People tend to say that carbs are the worst thing for a diet, but this is certainly not the case. Just see here! Certain carbs like healthy whole grains are not only good for your diet, but they are also necessary. It’s even recommended that you should have six 1 ounce servings in our diet of grains each day.
Grains are the good carbs, so you should be trying to get more of them into your diet. But what healthy whole grains should you be trying? Here are 6 suggestions for you!
Oats
One of the first things that come to mind when you think about healthy grains is oats. Oats are versatile and can be used in a variety of meals – you can even use them to make pancakes if you put them into the blender! Oats are good for you for lots of reasons – they’re full of antioxidants that are good for your heart, they’re high in fiber and they are great for reducing cholesterol levels.
Barley
Barley is another fantastic whole grain to incorporate into your diet. One of the best things about barley is that it’s great for reducing cholesterol levels. It’s also great for digestion and some people find that it even aids in weight loss. Barley can be used in a lot of different meals, or you can add things to it like dried apricots or raisins. Of course, you will need to make sure that you are using healthy whole grain barley rather than pearled barley. The good bits of the barley are often removed when it’s pearled making it less nutritious.
Buckwheat
For people with celiac disease, it can be a challenge to find healthy whole grains that you can actually eat. Thankfully, buckwheat is one of those healthy whole grains that is more tolerable for people that suffer from celiac disease. Likewise, buckwheat also contains magnesium which comes with a number of benefits such as improving your nerve function. It’s also good for your brain!
Brown Rice
Rice is the staple of many dishes, but the white rice that we usually eat isn’t the best choice for our bodies. Brown rice is a healthy whole grains though, so if you can make the switch to brown rice then you definitely should. Brown rice contains lots of antioxidants and vitamins that are important for your physical health. There are a lot of varieties of brown rice to choose from too such as jasmine and basmati. If you aren’t fond of the taste of brown rice, then you can add more seasoning to it or create a healthy stock to make it taste better. With that in mind though, brown rice can also taste quite delicious on its own! You can’t go wrong with some brown rice.
Corn
Corn is a well loved grain. It’s sweet, it’s crunchy and it tastes so good with butter. It has the juice – we can’t imagine a more beautiful thing! Corn also comes with a number of health benefits. For instance, it contains a lot of B vitamins, phosphorus and magnesium. It’s also said that consuming it can help to reduce your chances of getting illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.
Corn can be eaten in a number of dishes. You can have it as a side dish alongside your main meal, or you can have it as popcorn. Corn could easily be a breakfast, dinner and dessert if you wanted it to be!
Quinoa
Quinoa is a form of seed that is also a healthy whole grain. This food is delicious with a slightly nutty taste that goes well with pretty much any meal. It contains a large amount of protein which is especially useful if you like to lift weights or do strength based activities. It doesn’t require much preparation too so it can be added to a lunch in advance.
Not only that but quinoa is also high in omega 3 fatty acids which are important for your physical health. Quinoa is a gluten free whole grain and it certainly adds a lot of color to a dish, since it comes in so many varieties. This versatile grain is one that you will soon want to be adding to all of your meals.
Conclusion
There are a lot of healthy whole grains out there, and many of them are versatile so you can add them to different dishes. You should give these a try – we’re sure that you won’t be disappointed! Plus, the health benefits are definitely worth it.
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Hi there! I’m a food enthusiast and journalist, and I have a real passion for food that goes beyond the kitchen. I love my dream job and I’m lucky enough to be able to share my knowledge with readers of several large media outlets. My specialty is writing engaging food-related content, and I take pride in being able to connect with my audience. I’m known for my creativity in the kitchen, and I’m confident that I can be the perfect guide for anyone looking to take their culinary journey to the next level.
