We know that compared with refined grains, whole grains are richer in dietary fiber, fat, vitamins, minerals, polyphenols and other plant actives, and have better health benefits for the human body. Increasing the intake of whole grains is beneficial to weight control and reduces the risk of diet-related chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and tumors. Therefore, the recommended intake of whole grains is clarified for the first time in the latest Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents, and the importance of consuming whole grains is emphasized.
In the latest version of the \”Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2016)\”, the first recommendation is \”a variety of foods, mainly cereals.\” Mainly cereals are an important feature of the balanced dietary pattern of Chinese people. It is recommended that the average adult consumes 250-400 g of cereals and potatoes every day, of which whole grains include 50-150 g of miscellaneous beans and 50-100 g of potatoes.
How to increase your intake of whole grains?
1. Use whole grains as a good partner in your diet
Whole grain foods are diverse and nutritious. It is recommended to eat 50-150 grams of whole grains every day, which is equivalent to 1/4-1/3 of the grains per day. Whole grain oatmeal, whole grain bread, millet, etc. can all be part of the meal.
2. Integrate into staple food
Whole grains such as oats, millet, corn, whole wheat flour, etc. can be directly used as staple food. At least one of the three meals a day should be whole grain. For example, eat oatmeal porridge, eight-treasure porridge, millet porridge, etc. for breakfast; for lunch, you can mix corn flour, mung bean flour, oat flour, or use whole wheat flour with wheat flour; add a handful of oats, brown rice, etc. to white rice.
3. Integrate into dishes
Some whole grain foods can also be used as delicious dishes. For example, kidney beans, pinto beans, etc. can be cooked until soft and made into delicious cold dishes. Pair quick-cooking whole grains with vegetables to create nutritious and delicious dishes.
4. Use modern cooking utensils skillfully
Consumers who are accustomed to the soft taste of refined rice noodles may feel that whole grains are rough in the mouth, and they may be uncomfortable in the initial stage of eating whole grains. In this regard, modern kitchen cookware can be used to improve the taste, such as using a soymilk machine to make whole grain rice cereal, and using a rice cooker to cook oatmeal with oats, which can make whole grains more delicious.