FACT SHEET: WHOLE GRAINS
Grains are edible seeds, most of which are members of the grass family. They are the most complex and highly evolved members of the plant species. Grains are nutritious, sweet and help build body mass. Along with legumes they are the only foods that contain all the major nutrient groups needed by the body: carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber.
AMARANTH - Domesticated more than five thousand years ago in Mexico, it was once the sacred food of the Aztecs. Amaranth is higher than milk in protein and calcium. It is a cooling, astringent food, beneficial to congested lungs and helps control bleeding. Expect a wild and woolly flavor when cooking this GLUTEN FREE grain. Mix a few tablespoons with other grains or use as a thickener for soups and stews. It is also tasty popped.
BARLEY - Along with wheat, barley is the world’s oldest cereal crop, originating in SW Asia around 8500 BC. Barley strengthens the spleen-pancreas and regulates the stomach. It stimulates the appetite, strengthens the intestines and blood and benefits the gallbladder and nerves. It has been known to help in the reduction of tumors. It is the most acidic grain and is made more alkaline and flavorful by roasting prior to cooking. Pearled barley, which is the most commonly available, has had its bran polished off, therefore has lost its fiber. Natural food store barley has usually undergone less pearling than that found in regular markets.
BUCKWHEAT - A rhubarb relative, buckwheat originated in Siberia and Manchuria. Of all the grains, it has the longest transit time in the gut and is therefore the most filling and stabilizing for blood sugar. It is GLUTEN FREE and a good blood and blood vessel builder. It increases circulation to the hands and feet, and contains rutin which is an antidote against X rays and other forms of radiation. Buckwheat has the highest proportion in it of all 8 amino acids and contains almost the entire range of the B-complex vitamins. Buckwheat that is factory toasted to a deep amber is called kasha.
MILLET - or Proso, seems to have been brought overland by the Mongols into the Middle East. It is a cooling grain good for healing gastrointestinal irregularities. It is the preferred grain in the treatment of blood sugar imbalances and for relieving thrush. It is GLUTEN FREE, has the highest iron content, rich in phosphorus and B vitamins. Due to its high alkaline ash content, it is the easiest grain to digest. It has a mild nutty flavor and is eaten alone or with other grains.
OATS - A native to N Central Asia. Oats improve resistance to stress, soothe the nervous and digestive systems, regulate the thyroid, reduce cigarette cravings and cholesterol. Oats contain the highest percentage of sodium and unsaturated fat making them good for increasing stamina and warmth. Steel cut oats are oat groats that have been cut into two or three pieces (also known as Scottish or Irish oats). Rolled oats are groats pressed between rollers to create flakes.
QUINOA - A native to the high valleys of the Andes, this GLUTEN FREE grain was revered by the Incas as their mother grain. It is a high-energy, easily digestible grain. It is an ideal endurance and fitness food, strengthening to the kidneys and heart. It is a complete protein and has the highest protein of any grain. Wash quinoa well in a strainer before cooking to remove the bitter saponin that coats it.
RICE - The staple food for more than half the world’s population. Rice generates energy and promotes good digestion. It relieves thirst and mental depression and is GLUTEN FREE. Due to its increased refining, white rice digests more quickly than brown. Brown rice is the highest of all grains in B vitamins. Short grain brown rice contains less proteins but more minerals. Sweet rice is more warming, higher in protein and more easily digested than regular rice.
WHEAT - The common ancestor of wheat is einkorn, first cultivated over 9 thousand years ago in what is now Iraq. Wheat nurtures the heart, calms and focuses the mind. It supports the spleen-pancreas, liver and kidneys. Highly refined and chemically tainted it is now a source of major food allergies. Organic heirloom varieties with little to no allergens are kamut and spelt. Hard wheat is used mostly for making breads (sprouted it is known as wheatgrass). Durum wheat is made primarily into pasta. Semolina is refined, white, durum flour.
COOKING CHART: WHOLE GRAINS
Grain
(1 cup) |
Water
(in cups) |
Time
(in minutes) |
Yield
(in cups) |
| Amaranth |
1.5 |
20 |
2 |
| Barley (pearled) |
2.5 |
40 |
3.5 |
| Barley (whole) |
3 |
60 |
3.5 |
| Buckwheat |
2 |
12 |
3.5 |
| Bulgar (medium) |
2 |
20 |
3 |
| Millet |
2.25 |
20 |
4 |
| Oats (rolled) |
2 |
15 |
2.5 |
| Oats (steel cut) |
3 |
25 |
2.5 |
| Quinoa |
2 |
15 |
3 |
| Rice (brown sweet) |
1.5 |
40 |
3.25 |
| Rice (long brown) |
2.25 |
45 |
3.5 |
| Rice (long white) |
2 |
20 |
3 |
| Rye |
2.25 |
60 |
3.25 |
| Wheat Berries |
2.5 |
60 |
2.5 |
| Wild Rice (cultivated) |
2.5 |
60 |
3.5 |
| Wild Rice (wild) |
1.75 |
45 |
3.5 |
Combine grain with water in a heavy pot. Add a ½ to 1 tsp of salt for each cup of grain. Bring grain to a boil, cover the pot, reduce the heat, and simmer, without stirring, until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and allow grains to stand for ten minutes before serving.
A pressure cooker is a great time saver when cooking grains. If using a cooker reduce the water level by two tablespoons and the cooking time by five or ten minutes, or until the steam escaping from the valve smells aromatic.
Compliments of Blue Planet Co-op
846 Anastasia Blvd, Lighthouse Plaza
St. Augustine, Fl 32080
904-819-5888
www.blueplanetco-op.com |
