CARBS CARBS CARBS

As promised, I'd hit on a female favorite for my next post. Now the title is a bit misleading, but I figured it would get your attention. Was I right?

This post is really about Grains. Grains have a bad reputation of sort right now. Everyone and their brother (it seems) have suddenly developed gluten intolerances (not Celiac's disease), and the rest of the world is "cutting out carbs" to lose weight. I'll say it now to get it over with: I'm a cheerleader for grains. Not all grains have gluten in them, and if you actually did cut out all carbs, you'd likely be dead. So there's that!

So grains. Grains are any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain. The products we are most familiar with are breads, pastas, tortillas, oatmeal, and breakfast cereals. There are two types: Whole Grains and Refined Grains. Whole grains have more of nutritional benefit to them as they are exactly what they say, whole grains. Refined grains (white grains) have had the germ and bran removed, which house dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. Therefore, whole grains are usually a more nutritionally sound option when you have the choice. 

There are many benefits to eating grains. They are packed with B vitamins and minerals that your body needs to function properly. Whole grains can help reduce the risk of heart disease, and can even help with weight management (go figure).

According to the USDA, the amount of grains you need varies with age and gender. However, you should make half of your grains whole grains, and make them 1/4 of your plate. Now, I know that whole grains aren't always the tastiest of things, but try different products until you can settle on some you like. I've converted my husband into a whole grain eater, and I honestly don't even know if he's even noticed.

When it comes to meal building, I focus on making sure there is a carb involved. You may not know this but carbs are very important for your body. Carbohydrates turn into glucose in your cells, which is what fuels most all processes in your body. So cutting out carbs is like never filling your car up with gas and expecting it to run. But grains are not the only carbohydrate source, dairy and fruits are also considered carb sources. I tend to be liberal with this when counting the carbohydrate source in my meals.

For example, if I am making a soup, I will count the cheese and milk base as my carb source, and the protein for the meal. This means I don't have a grain in every meal, but if I worry about it, a piece of whole grain bread with an olive oil spread fixes that pretty quickly.

Grains are great. They can really bulk up a meal, which can make you feel more full, which can save in cost of the meal, which is the goal right? Also, grains are usually pretty cost effective.

Okay, these posts are pretty boring...I'm sorry. There are 2 parts left to cover (I'm combining 2 into 1 to save time), then I'll get into more exciting things. I might post a recipe here soon to break up the boring!