Sharon Palmer, RDN, The Plant-Powered Dietitian™, [1] is an award-winning food and nutrition expert, journalist, and editor. She is author of The Plant-Powered Diet [2]: The Lifelong Eating Plan for Achieving Health, Beginning Today [2] (The Experiment, 2012) and Plant-Powered for Life: Eat Your Way to Lasting Health with 52 Simple Steps & 125 Delicious Recipes [3] (The Experiment, 2014). Sharon is also editor of Environmental Nutrition, nutrition editor of Today’s Dietitian, blogger for The Plant-Powered Blog [4], and publisher of her monthly The Plant-Powered Newsletter [1].
We are very excited that she is helping us gear up for tomorrow’s Whole Grain Sampling Day with today’s guest blog post. Below, she shares how whole grains can help you be both a healthy and thrifty eater.
Boosting whole grains in your diet is one of the easiest—and most economical—ways you can pump up your health. With every delicious bite, whole grains deliver fiber, plant protein, essential vitamins and minerals, and even antioxidant compounds. It’s no wonder a body of science shows that eating more whole grains can reduce the risk of the chronic disease killers of our time, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. A recent study [5] found that eating at least three servings of whole grains every day could lower the risk of cardiovascular disease-related death by 25%.
Looking for more benefits? Eating whole grains, such as whole wheat, oats, and brown rice doesn’t have to bite you in the wallet. Whole grains are easy to prepare, shelf-stable, and budget-friendly. And, not to mention, delicious. The chewy, nutty flavor of whole grains can add depth and intrigue to your favorite meals, such as soups, side-dishes, salads, casseroles, and breads.
Check out my Top 5 Ways to Boost your Diet with Whole Grains:
Try one of my favorite recipes for whole grains, Edamame Masala Brown Rice Basmati Bowl [6], and check out the video [7] for this recipe below.
Sharon Palmer, Oldways nutrition consultant and Oldways Vegetarian Network advisor
Links
[1] http://www.sharonpalmer.com
[2] http://www.sharonpalmer.com/book.php
[3] http://sharonpalmer.com/book.php
[4] http://www.sharonpalmer.com/blog.php
[5] http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/133/24/2370
[6] http://sharonpalmer.com/edamame-masala-brown-basmati-rice-bowl/
[7] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0tJrGmIckg&t=7s