Ask a Dietitian

With low carb and gluten free diets getting lots of media attention, some Canadians are beginning to cut grains from their diets in hopes of losing weight or making healthier food choices.  The fact is, whole grains are not the bad guys, they are a very important part of our diet that provides us with vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fibre. 

The Gluten Free diet is becoming trendy as new gluten free products hit the shelves.  The truth is only 1% of the population has celiac disease or has gluten sensitivity and must avoid gluten in order to be healthy.  The rest of the population can eat a variety of grains including wheat, rye and barley.  Moreover, some gluten free products are not healthier than their gluten counterparts as they are made with refined rice flour, potato or tapioca starch and are often high in fat, low in fibre and not enriched.

Canadians are also cutting their breads and pasta products in order to lose weight.  However, it is not the grains per se that is the culprit.  As we know it comes down to calories in vs calories out.  It’s easy to eat large portions of white bread and white pasta because they are low in fibre.  However, research points to the fact that people who eat the most whole grains have healthier weights.  Whole grains have also been shown in research to benefit people with heart disease, diabetes, cancer and in promotion of weight loss, due in part to the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, but also due to the fibre.

Most Canadians are not meeting the recommended, 25g for females and 38g for males, of fibre per day.  Getting enough fibre helps keep you regular and prevent constipation, it helps maintain a healthy body weight, improve digestion and reduce the risk for IBS symptoms and colon cancer.  A recent study on teens found that those who don’t eat enough fibre have more abdominal fat and inflammation, both risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.  It is well documented that belly fat and a high waist circumference is associated with increased visceral fat (deep abdominal fat) that packs around the organs and produces inflammation and increases the risk for high blood pressure, blood clotting and insulin production.

This study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism looked at inflammatory chemicals in the blood, body fat and fibre intake of 559 American teens.  Those teens with the lowest fibre intake had more visceral fat and higher inflammatory chemicals. Average intake for Canadian teens is 14g for females and 15-18g for males.

Tips for increasing fibre and whole grains:

Aim for 7 servings of fruit and veg per day (6-7 for for teens). The brighter the colour, the more antioxidants.  Include kiwi, berries, figs, pomegranate, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and kale.  Encourage a fruit or vegetable at every meal and snack and aim for one orange and one green vegetable per day.

Choose only whole grains.  Swap out the white rice and pasta for brown rice and whole grain pasta.  Choose only whole grain breads and wraps.  Reduce white refined grains and sugar.

Have a vegetarian meal with beans at least once a week.  Try chili, lentil soups, hummus and bean tacos.  Toss beans into pasta sauce or on salads for added fibre and protein.

Include nuts and seeds for snacks

Toss in some whole grains into a vegetable soup or salad

For delicious recipes using whole grains and fact sheets on grains go to www.healthygrains.ca

The Healthy Grains Institute is a not-for profit organization helping Canadians learn the facts about grains.