Cooked grains have been a food staple for over 5000 years.

Whole grains or foods made from them contain all the essential parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed. Their health effects have been evident for centuries. Indeed, when Hippocrates, the father of medicine, wrote “Let food by thy medicine and let medicine be thy food,” he was talking in part of the “medicinal” benefits to be found grains.

In an article published in Nutrition Research Reviews, University of Minnesota food scientist Dr. Joanne Slavin noted a slew of them. Said Dr. Slavin: “Studies find that whole-grain intake is protective against cancer, CVD [cardiovascular disease], diabetes and obesity… Whole grains are rich in nutrients and phytochemicals with known health benefits. Whole grains have high concentrations of dietary fiber, resistant starch [easy-to-digest starch], and oligosaccharides [easy-to-digest plant sugars]. Whole grains are rich in antioxidants, including trace minerals and phenolic compounds and these compounds have been linked to disease prevention. Other protective compounds in whole grains include phytate, phyto-oestrogens such as lignan, plant stanols and sterols and vitamins and minerals. Published whole-grain feeding studies report improvements in biomarkers with whole-grain consumption, such as weight loss, blood-lipid improvement, and antioxidant protection…[and] it is well known that dietary fiber from grains such as wheat and oats increases stool weight and speeds transit.”

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