What comes to mind when you think of food? Maybe a bowl of bow-tie pasta covered in a thick, rich tomato sauce with a side of buttery garlic toast and a glass of red wine. Or maybe it is a freshly prepared spinach strawberry salad with balsamic vinaigrette. We all have our favorite foods, but to keep our endurance and strength throughout training and regular physical activity, we need to eat well balanced meals with plenty of variety. The colors on the Food Guide Pyramid depict the equation we should follow to help us feel our best, and get the right amount of nutrients from our foods. First we will talk about the grains group, seen as the orange triangle on the left side of the pyramid.
The grains group consists of breads, tortillas, rice, pasta, crackers, and cereals. They provide the essential nutrients carbohydrate, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, iron, magnesium, selenium, and fiber. When your body needs energy, it looks to carbohydrate as the initial food source so it is crucial that you incorporate carbohydrate rich foods into your diet. To reap the benefits from this group, we should make at least half of our grain servings from whole grains.
Why Whole Grains?
Whole grains have the entire germ, bran, and endosperm intact (see picture) and therefore contain more fiber than a refined grain which only contains the endosperm. Fiber is known to reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers; it also reduces cholesterol as well as helps with weight management and constipation. If you are finding yourself hungry minutes after eating, try adding more fiber from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to help combat hunger. Oatmeal, barley, rye, triticale, quinoa, amaranth, millet, and buckwheat are a few examples of whole grains.
What Is a Portion?
28 grams is equivalent to 1 oz or 1 grain serving
1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, or cooked cereal
1 cup cold cereal
1 slice bread
1 6” tortilla
5-6 crackers
How Many Grains Should I Eat?
For those following a 2000 calorie diet you should have at least 6 servings from the grains group each day, with 3 servings being from whole grain sources.
For other calorie levels, visit http://www.mypyramid.gov/ for more information.
Incorporating More Whole Grains
Substitute whole grain pasta, rice, breads, crackers and cereals. Brands such as Bob’s Red Mills and Kashi provide excellent whole grain options and can be found at most local grocery stores. When choosing your breads, look at the ingredient statement and be sure to choose those that read "whole" wheat as the first ingredient. When baking substitute half of your flour for whole wheat flour to increase your whole grain intake. For more tips, visit http://www.mypyramid.gov/.
