8 Whole Grain Foods That Lower Cholesterol Amaranth, Bulgur and Other Delicious Whole Grains

Substituting refined flour for whole grains in your diet brings a variety of health benefits, including lower cholesterol, reduced diabetes risk and better weight control. Do you think whole grains are just about sandwich bread? Find out what you’ve been missing... If amaranth and quinoa sound like the latest celebrity baby names, chances are you don’t know enough about some important foods that can help you be healthier: whole grains. Eating a diet rich in high-fiber whole grain foods can lower the risk of several chronic conditions, such as high cholesterol, heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes, according to various studies, including a 2007 research analysis of 285,000 people, published in Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases. “Fiber has a glowing list of health benefits, [and] most Americans’ diets are woefully deficient in this life-giving form of carbohydrate,” says Ann Kulze, M.D., a nutrition expert and author of Dr. Ann’s 10 Step Diet (Top Ten Wellness and Fitness). “Whether your goals are boosting heart health, improved weight control or lowering your risk of type 2 diabetes and colon cancer, fiber is an all-star, disease-fighting champion,” she says. Why are whole grains so healthful? They have all three parts of the grain in its natural state: the bran, a tough outer shell that contains most of the fiber; the germ, a concentrated source of nutrients; and the endosperm, which provides most of the grain’s bulk. Processed or “refined” grains, such as white flour or white rice, have had the bran and germ stripped away, leaving just the starchy endosperm. But whole grains retain all those nutrients and fiber. The USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that whole grains make up at least half of adults' grain consumption, up to three servings, or “ounce equivalents,” each day. (Think of an ounce equivalent as a slice of bread, one cup of ready-to-eat cereal flakes or a half-cup of cooked whole grains such as brown rice, bulgur or steel-cut oats.) It's easy to boost your whole grain consumption. You can swap white rice for brown rice, wild rice or bulgur (the wheat grain found in tabbouleh salad); add wild rice or barley to soups, stews, casseroles and salads; mix whole grains into ground meats; and use oats and bran instead of breadcrumbs in recipes. Most whole grains are simmered in liquid (water, broth or even milk) until tender. The larger and denser the grain, the longer it takes to cook. Even if convenience is a factor, you can still get whole grain health benefits. For example, when participants ate two servings of ready-to-eat oatmeal daily as part of a weight-loss program, they lowered their total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels, and slimmed down their waistlines, more so than those who ate lower-fiber foods, according to a 2010 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. The Whole Grains Council, a nonprofit advocacy group, suggests cooking large batches of whole grains such as quinoa, steel-cut oats, barley or brown rice and storing the leftovers in the refrigerator, where they’ll keep for 3-4 days. Then you can quickly warm them up and toss them into salads, vegetables or soups. Here are eight whole grain foods that will add nutrition, flavor and texture to your diet while helping to keep you healthy. Whole grain foods #1: Amaranth This ancient grain is high in B vitamins and minerals, says Patti Milligan, R.D., a Phoenix-area registered dietitian. It’s also a good source of essential amino acids – especially lysine, which helps the body absorb calcium and supports bone and connective tissue health, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, in Baltimore. A 1-cup serving of cooked amaranth has about 9 grams of protein. To cook: Use 2 cups liquid per 1 cup dry amaranth. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20-25 minutes. Each cup of cooked amaranth contains 251 calories, 4 grams of fat, 9 grams of protein, 5 grams of dietary fiber, 46 grams of carbohydrates, 15 mg of sodium and 0mg cholesterol. Whole grain foods #2: Brown rice Brown rice, which is unrefined (with the hull and germ intact), is low in fat and a good source of dietary fiber and protein. Unlike white rice, it has a chewy, hearty texture. “What’s really cool about it is the mineral and iron content,” Milligan says. “Women who still have a monthly cycle need to get other sources of iron aside from meats,” she adds. “Brown rice is a nice source of good, absorbable iron, and it has the B12 and C vitamins that help iron get absorbed.” Replacing white rice with brown rice and other whole grains can cut the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to an analysis of findings from the large-scale Health Professionals Follow-up Study and Nurses’ Health Study I and II, begun in 1976 and still continuing. Participants who ate two or more servings of brown rice each week had an 11% lower risk of diabetes than those who ate brown rice only once a month. To cook: Use 2-1/2 cups liquid per cup of rice. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 25-45 minutes. Each cup of cooked, long-grain brown rice contains 216 calories, 2 grams of fat, 5 grams of protein, 4 grams of dietary fiber, 45 grams of carbohydrates, 10 mg of sodium and no cholesterol. When temperature and moisture conditions are just right, brown rice grains sprout. Enzyme activity during sprouting makes the starchy endosperm more digestible to the growing plant - and to you. Sprouting also increases key nutrients in the grain, including vitamins B and C, folate and fiber. Because sprouted grains are higher in protein and fiber than other grain products, and lower on the glycemic index (meaning they burn more slowly and don’t spike blood sugar levels), they’re beneficial for people with diabetes and others watching their glycemic intake, according to a 2008 study published in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology. Sprouted brown rice cooks in 25 minutes, about half the time required for regular brown rice. Whole grain foods #3: Bulgur A Middle Eastern wheat product made from boiled, dried and cracked wheat kernels, bulgur is high in fiber and contains key vitamins and minerals, including niacin, thiamine, folate, iron, manganese and magnesium. Like pasta, it takes about 10 minutes to prepare. Its mild flavor and quick cooking time make it a good choice for whole grain novices. To cook: Use 2 cups liquid per cup of bulgur. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10-12 minutes or until al dente. Drain excess liquid. Alternatively, you can add boiling liquid to the bulgur, cover, and let stand for 20-30 minutes. Each cup of cooked bulgur contains 151 calories, 6 grams of protein, 8.2 grams of dietary fiber, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 9 mg of sodium and no fat or cholesterol. Whole grain foods #4: Rye Rye is actually grass raised as a grain, Milligan says. It has a distinctive flavor and supplies fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. Rye contains phytonutrients that help ease the symptoms of PMS, she says, especially mood swings, cravings and bloating. Because rye products can be low on the glycemic index, they’re especially healthful for diabetics. But keep in mind that commercial rye bread often contains more refined wheat flour than rye flour. Rye berries can be cooked like a grain. They’re high in protein, but have more than twice the calories of whole grains such as brown rice or oatmeal. To cook: Soak rye berries overnight, then cook (use 4 cups liquid per cup of rye berries) for 45-60 minutes. Each cup of cooked rye contains 566 calories, 4.2 grams of fat, 9 grams of protein, 25 grams of dietary fiber, 118 grams of carbohydrates, 10 mg of sodium and 450 mg of potassium. Whole grain foods #5: Quinoa Native to the Andes, quinoa (pronounced keenwah) is a little smaller than barley grains but packs a lot of protein. Cooked quinoa has 8 grams of protein per cup – 50%-100% more than most other whole grains. Milligan suggests eating it in the morning as a cereal, adding sun-dried tomatoes and basil for a salad at lunch, or adding it to smoothies at snack time. To cook: Quinoa cooks like rice. Use 2 cups liquid per cup of quinoa. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. To play up quinoa’s nutty flavor, toast it in a little oil before adding the liquid to the pan. Each cup of cooked quinoa contains 222 calories, 4 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein, 5 grams of dietary fiber, 39 grams of carbohydrates, 13 mg of sodium and no cholesterol. Whole grain foods #6: Steel-cut oats Oats are high in beta glucans – phytonutrients that help keep the immune system resilient and reduce LDL cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association. The steel-cut variety takes longer to cook, but it has a hearty, complex and chewy flavor that enthusiasts swear by. “Once you have steel-cut oats, I don’t think you’d go back to regular oats,” Milligan says. Besides eating steel-cut oats for breakfast, use them as a natural breading (combine uncooked oats with seasonings and spin them in a food processor) for fish or chicken, Milligan suggests. Steel-cut oats also make a nice risotto, she says. To cook: Use 4 cups liquid to 1 cup steel-cut oats. Bring to boil, and then simmer for 30 minutes. Each cup of cooked steel-cut oats contains 150 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 4 grams of protein, 3 grams of dietary fiber, 27 grams of carbohydrates and no sodium or cholesterol. Whole grain foods #7: Wheat berries These are the entire wheat kernel, except for the outer hull. They’re also known as cracked wheat. Wheat berries are rich in fiber and have a high amino acid content, Milligan says. They have a nutty flavor, crunchy texture and can be added to salads or made into bread. They can also be eaten as a side dish or breakfast cereal. To cook: Soak overnight, and then cook (using 4 cups liquid per cup of wheat berries) for an hour or until tender. Each cup of cooked wheat berries contains 180 calories, 1 gram of fat, 6 grams of protein, 6 grams of dietary fiber, 38 grams of carbohydrates, and no sodium or cholesterol. Whole grain foods #8: Wild rice This is actually the seed of an aquatic grass, grown mostly in the Great Lakes region, and is often mixed with rice varieties. It has more protein than brown rice. To cook: Use 3 cups liquid per 1 cup wild rice; bring to a boil, then simmer for 45-55 minutes. Each cup of cooked wild rice contains 165 calories, 1 gram of fat, 7 grams of protein, 3 grams of dietary fiber, 35 grams of carbohydrates, 5 mg of sodium and no cholesterol.