Nutrition - grains

Give a few examples of what constitutes one serving of grains/cereals.

1 slice of wholegrain bread or ½ a roll ½ of cooked wholegrain rice ½ of cooked pasta, couscous or noodles ½ of porridge or ¼ muesli 2/3 of a cup of whole grain cereal or 2 weet bix 30g popcorn 3 crispbreads

what is phytic acid?

A natural constituent (1-3%) of grains, nuts, cereals and legumes. It it found in the bran (outer layer)

Describe the basic structure of a grain.

All grains have the same basic structure consisting of an outer bran layer, an endosperm and a germ

List the health benefits associated with the regular consumption of whole grains.

Bran and Germ together deliver fibre, vitamins B and E, Minerals of iron, zinc, phosphorus and magnesium. - antioxidants and phytonutrients - low in saturated fats and cholesterol free - helps to guard against heart disease, type 2 DM, some cancers and excessive weight gain

Name the grains/pseudograins that are gluten free.

Buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth

Why are buckwheat, amaranth and quinoa sometimes referred to as pseudograins?

Buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth are not from the Poaceae family. They are included in our study of grains because their nutritional profile is similar to the grains and they are prepared and used in a similar way in the diet. They are sometimes referred to as pseudo-grains or pseudo-cereals.

What is coeliac disease?

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease that occurs in people with a genetic susceptibility. The presence of gluten in the small intestine triggers an immune response that causes an inflammatory reaction to occur inside the lining of the small intestine. With continued exposure to gluten the inflammation causes flattening of the villi in the small intestine resulting in poor nutrient absorption. The prevalence of celiac disease is approximately 0.5-1.0% (i.e. 1 in every 100-200 people).

Why have Australian regulators introduced mandatory folic acid fortification of flour used for bread-making?

Due to public health need for folic acid in the healthy development of babies in early pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects.

Refined-

Examples of refined grains and grain products include white rice, white flour and biscuits. Refined grains and refined grain products usually have the bran and germ removed leaving only the endosperm. Refining can cause the loss of approximately 66% of the fibre, 92% of the selenium, 62% of the folate and up to 99.8% of the from the grains.

What is the main type of carbohydrate found in grains?

Grains are a rich source of carbohydrates, predominantly starch. Different grains contain differing proportions of amylose and amylopectin.

List the factors that influence the glycemic index of grains and grain products.

Grains generally have a high carbohydrate content and therefore have the potential to significantly affect blood glucose levels. The more amylose starch a food contains, the lower the GI; cooking and processing increase the GI; an intact fibrous coat lowers the GI; and the presence of soluble fibre lowers the GI. the glycemic load of a meal is more important than the glycemic index of a particular food and the glycemic load depends on the serving size. The glycemic load (GL) of a normal serving (250 g) of oat porridge is 9 whereas the GL of a normal serving (30 g) of cornflakes is 20.

Wheat

Includes Durham, sem

What is most of the world's barley crop used for?

It is mainly used to make beer.

What is the potential health concern for people consuming a diet high in phytic acid?

It reacts with minerals in the small intestine causing insoluble complexes causing less absorbtion of minerals

What is the limiting amino acid in grains generally?

Many grains are deficient in the amino acid lysine and need to be combined with legumes to ensure complete protein is obtained.

Which grain has the highest fat content?

Oats have the highest fat content of 8% contained in the endosperm and the germ. The fat is mostly unsaturated.

Which grain is used to produce semolina and couscous?

Semolina is made from wheat, mainly used for pasta and couscous. Couscous is made from semolina grains which are sprinkled with slightly salted water and rubbed to make tiny pellets which are steamed and then dried. Instant couscous is available in Australia which needs only 5 minutes soaking in hot water.

Which part of the grain contains most of the starch?

The endosperm contains the most starch and protein.

What are grains/cereals?

The term 'grains' (also called cereals) refers to the edible seeds of domesticated members of the Poaceae family and are commonly referred to as the cereal grasses. The major grains include wheat, rice and corn (maize), whereas the minor grains include oats, rye, barley, triticale, sorghum and millet.

What are lignans and which foods contain them?

They are phytochemicals present in flaxseed, but not in flax oil; but whole grain wheat, whole grain oats and rye meal are also good sources They are converted to phytosterols by intestinal bacteria and under study as a possible anticancer agent.

Name the grains that contain gluten.

Wheat including spelt and kamut, rye, barley, triticale and though cross contamination oats

Do buckwheat and quinoa contain reasonable quantities of the amino acid, lysine?

Yes, they do. In quinoa, it contains 15% protein

List the vitamins and minerals generally found in grains in reasonable amounts.

a good source of B vitamins; the germ is rich in vitamin E; they contain significant amounts of minerals, especially potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and zinc.

What is spelt?

and kamut are varieties of wheat (sometimes referred to as 'ancient' grains)

fortified

have nutrients added that were either not originally present in the whole grain or present in insignificant amounts. Fortification can be used to prevent or correct a nutrient deficiency in a specific population group. Grain products are frequently chosen as vehicles for fortification because they are popular foods consumed by most people.

Wholegrains -

products may be rich in fibre and all nutrients found in the original grains

Enriched -

products may have had some nutrients added - generally vitamins and minerals

wholegrain products

such as wholemeal flour and wholemeal pasta, are products made from milling the whole grain. Whole grains and whole grain products retain many nutrients and phytochemicals..

the addition to a food of nutrients

were either was not original present or present in insufficient amounts