Let’s face it. Thanks to the new wave Paleo diet, grains are getting a bad rap! In fact, the term “grain brain” may soon become a common term in Wikipedia by the end of the decade. How pitiful! New research in the study of Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease demonstrates that a diet rich in whole grains offer strong protection against these diseases. Whereas numerous studies have shown that animal fat is potentially linked to cancer, coronary artery and Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and diabetes.
David Katz, M.D., nutrition expert, and Director, Yale Prevention Research Center “nailed it” when he said “we live in an age of half-witted nutritional nonsense, including nonsense about whole grains. This is the age of needing to defend what should be self-evident.” Dr. Katz also went on to say that we (medical professionals, dieticians, and nutrition experts) “should be looking at all of the evidence, interpreting it, and sharing it.”[1] That’s what I do; that’s my role, my job, and my professional obligation to the public. And I tell you; whole grains are good for you! So unless you have some adverse reaction to grains or have a TRUE gluten allergy, you should be including grains in your diet. See the chart at the end of this article for a list of gluten-free grains.
Yes, I am a huge fan of grains. Whole grains are a great source of clean energy, essential vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and natural (LDL) cholesterol-lowering beta glucan. Grains offer so many positive cardiovascular and digestive health benefits. They are delicious, low in fat, high in fiber, filling, and they help promote early satiety. They contain the essential nutrients protein, complex carbohydrates, and (good) fat. They are also an excellent source B vitamins, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, selenium, and zinc. So, I say…Go Grains!
But science aside, let’s just be sensible. For centuries, grains were a staple on almost every table. It doesn’t take a rocket-scientist to see how this inexpensive, nutritious staple was a primary source of sustenance for almost every culture. Without grains, our ancestors never would have survived the hardships associated with primitive times. Still today, grains and starches are still associated with the following countries:
| COUNTRY | GRAIN |
| IRELAND | Potatoes, oats, barley |
| ITALY | Wheat, semolina, farro |
| FRANCE | Whole wheat, sourdough (Viva la “Pain au Levain”) |
| ASIA | Rice, noodles |
| INDIA | Basmati rice, roti, Naan |
| NATIVE AMERICAN INDIANS | Corn, wild rice |
| MEXICO | Corn, harinilla, masa harina (Tortillas) |
| NORTH AFRICA | Couscous |
| LEBANON | Bulgur |
| RUSSIA | Rye, whole wheat, barley, buckwheat |
| GERMANY | Whole wheat, rye, spelt |
Dietary habits go way back to the beginning of civilization. Hunters and gatherers – yes! But more importantly, our ancestors ate the foods that were indigenous to their environment. The soil was rich, crops were rotated, and people lived and thrived sustainably. Coconut oil? How many people (back then) had access to coconut oil, except those living in tropical climates? Yet the Paleo diet includes coconut oil in almost every recipe.
“Over the centuries, the growth of agriculture contributed to the rise of civilizations. Before agriculture became widespread, people spent most of their lives searching for food—hunting wild animals and gathering wild plants. About 11,500 years ago, people gradually learned how to grow cereal and root crops, and settled down to a life based on farming. By 2,000 years ago, much of the Earth’s population had become dependent on agriculture. Scholars are not sure why this shift to farming took place, but it may have occurred because of climate change.”[2]
Traditional foods of indigenous cultures mean nothing more than locally available, naturally grown, seasonal, and culturally acceptable. The cultivation and harvesting of grains gave rise to civilization and the transition from every man having to fend for himself to a more cooperative and sharing way of life.
Throughout history, the human body survived and thrived on a diet of seasonal, locally grown, whole foods – including grains. It’s not only about what we eat, but how it is grown and produced. We have become a society of fast, convenient and processed foods and our bodies are responding adversely to the high “saturated” fat, overly processed, convenient, and extremely unhealthy diets responsible for causing systemic inflammation and chronic disease. Don’t you think the time has come to be more sensible and get back to basics? We ALL need to rethink our diet and revive the kinder, healthier and more environmentally sensitive way of eating.
| CONTAIN GLUTEN | GLUTEN FREE |
| Barley | Amaranth |
| Duram | Buckwheat |
| Farro | Corn |
| Kamut | Millet |
| Oats** | Oats** |
| Rye | Quinoa |
| Semolina | Rice |
| Spelt | Sorghum |
| Tricale | Teff |
| Wheat | Wild Rice |
If you’re looking to add more grains into your diet, consider signing up for nutrition consultation or shopping tour.
**OATS ARE NATURALLY GLUTEN-FREE. But frequently they are contaminated with wheat during growing or processing. There are several brands that offer pure, uncontaminated oats, such as Bob’s Red Mill.
[1] Katz, D. (2014, November 11). Whole Grains and Half-Witted Notions. The Huffington Post.
[2] National Geographic. Sustainable Agriculture.
