Feb 28 2009
Makanan Biji-Utuh: Bergizi dan Rendah Lemak
Apakah anda sedang mencari makanan bergizi dan berkadar lemak rendah? Makanan biji-utuh (whole grain foods) merupakan pilihan terbaik.
Apakah anda akan mengkonsumsi makanan biji-utuh lebih banyak jika makanan itu membantu menurunkan risiko penyakit jantung dan kanker? Tentu saja, bukan?.
Mary L. Meck Higgins, seorang professor di jurusan Ilmu Keluarga dan Konsumen, fakultas ekologi manusia, universitas Kansas (K-State Unibversity) menjelaskan dengan gamblang manfaat makanan biji-utuh. Berikut ini petikannya:
What Are Whole Grains?
Whole grain foods contain all three parts of the grain: the bran, the endosperm and germ.
• The outer bran layer is full of fiber, B vitamins, 50 to 80 percent of the grain’s minerals and other health-promoting plant substances called phytochemicals.
• The large endosperm portion is full of complex carbohydrates, protein, and smaller amounts of B vitamins.
• The third part is the germ, which is full of B vitamins, vitamin E, trace minerals, and healthful unsaturated fats, phytochemicals and antioxidants.
If all three parts of the grain are present in processed foods, they are considered whole grain. By comparison, refined grain foods contain only the endosperm. When the germ and bran portions are removed during milling, the nutrient content is reduced by 25 to 90 percent. Most refined grain foods are enriched with some of the nutrients lost in milling.
Phrases That Do Not Mean Whole Grain
People who want to start eating more whole grain foods are often unsure how to find them. The key is knowing which words to look for and which ones are not helpful.
• “100% wheat.” This phrase means that the only grain contained in the product is wheat. The food may not contain whole wheat.
• “Multigrain.” A word that means the product contains more than one kind of grain. The food may not contain whole grains, however.
• “Stone ground.” This term refers to grain that is coarsely ground and may contain the germ, but not the bran. Often, refined flour is the first ingredient, not whole grain flour.
• “Pumpernickel” is coarse, dark bread made with rye and wheat flours. In the United States, it usually does not contain mostly whole grain flours.
The Whole Grain Benefit
