12 Steps to Whole Foods
Replacing White Flour with Whole Grains What Are the Whole Grains? Whole grains are plentiful and varied, and you can try any of these for positive effects on your fiber intake and overall diet: Rye 1 Barley 4 Spelt 2 Buckwheat 5 Kamut 3 Millet 6 Oats Quinoa 7 Corn and popcorn Sorghum Wheat and bulgur (cracked wheat) Amaranth 8 Brown rice and wild rice (many varieties of each) Emmer, farro, grano (lesser known grains) 248 12 Steps to Whole Foods © Copyright Robyn Openshaw
Replacing White Flour with Whole Grains How Do I Substitute Whole Grain for White Flour? If you have been using refined flour in baking, you could strategize shifting to whole grains by adding more and more whole-wheat flour and less and less white flour in your bread and recipes, over time. But if you want to quit buying white flour cold turkey, now that you know how utterly deficient in nutrition and even harmful it is, another way to transition to whole grains is to use soft white wheat, ground as finely as your grain grinder allows, for “pastry” flours (cakes, cookies, etc.). It’s very light, and I’ve noticed that children can’t tell the difference. It does not have the protective outer layer that hard white or hard red wheats have, though, so the hard wheats are best for long-term storage (they are also highest in protein and gluten). For bread, start by using hard white wheat, also ground finely. Once you are enjoying whole-grain breads, you can transition to substituting other grains like red wheat, Kamut, and spelt. I regularly substitute whole-wheat flour for white flour in cookie and cake recipes, in a 1:1 ratio, with good success. It’s easy, so don’t be afraid to give it a try in virtually anything calling for flour. What Are Phytates and How Do I Avoid Them? Getting off refined-grain products and onto whole grains is a great first step! But you need to learn about two things: first about phytates, and then about yeast. Phytates are natural, acidic chemical compounds in the bran of grains that some experts say bind to calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc, making those nutrients less bioavailable and potentially leading to deficiencies. So that we can absorb the nutrition of grains well in the gastrointestinal tract, grains should ideally be soaked in water, sprouted, or fermented to neutralize the phytic acid. This is easy to do and requires only a little planning ahead. You already learned about the power of lacto-fermentation in Chapter 8, with vegetables and milks. The way this works with grains is that enzymes and microorganisms break down starches, tannins, and proteins including gluten. Sally Fallon and Mary Enig, Ph.D., say in Nourishing Traditions that “virtually all pre-industrialized people soaked or fermented their grains before making them into porridge, breads, cakes and casseroles” (p. 452). 22 Modern culture has largely abandoned this practice, and Fallon and Enig say this represents a detriment to our health. That said, I do not believe (as Fallon does) that unsoaked grains pose a great risk to our health, and I believe much evidence exists that unsoaked grains have also been widely used by healthy populations. Jordan Rubin (The Maker’s Diet) claims that ancient peoples stacked damp grain in storage, thus neutralizing phytates. This makes no sense to me, since damp grain quickly becomes moldy grain. I personally have a very difficult time sprouting grains, as they mold quickly, even though I live in a dry climate. Nuts and seeds sprout well, and grains can be soaked for up to 24 hours—but beyond that, they are difficult to grow unless you put a great deal of effort into the perfect conditions. The phytate issue is fiercely contested in the nutrition world, with some believing that soaking grains is critical and others believing it’s unnecessary. I have studied compelling evidence on both sides, leading me to the recommendations that follow. © Copyright Robyn Openshaw 12 Steps to Whole Foods 249
- Page 219 and 220: Making Plant-Based Main Dishes © C
- Page 221 and 222: CHAPTER 7 Sprouting and Dehydrating
- Page 223 and 224: Sprouting and Dehydrating Note the
- Page 225 and 226: Sprouting and Dehydrating What Food
- Page 227 and 228: Sprouting and Dehydrating The Virtu
- Page 229 and 230: Sprouting and Dehydrating Your Jour
- Page 231 and 232: Sprouting and Dehydrating © Copyri
- Page 233 and 234: Sprouting and Dehydrating Cocoa Alm
- Page 235 and 236: Sprouting and Dehydrating Green Pes
- Page 237 and 238: Sprouting and Dehydrating © Copyri
- Page 239 and 240: Sprouting and Dehydrating KALE CHIP
- Page 241 and 242: Sprouting and Dehydrating OTHER REC
- Page 243 and 244: Sprouting and Dehydrating Roasted E
- Page 245 and 246: CHAPTER 8 Preserving Raw Foods with
- Page 247 and 248: Preserving Raw Foods with Natural P
- Page 249 and 250: Preserving Raw Foods with Natural P
- Page 251 and 252: Preserving Raw Foods with Natural P
- Page 253 and 254: Preserving Raw Foods with Natural P
- Page 255 and 256: Preserving Raw Foods with Natural P
- Page 257 and 258: Preserving Raw Foods with Natural P
- Page 259 and 260: Preserving Raw Foods with Natural P
- Page 261 and 262: Preserving Raw Foods with Natural P
- Page 263 and 264: Preserving Raw Foods with Natural P
- Page 265 and 266: Preserving Raw Foods with Natural P
- Page 267 and 268: CHAPTER 9 Replacing White Flour wit
- Page 269: Replacing White Flour with Whole Gr
- Page 273 and 274: Replacing White Flour with Whole Gr
- Page 275 and 276: Replacing White Flour with Whole Gr
- Page 277 and 278: Replacing White Flour with Whole Gr
- Page 279 and 280: Replacing White Flour with Whole Gr
- Page 281 and 282: Replacing White Flour with Whole Gr
- Page 283 and 284: Replacing White Flour with Whole Gr
- Page 285 and 286: Replacing White Flour with Whole Gr
- Page 287 and 288: Replacing White Flour with Whole Gr
- Page 289 and 290: Replacing White Flour with Whole Gr
- Page 291 and 292: Replacing White Flour with Whole Gr
- Page 293 and 294: Replacing White Flour with Whole Gr
- Page 295 and 296: Replacing White Flour with Whole Gr
- Page 297 and 298: CHAPTER 10 Starting Your Morning Of
- Page 299 and 300: Starting Your Morning Off Right In
- Page 301 and 302: Starting Your Morning Off Right Tho
- Page 303 and 304: Starting Your Morning Off Right fer
- Page 305 and 306: Starting Your Morning Off Right ©
- Page 307 and 308: Starting Your Morning Off Right Hot
- Page 309 and 310: Starting Your Morning Off Right Hig
- Page 311 and 312: Starting Your Morning Off Right Spr
- Page 313 and 314: Starting Your Morning Off Right Hig
- Page 315 and 316: Starting Your Morning Off Right Thr
- Page 317 and 318: Starting Your Morning Off Right ©
- Page 319 and 320: Starting Your Morning Off Right Chi
Replacing White Flour with <strong>Whole</strong> Grains<br />
What Are the <strong>Whole</strong> Grains?<br />
<strong>Whole</strong> grains are plentiful and varied, and you can try any of these for positive effects on your fiber intake and<br />
overall diet:<br />
Rye 1 Barley 4<br />
Spelt 2 Buckwheat 5<br />
Kamut 3 Millet 6<br />
Oats Quinoa 7<br />
Corn and popcorn<br />
Sorghum<br />
Wheat and bulgur (cracked wheat) Amaranth 8<br />
Brown rice and wild rice<br />
(many varieties of each)<br />
Emmer, farro, grano<br />
(lesser known grains)<br />
248 <strong>12</strong> <strong>Steps</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Whole</strong> <strong>Foods</strong><br />
© Copyright Robyn Openshaw