parts of the grain are included in a product and they are kept in the same proportions as they exist in nature. A grain has 3 different parts: the endosperm, bran, and germ and if any one is missing or the proportions are wrong, then the ingredient cannot be labeled as a whole grain. Refined products typically only contain the endosperm and are usually missing the bran and germ, which are healthy sources fiber and other nutrients.

Many refined ingredients will often be "enriched," which sounds better than it actually is. Nutrients are are removed from the grain during the refining process, but some nutrients can be added back later, which then makes the product enriched. Unfortunately, enriched products generally have more nutrients removed then they have added during the enriching process, so the net result is an inferior product. Also, the added nutrients may be of poorer quality than the ones that were removed in the first place.

Multi-Grain - This term is fairly self-explanatory, but people often think it means more than it actually does. When a product has multi-grain on the label it simply means that more than one type of grain is included in the ingredients. People often assume the grains are whole grains, but multi-grain only refers to the number of grains and it does not have any bearing on the quality of the grains in the product.

If a product is made with white flour and white rice flour, both of which are refined, it is still a multi-grain product because it has two different types of grains. Whole grain and organic products can also be multi-grain of they have multiple whole grains or organic grains, but much of the time these products do not even have the multi-grain label, because it is not as important as the labels of whole grain or organic.

For instance, the Kashi brand has the tagline "The Seven Whole Grain Company" and they have a trademarked combination of whole grain ingredients including wheat, rice, oats, triticale, barley, rye, and buckwheat. These are all whole grains, so any product with these ingredients is by definition multi-grain, but multi-grain is not printed anywhere on the product, because it is essentially a meaningless term.

Companies often use the term multi-grain on products to make them sound healthier than they are, especially when the product contains poor quality refined grains. If a company has the choice between listing a product as organic, whole grain, or multi-grain, they will almost always make the terms organic and whole grain the priority. Multi-grain is often used when neither of the other terms applies to the product.

To sum things up, grain products that are labeled 100% organic or organic have few if any added or unwanted ingredients or byproducts from things like pesticides. On the other hand, just because a product is organic it does not guarantee the product is healthy, because ingredients like white flour, which is unhealthy, can still be organic if it was processed using organic methods. However, most organic grain based products are rather healthy.

Whole grain products are also usually healthy and they contain all 3 parts of the grain, which means they should have all the nutrients found in the natural product. Products with whole grains can still have unwanted added ingredients, especially in packaged products such as breads and cereals, but the grains themselves are healthier than the refined grains found in other products.

Products with the multi-grain label only claim to have more than one type of grain included in the product and nothing more. For me, the multi-grain label acts as a warning sign and causes me take a closer look at the rest of the label, especially the ingredients list. That way I can see if the product has quality grains or if it simply has multiple inferior ingredients, which is unfortunately often the case.

If you buy a lot of packaged products and want to find the grain products with the highest quality, it is best to look for products that are both organic and made with whole grains. These products are naturally the most expensive, especially when it comes to packaged products, so if you want to save some money, the best combination of health and value can be found when buying whole grain products with minimal unhealthy added ingredients.

On the other hand, if you don't mind cooking with raw whole grains, you can get some great deals even when they are organic. The bulk organic whole grains sold at many stores, such as brown rice, oats, wheat, etc. are often less expensive than packaged products containing inferior quality grains. The trade off is they do take some extra preparation time, but if you don't mind cooking, they are often a very healthy and economical way to go. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4412874

How to Cook Whole Grains

Whole Grains for Optimal Health and Well Being

By Robert Stritzinger

Adding more whole grains to your diet for healthy eating will benefit you in many ways. I'm sure you've heard that you should eat more whole grains, but what are they, how much should you eat, and where can you easily get them? Eating at least three or more one-ounce equivalents of whole grains daily can reduce the risk of many diseases and help you achieve a healthy diet. Whole grains are hearty, healthy, and tasty. If you are earnest about attaining optimal health, whole grains provide a one-stop source for nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemicals vital to your well-being.

Whole grains are the entire seed (or kernel) of the plant. A single seed of grain contains three distinct parts: the bran, the endosperm and germ. If all three parts of the grain are included, the food is considered a whole grain.

Bran. The outer seed layer: full of fiber, B vitamins, 50 percent to 80 percent of the grain's minerals, plus other health-promoting plant substances called phytochemicals.
Germ. The inner embryo: full of B vitamins, vitamin E, trace minerals and small amounts of healthful unsaturated fats, phytochemicals and antioxidants.

Endosperm. The starchy middle: contains carbohydrates, some protein and smaller amounts of B vitamins.These whole grains are ground, cracked, or flaked kernel, which includes the bran, the germ, and the inner most part of the kernel (the endosperm).

Some examples of whole grains include whole wheat, oatmeal, Corn (including whole cornmeal and popcorn), Brown Rice, Wild Rice, whole-grain Barley, whole Rye, Amaranth, Millet, Quinoa, and Buckwheat.

Health Benefits of Whole Grains

Medical evidence has clearly proven that eating whole grains on a regular basis reduces the risks of heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. Regularly eating whole grains reduces your risk of obesity, as measured by body mass index and waist-to-hip ratios, and will also lower your cholesterol levels. Few foods can offer such diverse health benefits. Whole grains also contain valuable phytochemicals and antioxidants. Eating only three daily servings of whole grains have been shown to reduce their risk of heart disease by 25-36%, stroke by 37%, Type II diabetes by 21-27%, digestive system cancers by 21-43%, and hormone-related cancers by 10-40%.

Eating the right types and amounts of whole grains can:

Lower triglycerides
Lower blood pressure
Improve insulin control
Ease constipation and other digestive disorders
Help with weight management
Slow the buildup of plaque in your arteries
How do I identify Whole Grains?

The ingredient list on a food label shows ingredients in the order of the most abundant by weight. When selecting products that contain whole grains, look for those that show whole grains listed first on the ingredient list. For products such as bread or pasta to be labeled whole grain, the grain can be ground, cracked, or flaked, but it must retain the same proportions of bran, germ, and endosperm. Any label that says 100% whole grain is the best product you can buy. It is really easy and fun to get three servings of whole grains a day and they are a great filler for meats.

Examples of one whole grain serving include:

1/2 cup cooked brown rice or other cooked grain
1/2 cup cooked 100% whole-grain pasta
1/2 cup cooked hot cereal, such as oatmeal
1 ounce uncooked whole grain pasta, brown rice or other grain
1 slice 100% whole grain bread
1 very small (1 oz.) 100% whole grain muffin
1 cup 100% whole grain ready-to-eat cereal

Here are more easy ways to incorporate whole grains into your daily diet:

Substitute half the white flour with whole wheat flour in your regular recipes for cookies, muffins, quick breads and pancakes or add up to 20% of another whole grain flour such as quinoa or amaranth.
Replace one third of the flour in a recipe with quick oats or old-fashioned oats.
Add half a cup of cooked bulgur, wild rice, or barley to stuffings.
Add half a cup of cooked wheat or rye berries, wild rice, brown rice, bulgur or barley to your favorite canned or home-made soup.
Use whole corn meal for corn cakes, corn breads and corn muffins.
Add three-quarters of a cup of uncooked oats for each pound of ground beef or turkey when you make meatballs, burgers or meatloaf.
Stir a handful of oats in your yogurt, for quick crunch with no cooking necessary.
Start adding whole grains to your diet on a daily basis and reap the health benefits of whole grains.

Robert Stritzinger is a Certified Executive Chef who's passion is Eating Healthy and coaching others to Live their Healthiest Lives through an optimal diet.

Change your Diet, Change your Life! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5373549