[LifeStyle] HOW TO BECOME INTEGRAL WITHOUT SUFFERING

[#Steeven.™]

In the manual of the perfect human being there are mandatory rules, such as the importance of reading, the need to recycle and the commitment to very healthy whole grains. We all know the theory, but then comes the practice. No matter how many times we hear the truth, it is useless if we do not internalize it, and consequently we integrate it into our routine. It is time to eat well and change those eating habits that do not require too much effort: let's see how ‘integralism’ - the real thing, which is also a babbler - can change your life without suffering.
Is this about buying whole grain rye loaves instead of white bars? It is a bit more complex. The difference between a refined flour and a whole grain one is that the first one has undergone a process during which the bran is removed, thus dispense with the high fiber content, as well as other antioxidants and vitamins. The reason? The products become less perishable, they are easier to cook and are adapted to the tastes or aesthetics of the market. However, nutritionists warn that fiber consumption is insufficient in the Spanish diet. According to data from the White Book on Nutrition in Spain (2013), if the recommended intake is 25 to 30 grams per day, we rarely reach 12.5 grams.

We spoke with dietitians to understand why whole grains, with their original germ, are beneficial to our health. Juan Revenga, Elisa Escorihuela, Aitor Sánchez or Rosa del Toro are willing to explain it. "Unlike refined grains, whole grains contain polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, zinc, and selenium, mainly fiber," explains Escorihuela. "Fiber has multiple beneficial effects, since it reduces the incidence of diabetes, lowers cholesterol levels and regulates intestinal transit, in addition to providing the effect of satiety that helps us lose weight," he continues. "In addition, low-fiber diets also alter the composition of our microbiota, which are the bacteria in the intestine responsible for digestion and defense against microorganisms," Del Toro adds.

In Sánchez's words, whole grains are better for our health "because they are a more complete food, which also triggers a slower absorption of nutrients." Now that you know why, we are going to offer you up to 10 practical tips to go from refined flours and accept the grain of brown rice, even if it takes your life to cook it. All in charge of dietitians-nutritionists, experts in the products -bread, rice, pasta- and friends of this medium who, after converting, were happy and ate better.

 

LONG LIVE THE KIND CHANGES

1) Head over to porridge for breakfast

The coordinator and editor of El Comidista, Mònica Escudero, is convinced of the benefits of whole grain products from first thing in the morning, which is why she proposes a change that is as simple as it is effective in the daily diet. "Almost all breakfast cereals have sugar, but thanks to porridge or oatmeal you have a comprehensive alternative," he recommends. Not only that, she also offers us her recipe. “For the quicker version, soak the oats in milk or vegetable drink overnight, and in the morning, heat them. You can finish with fruits, such as banana, strawberry, pineapple, grapes, cherries or whatever the season offers. Even some dried fruit, dehydrated fruit, toasted coconut or grated chocolate (with a high percentage of cocoa) ”, he details. If the sweet version does not win you over, try the savory recipes, made from chicken broth, different vegetables or poached egg. Here are a few.

2) Foresight, friend

This begins with going to the supermarket with clear ideas. "Only by changing refined foods from before for the same in their integral version, we can make traditional recipes in a healthy way", Elisa Escorihuela returns to the load. The professional believes that nowadays, in any commercial area, you can find any product in a comprehensive format. "I would start by substituting pasta, bread and rice, which are the basics, although they should always be combined with vegetables and fruits in the diet," she recalls.

3) Cook vegetables with rice (not rice with vegetables)

"It is very good to bet on whole grains over refined ones, but the real struggle is to increase the consumption of vegetables and other fresh ones", insists, forcefully, Juan Revenga. That is, yes to look for fiber, but knowing that it is not only in bread or rice. There are other healthier alternatives, such as legumes -beans, beans, lentils ... - or vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower or spinach, which should star in our menus. "That thing about making vegetables with rice, instead of rice with vegetables," he says. Therefore, when composing your plate, make sure that the green proportions exceed the brown ones. Aitor Sánchez agrees, who considers that we already eat enough carbohydrates, especially for a sedentary lifestyle. "For this reason, my recommendation would be to reduce, and once done, replace the refined with integral ones," he says. A good idea could be to select those intakes that we do not want to give up. "For example, if we have toast daily, it is a priority that it is integral, but if you have paella once a month, do not be so cenutrio", he says.

4) Look at the labeling

Going whole is as simple as buying whole grains and other derivatives that are produced from their flours. It seems obvious right? Well, for a long time it has not been easy to practice it, since European and Spanish regulations have made it possible to label certain foods made with refined flour as 'whole', with a variable proportion of bran added later. It has even been played to the confusion, speaking of "high fiber content". The new bread law, which came into force last July, has meant a substantial improvement in this regard. It includes stricter requirements to consider that a bar is integral, since it requires that 100% of the flour used be of this type, and places it in the category of 'common bread', which allows reducing the VAT from 10% to the 4%. "In the rest of the cases, it is essential to read the labels to know the true percentage of whole wheat flour", recalls Rosa del Toro.

5) Beware of the halo of ‘integralism’

Juan Revenga fears that the word "integral" could act as a false shield. "Bread is still a regular food at a nutritional level, but if we invest it with that protective halo of‘ comprehensiveness ’, it seems that we can exceed its consumption," he criticizes. And he gives as an example a study among university students, asked about what had fewer calories, a hamburger or a hamburger with salad. For whatever, the second option won. Along the same lines, Elisa Escorihuela invites us to mistrust those products that are sold as integral without any need. Because a sea bass is not considered whole, but it is very healthy; but a sponge cake can be integral, and therefore not recommended. “I am not a fan of cookies, cereals and other types of pastries that, with the claim‘ integral ’, appeal to health. Even containing wholemeal flours, the composition can - and also usually - include sugars or fats that are not recommended ”, he warns.

6) Special vote on rye

Let's go to the baking. Whole wheat flour is the great forgotten in certain cultures, including ours, despite the fact that in Northern Europe it has always been valued. Iban Yarza, sage of bread, believes that the preference is not merely nutritional, "but because of its incredible flavor, juiciness and aroma." “Just as a vintner wants to convey the flavor of the terroir where the grapes are grown, the baker wants to tell about everything that the land contributes to the cereal. The flavor of whole wheat bread is deep, malty, woody, caramelized, with deep notes that fascinate us in other products ”, he describes. If it is made well (it is not a brick), respecting ingredients and times, it allows us to appreciate the differences between varieties of cereal, such as different types of wheat. However, Yarza's favorite is still rye. "It is little known, but if you are looking for fiber, a white rye flour, which is not usually really white, has more than whole wheat," he says, according to data from the National Center for Technology and Food Safety.

7) patience with rice

We spoke with Edu Torres, fourth generation of the Valencian company Molino Roca, where they do not manufacture wholegrain rice for their customers - they go to haute cuisine - but they polish the grain to 45% to maintain some of the benefits of the bran. He admits that brown rice is "rich in selenium, a mineral with powerful antioxidant effects, as well as providing many vitamins." But he acknowledges that he encounters difficulties in the market, "because it is less attractive at first glance, it is harder to chew and has a very marked cereal flavor". Then there are the cooking times, which take longer (from 2 to 5 more minutes). Knowing that it requires patience, Elisa Escorihuela offers a trick. "Those who are afraid to use brown rice because it takes longer to cook, can precook to reduce cooking times," he advises.

😎 Make your own dough

If you live in a remote mountain town, with very little access to grocery stores, or if you are simply an inveterate chef, who cannot renounce to show off your virtuosity to your guests, why not prepare your own whole-grain doughs? You may not find a pizza base with spelled flour in the supermarket, but nothing prevents you from making it at home to taste. It is one of the recommendations of Rosa del Toro, who warns that wholemeal flours "are more complicated to work with, since the amount of protein (12%) is higher than in refined ones (9%)", but encourages that experiment with the flavors of the cereals and combine them with each other. What is the perfect recipe? "The pizzaiolos say that 500 gr of flour, 250 of water, 25 of oil and 10 of yeast", he details. Also, once kneaded, you can freeze it for other occasions.

9) The sweets, in brown

Iban Yarza defends that whole wheat flours, in sweet recipes, are incredibly good, "since many of the flavors, starting with that brown touch of cereal, manage to balance the result." From biscuits to pancakes to humble stale bread pudding, "everything benefits from the whole notes and dense texture these flours provide," he says. In no case does this mean that cakes become healthier because they are made in a whole format, because as Juan Revenga recalls, “healthy pastries are still an oxymoron”. The dietitian finds few differences between some homemade cookies and others bought, "since love and affection are not listed on the nutrition market." But if you are clear that you are sinning, and you consume those sweets very from time to time, it is better that they contain whole grain flours to benefit from the fiber.

10) Put (very few) red lines

If you like whole grains, and you already usually consume this rice in stews, you use buckwheat in stews, you buy 100% whole wheat rye bread, but you can't get yourself to like whole wheat pasta ... don't torture yourself. “If there is only one thing you like refined, and it is consumed sporadically, like a pasta dish, eat it and enjoy. You have many other daily occasions to consume whole grains without suffering ”, Mònica Escudero forgives. In truth, we have not come to this world to punish ourselves, least of all for food. “I also tell you that, if you got a whole grain pasta mania years ago, give it another chance: it was my red line, but between the one produced now and the one from years ago there is an incredible improvement in flavor and, above all, in texture ”, he assures.