In the past era of lack of materials, people yearned to eat refined rice and white noodles; Now, the demand for staple foods has been upgraded to "eat nutritiously", and whole grains are increasingly appearing on the table.
Even so, mainland residents still have low levels of whole grain intake, and a recent study published in the Chinese Journal of Epidemiology shows that residents in all seven regions should increase their intake of whole grains, especially in the southwest.
Experts interviewed
Shi Wenli, deputy director of Beijing Boai Hospital of China Rehabilitation Research Center
Shi Jun, Ph.D. in Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Author of this article | Life Times reporter Bian Lei
This article is edited | Xu Wenting
Not eating enough whole grains affects blood sugar
This new study shows that in 2005~2018, the intake level of whole grains of mainland residents was low, even in 2018, the highest per capita intake, the average daily was only 23.51 grams, which did not meet the recommended standards of dietary guidelines.
Whole grain intake levels for people aged 20 years and older also have regional characteristics, with the highest in northern China at 47.4 grams per person per day in 2018 and the lowest in southwest China at only 6 grams.
In 2005~2018, the number of deaths of type 2 diabetes in mainland China due to insufficient intake of whole grains increased year by year, from 26,700 in 2005 to 41,000 in 2018, with an average annual growth rate of 4.1%.
Shi Wenli explained that the intake of whole grains can reduce the risk of death in people with type 2 diabetes in four ways.
Helps control blood sugar and blood lipids
Whole grains are rich in dietary fiber, which can be used by intestinal bacteria and are beneficial to blood sugar and blood lipids. Soluble dietary fiber can help patients control postprandial blood glucose by delaying sugar transport and absorption.
Increases insulin sensitivity
Adequate whole grains and grain fiber help patients control weight and increase insulin sensitivity. Insoluble dietary fiber has a rough structure, which can increase the number of chewings, improve satiety, and help control weight and blood sugar.
Reduces inflammatory response
Several studies have shown that chronic inflammation is an important factor in the development of type 2 diabetes and its complications. Whole grains may slow the development of diabetes by reducing inflammation.
Regulates intestinal flora
Whole grains reduce the risk of diabetes and progression by modulating the intestinal flora.
Which foods are whole grains
Depending on the degree of processing, grains can be divided into refined grains and whole grains.
Refined grains
After fine processing, white rice, white noodles, etc., mainly retain the endosperm part of the grain, eating too much and a single may lack vitamins, trace elements.
Whole grains
The structure of endosperm, germ, paste layer and husk of intact grains is retained, and can be complete grain grains (such as millet, rhubarb rice, various brown rice), or products that have been milled, crushed, pressed and other simple treatments (such as oatmeal, whole wheat flour).
Rich in micronutrients and physiologically active substances, such as dietary fiber, folic acid, vitamin E, phenolic compounds, lignin and plant sterols.
Some people believe that whole grains have a rough taste and a weak taste, and some people only eat some when they lose weight.
In May last year, Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center mainly targeted adults aged 20~39 to carry out a special survey on the cognitive status of whole grains, which included a total of 5259 valid questionnaires, including:
Only 24.6% of people can clearly explain what whole grains are;
◎ 95% of people do not have a comprehensive understanding of the nutritional value of whole grains;
Less than 15% of people know how much whole grain to eat each day.
The report also shows that 73% of people only judge whether it is a whole grain food by whether it is a whole grain food by whether it has the words "whole grain", "whole grain" and "dietary fiber" on the food package.
Many foods on the market are branded as whole grains, but they do not meet the requirements of whole grains: some are finely processed "whole grains", and some only add a small amount of whole grains to refined grains.
How to tell the difference between whole grain foods?
Take a look at the types of raw materials. Food raw materials should be whole grains such as brown rice, corn, black rice, oats, etc., or mainly whole grains.
Second, look at the content. If 100% of the food raw materials are whole grains, it must be whole grain food; If there are both whole grains and refined grains in the raw materials of the product, more than 51% of the whole grains in the raw materials must be called whole grain foods.
For example, the first place in the ingredient list is whole wheat flour, and the amount of whole wheat flour added ≥ 52%, which is a whole grain food.
Look at the food ingredients. If in addition to whole grains, more white sugar, vegetable fat and other ingredients are added to the ingredients, the health effect is far less good than the original or pure whole grain food, and it is not recommended to choose.
In addition, you can also look at the content of dietary fiber, and choose the same product as high as possible.
For example, A, B, C three kinds of whole wheat bread, their dietary fiber content is 6.6 g/100 g, 6.1 g/100 g, 4.8 g/100 g, from the perspective of dietary fiber supplementation, the priority order is as follows: A> B>C.
The taste is not good, how to increase the intake
Whole grains can promote the proliferation of beneficial bacteria in the large intestine and help reduce the risk of colon cancer, etc.; Among them, B vitamins are very important for the efficient work of the nervous system and full physical energy; It is helpful for blood lipid regulation, and also helps to lower blood pressure...
To develop a good habit of eating whole grains, choosing the right cooking method and managing the intake is key, and you need to pay attention to the following points.
1
Find the right way to cook
It usually needs to be soaked in water before cooking, such as brown rice, black rice, etc. should be soaked for 2~4 hours in advance before steaming. The cooking time should also be extended appropriately, for example, when cooking porridge with whole grains, it is best to cook it for half an hour longer than usual.
You can also use cooking utensils to improve the taste of whole grains, use a soy milk machine to make whole grain rice cereal, use a pressure cooker to cook eight treasure porridge, and use an electric steamer to steam corn, multigrain steamed buns, etc.
2
The amount of consumption should be reasonable
The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)" recommends that healthy adults consume 200~300 grams of cereals per day, including 50~150 grams of whole grains and miscellaneous legumes.
Staple food should pay attention to the thickness of the match, add an appropriate amount of whole grain to refined grain, the daily whole grain consumption accounts for 1/4~1/3 of the total staple food is appropriate.
It is recommended that at least one of the three meals a day contain whole grains and mixed legumes, and it is better if whole grains can be evenly combined into three meals.
3
From less to gradually increase
If the rough taste of whole grains is difficult to accept, it is recommended to gradually increase the proportion of whole grains in staple foods from less to more.
When you start adding whole grains, you can first choose some sticky whole grain foods, such as oats, rhubarb rice, etc., and then transition to some coarser and harder types, such as brown rice, or eat these two types of whole grains together.
4
Several types of people should eat less
Stomach problems, gastrointestinal ulcers, patients after gastrointestinal surgery, people with poor digestion, eating whole grains that are too rough may have discomfort and can be reduced in moderation. Elderly and children with gastrointestinal weakness should also be appropriately reduced. ▲
Editor of this issue: Wang Xiaoqing