Healthy Food Choices: Grains

Video Transcript

MICHELLE COOPER: Next, we're going to talk about grains. Whole grains are a great source of fiber. This can benefit us in a couple of ways. Number one, fiber is important in lowering our LDL or bad cholesterol and helping to raise our good HDL cholesterol. Number two, the high fiber found in whole grains can produce a feeling of satiety or fullness for a long period of time; therefore, we're going to eat less. And the last benefit that we see from whole grain is that when you eat something, a carbohydrate that is whole grain rather than a refined source of carbohydrate, you get a slower increase in your blood glucose level therefore your insulin does not spike as quickly and you get a more gradual, natural release of insulin into your bloodstream. How to incorporate whole grains in your diet? Well, the first thing you want to do is read the ingredient list. Color is not an indication of whole grain. A bread may be brown because of added molasses or other colorings. So number one, look at the ingredient list and make sure that you see something like whole grain, whole wheat. Number two, when you want to incorporate other things besides bread into a high-fiber, whole-grain diet, try switching from white rice to brown rice, having whole wheat or whole grain pasta rather than white pasta. Your crackers can be whole wheat rather than the refined white flour crackers. So make sure that you're incorporating whole grains into your diet as you increase your intake of complex carbohydrates. And you can do this most importantly by, one, reading the list and making sure the whole grains is number one on that list; and number two, sneaking in whole grains in other ways like with your rice, your pasta, your crackers. Lastly, if you have diabetes, knowing that whole grains will result in a slower increase in your blood glucose level may help you with your insulin levels as well, and it's also a dietary aid in that it helps create that feeling of fullness that will last with you for a longer period of time.