What is a whole grain?

I thought it might be helpful to discuss the basics of whole grains. I think that phrase “whole grains” is thrown around a lot. We know they are “good” for us, but could we identify a whole grain, and what it’s made up of if we had to? How about why they are better than other types of grains? I’m not sure I could have answered specifically until recently.

A grain is actually a seed made up of three parts: the germ, the endosperm and the bran. A grain is considered whole if it still has all three of these parts intact.

The germ, is what will make the seed grow, if given the chance. Normally, we don’t think of our grains this way; but if they are whole, intact, and fresh enough, we can actually sprout them or plant them. The reason why you can soak grains overnight and unlock enzymes and phytic acid is because there is an active part (the germ) that lies dormant in a grain until it is given a warm, moist environment. The germ is the part that gives rise to the first tiny leaves and rootlets. It contains vitamins, oils and proteins. It is an especially important source of vitamin E.

The endosperm or starchy bulk of the grain is what nourishes the seedling during its early growth before its leaves have begun photosynthesis. It is made up of starch granules packed into tiny compartments, the walls of which are mostly protein. The parts that are left after a grain has been refined will generally come from this part of the seed.

The bran is the tough outer covering that protects the grain. It is composed of several layers and contains minerals, fiber, significant amounts of protein and also small amounts of certain vitamins. (It is usually a good source of b-vitamins) *


When you start to think about grains like this, it seems strange that we would eat them, without growing them and unlocking all the potential they carry for making more nutrients, vitamins and enzymes…but that of course gets into a lot of history of civilization etc. that far surpasses my knowledge on this topic. But it does start to make sense that some people only use sprouted grains. Ezekiel bread, for instance, is made from sprouted grains. Sprouted grains are easier to digest and contain more nutrients and enzymes than regular old dormant grains.


Why did grains like wheat start being refined?

1. It made them more palatable to people. Less things to chew, more “pure” taste, lighter colored, spongier bread.
2. Refined flour for instance is probably easier to digest, because it has less fiber and no phytic acid left.
3. It prolongs the shelf life. No vitamins or oils left, almost nothing left in it at all that could go bad!

I’m sure there were other reasons, but it would seem that those are the main ones. The biggest reason is probably the third one. Imagine all the things that you could do, all the products you could market, all the people you could feed if you had this food that didn’t go bad! And yet, the very reason it couldn’t go rancid is what makes it such an empty, non-nourishing food. The oils, the nutrients, they’re all gone! When it was discovered that perhaps people were starting to get sick because of missing vitamins in the flour, what was the solution? Enrich it!

So, start with a whole food, take everything out of it that might be nourishing and healthful,(and yes, perishable) then isolate a few of the nutrients we know for sure that we need, and throw those back in. Hmm, sounds like shoddy workmanship to me. We STILL don’t know all the nutrients, phyto-nutrients and other possible components that most whole foods contain. The more we study food, the more we find out that many whole foods in their natural state contain the perfect complement of nutrients, fats, carbohydrates and protein, but we have become so used to the taste and texture of stripped down, sugar-filled, refined foods, that we don’t want the whole stuff anymore.

Where does that leave us? We have become a nation that has access to plentiful amounts of food, but we’re starving. Our bodies are crying out for the nutrients that should have been there but aren’t. And each of these nutrients has specific jobs that they perform in our bodies. When we start consistently lacking many of them a whole host of problems become apparent. (I'm not going to speculate diseases, but this would be the part where I start listing them:)) As Ballentine puts it, each time we eat a food that has been stripped of one of its natural elements, we incur a nutrient debt. Our bodies digest the good parts that are left in the food, but are waiting for the nutrients that should have been there. And so, since we are still hungry, we eat more food that lacks all the components that our bodies need, and incur even more nutrient debt and so the cycle continues.

Even if we can’t cut out all the refined sugar or flour in our lives right away, what about adding one good thing? One whole, unprocessed food this very week. Maybe something we’ve never tried before. Maybe something we used to like, but haven’t had in years. Maybe something we used to hate, but need to try again.

Kale, beets, arugala, artichokes, avocadoes, quinoa, sprouted bread?

*(A lot of this information is from the excellent Diet & Nutrition, by Rudolph Ballentine)

Phytic Acid!

That exclamation mark is to encourage the fascination that I have with this new found problem/solution.

I recently learned that many grains have naturally occurring enzyme inhibitors, which make them much harder to digest, which means you don't get the nutrients from them that you thought you were getting.

In addition to that, Phytic acid, or Phytate, is also a naturally occurring substance in grains, seeds, nuts and legumes. It binds to minerals and then carries them out of your body through your bowels (yum!). This could mean that you are absorbing very little of the nutrient content of those nutrient packed whole foods!

Fortunately, simply soaking the grains in water overnight dissolves the enzyme inhibitor, and putting a small amount (approx 2 Tbl. per dry cup ) of whey, kefir, or yogurt (or in a pinch, lemon juice) breaks down the phytic acid.

Phytase (the "ase" ending indicates an enzyme ) is the enzyme that breaks down phytic acid, so that you can actually absorb more of those minerals, (iron, calcium, magnesium etc.) from your grains and legumes. From what I understand, the water combined with the acid (whey, kefir, yogurt) is what helps the phytase do its job. I'm not sure why this wouldn't occur in your stomach, perhaps it does, but to a much lesser degree. Apparently (see Amanda Rose and her research below) tests have shown the lack of absorption of these important minerals.

And the worst part is (after I had just discovered how amazing steel cut oats were as opposed to instant) oatmeal retains its phytic acid even after you go through this extra step! I got a lot of great information from Amanda Rose, and she recommends mixing some freshly ground wheat berries into the oatmeal before you start soaking, because wheat has high amounts of phytase to break down the phytic acid. You can enroll in a free email "course" (from Amanda Rose) about phytic acid HERE! It's been interesting, she sends an email everyday (I'm on day 16, not sure how long it goes) with just a few points on a topic related to phytic acid and health or cooking. I've started a Word document to combine them all, because I don't do well with daily emails :)

One easy way to get whey is to strain some plain (organic!) yogurt through cheesecloth or muslin. Then you can use the strained yogurt to make a dip! We like to put garlic and basil in it 'round here.

Practical details: Leave the grains and water on the counter, or even in a warm place overnight covered with a plate, or clear plastic wrap, as the warmth seems to be essential to this process.
With the grains you don't have to throw out the water afterwards, as the phytic acid has been broken down so will not bind anymore. One exception might be quinoa, as you do need to rinse it to get rid of that natural bitter flavor...we rinsed ours before we soaked and after. It's not clear to me whether or not minerals are lost if you do end up throwing out the water. A bonus to this extra step is that cooking times will be MUCH shorter.

Most of the info I've just given applies to grains(which I eat the most, so I was most interested in), but could be a bit different for seeds, nuts and legumes. In addition to Amanda Rose, the Nourishing Traditions cookbook, by Sally Fallon talks about why and how we should soak these things as does one of the the blogs I have listed to the right The Nourishing Gourmet. It's a wonderful blog with lots of great cooking ideas, and she bases a lot of her cooking philosophy on Nourishing Traditions.