Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy

by Walter Willett

  Nutritional benefits: Cholesterol-free, with a tiny amount of healthy fat. Good source of protein, with decent amounts of iron, potassium, and magnesium. Excellent source of fiber: about 8 grams per 1/4 cup dry.

  Shopping tip: Pearl and instant barley are found in most supermarkets. Whole hulled barley, barley flakes, and barley grits can be found in specialty stores or ordered online.

  Brown Rice

  Brown rice gets its characteristic brown color and nutty flavor from the fact that the grain’s outer layer, the bran, is left on when the rice is harvested. It can be found in short, medium, or long grains, each of which has different uses. Brown basmati rice, a special type of long-grain brown rice, has a particularly nutty flavor and gives off a wonderful aroma as it cooks. Since it still contains the bran layer, which has small amounts of oil, brown rice is best used within a few weeks of purchase. Or keep it refrigerated in an airtight container.

  Cooking rating: Easy but time-consuming. Needs to simmer for forty to forty-five minutes.

  Nutritional benefits: Cholesterol-free with only a small amount of healthy mostly unsaturated fat. Twice as high in fiber as white rice; rich in vitamin E and other nutrients.

  Shopping tip: The quality and flavor of brown rice can vary by brand. Most supermarkets carry a variety of brown rices, including store brands and specialty blends. Several companies now market instant brown rice; it typically isn’t as flavorful as “regular” brown rice and tends to have a higher glycemic index.

  Buckwheat

  Buckwheat is one of several grain-like foods that isn’t technically a grain. It is actually a distant cousin of rhubarb. Buckwheat is typically roasted and then used either whole or ground. Whole or cracked buckwheat seeds (buckwheat groats), once they have been toasted, are sometimes called kasha. In eastern Europe, kasha is routinely used in cooking in much the same way that Americans use potatoes.

  Cooking rating: Very easy.

  Nutritional benefits: Buckwheat is not as stellar a source of fiber and nutrients as most whole grains, but it can be combined with other grains to make a healthy pilaf.

  Bulgur (Bulghur)

  This whole grain is actually a form of wheat. A staple in the eastern Mediterranean, bulgur (pronounced BUHL-guhr) is made by steaming or boiling kernels of wheat, called wheat berries, and then crushing them. Bulgur comes in fine, medium, or coarse grind, although the most common form is the medium grind. It can be made from either red wheat (dark brown grain) or white wheat (golden-brown grain). Bulgur can be used in everything from salads and soups to veggie burgers.

  Cooking rating: Very easy. Just add boiling water to the fine or medium grain and allow it to soak for twenty to thirty minutes or until tender. (Coarse-textured bulgur must be simmered instead of soaked.)

  Nutritional benefits: Cholesterol-free, high fiber (5 grams per 1/4 cup dry), and relatively high protein (4 grams per 1/4 cup dry).

  Shopping tip: Easy to find at most supermarkets.

  Corn

  This native American grain comes in many different packages. The most obvious is fresh corn on the cob. But the grain can be ground and dried and made into grits, cornmeal, flour, and pasta. The less it’s processed, the more flavor and nutrients it will contain.

  Cooking rating: Very easy.

  Cornmeal: Regular (degerminated) cornmeal is made by stripping dried corn kernels of their outer husk and the germ, which causes loss of nutrients. However, it is usually enriched with some of these lost nutrients. The grain is then ground into a fine, medium, or coarse texture. Polenta is made from a coarse-grain cornmeal. Finely ground cornmeal is called corn flour; masa harina is a type of corn flour used to make corn tortillas. Look for the stone-ground variety if possible, as it contains more nutrients than other varieties of cornmeal. Note that degerminated cornmeal is not whole grain.

  Hominy: Corn kernels that are soaked in a weak solution of lye. Since it’s degermed and hulled after soaking, hominy isn’t as nutritious as fresh corn, but it still contains fiber.

  Grits: This southern specialty is made from coarsely ground dried hominy.

  Nutritional benefits: Cholesterol-free and rich in fiber. A fair source of vitamin A (yellow corn only), with traces of iron and vitamin C.

  Shopping tip: Found in virtually every supermarket.

  Whole Wheat Couscous

  Couscous (pronounced KOOS-koos) is not technically a whole grain, but when this tiny, golden-colored pasta is made from whole-grain flour, it has quite a few nutritional benefits—not to mention a superfast cooking time.

  Cooking rating: Quick and easy. Since couscous is precooked, you’ll just need to combine it with water, bring the mixture to a boil, remove from the heat, and let stand, covered, for five minutes. If seasonings (salt, olive oil, herbs) are mixed into the water or the cooking liquid is flavored (chicken broth, tomato juice), the couscous will take on these flavors.

  Nutritional benefits: One cup of prepared whole wheat couscous has 2 grams of fiber; regular couscous has none. High in protein, with 8 grams per 1 cup cooked. Small amounts of iron.

  Shopping tip: Couscous can be found in many supermarkets.

  Flaxseed

  This tiny reddish-brown seed has a wonderfully nutty flavor that works well in baked goods. In fact, in many European countries, bakers routinely use this grain in everything from cookies and cakes to bread.

  Cooking rating: Very easy. Flaxseed has a tough outer coating that must be partly crushed or ground (in either a clean coffee grinder or blender) in order to unlock the nutritional benefits. The crushed seeds or ground meal can then be added to breads and muffins or used as a topping for yogurt or cereal. Left whole, the seeds pass through the body undigested.

  Nutritional benefits: Cholesterol-free. High in fiber and rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fats that help protect against heart disease and other chronic ills.

  Shopping tip: Although flaxseeds and ground flaxseed meal are starting to show up in many large supermarkets, the grain is still easier to find in specialty stores or online. Store whole seeds in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a year. Keep the ground seeds in the refrigerator for up to thirty days.

  Millet

  Yes, this is the same tiny yellow-gold grain that’s sold in the United States as bird food. But in other parts of the world, particularly in Africa and Asia, this crunchy, nutty-flavored grain is eaten by humans and highly prized for both its flavor and its strong nutritional profile. Most often cooked as a hot cereal, millet (pronounced MIHL-leht) can also be an ingredient in puddings (used like rice in rice pudding) or mixed into pilafs, pancakes (see the recipe for Multigrain Hotcakes with Warm Apple Syrup on page 309), soups, or stews.

  Cooking rating: Easy but time-consuming. To shorten the time, use a two-step process. First toast the grain in a heavy skillet for two to three minutes. Then place it in a saucepan (1 part grain to 2 parts water) and simmer for twenty-five to thirty minutes.

  Nutritional benefits: Cholesterol-free, with a tiny amount of healthy fat from the whole grain. Incredibly rich in thiamin and iron, providing 20 to 25 percent of the recommended requirement for these two nutrients. Millett also delivers significant amounts of protein, fiber, and potassium.

  Shopping tip: You probably won’t be able to find millet in a regular supermarket (except in the pet food aisle). But it’s easily purchased at specialty stores and online.

  Oats

  One of the world’s most popular grains—half of the farmland in Ireland and one-third in Scotland is devoted to growing it—oats are valued for their flavor, versatility, and medical prowess. The latter is due to the fact that oats are one of the top sources of soluble fiber, a type of fiber that can help lower blood cholesterol levels. Oats can be purchased as the whole grain—oat groats—or as processed oat flour, oat bran, and oatmeal.

  Cooking rating: Easy to very easy, depending on variety.

  Oatmeal: Made from whole-grain oats that have been husked or stripped of their outer coat. Some v
arieties of oatmeal are steamed and rolled flat (old-fashioned or quick-cooking rolled oats) before being thinly sliced. Others, like Scotch oats and Irish oatmeal, are simply sliced thin with steel blades.

  Rolled oats: Unless they’re the instant variety, rolled oats need to be simmered for about ten minutes. Instant varieties are precooked and dried to make cooking times shorter. Quick-cooking oats are more thinly sliced than old-fashioned rolled oats and cook in only three to five minutes.

  Steel-cut oats: Firmer and nuttier tasting than the steam-processed varieties, steel-cut oats make a creamier oatmeal but require a longer cooking time, up to forty minutes. If you like oatmeal for breakfast, a good idea is to make six or seven servings of steel-cut oats on a Saturday or Sunday morning. When cooled, spoon the oatmeal into single-serve containers and microwave as needed.

  Oat bran: The outer coating of the oat seed is high in fiber and many nutrients, including iron, potassium, and thiamin. Like wheat bran, this fiber can be added to baked goods or cereal.

  Oat groats: An excellent intact grain, these whole-oat kernels must be simmered for thirty-to forty-five minutes. The nutty-flavored groats can also be toasted and added to baked goods (see Whole Wheat Pizza Crust on page 337).

  Oat flour: Sold in many supermarkets, the flour made from husked oats can sometimes be highly refined, but most varieties are richer in fiber than white flour. While it works well in thickening sauces, oat flour lacks gluten, the protein that helps yeast breads rise. Small amounts of oat flour can be used in baked goods, but bread, pizza dough, or cake made with all oat flour will turn out poorly.

  Nutritional benefits: Cholesterol-free, with small amounts of healthy fat from the whole grain. Rich in soluble fiber. Steel-cut oats have a lower glycemic index than standard rolled oats.

  Shopping tip: Oatmeal, even the Irish steel-cut variety, is readily found in supermarkets. Oat bran and oat flour can be found in many larger supermarkets. But the more specialized products, like oat groats, are found mainly in specialty stores and online.

  Quinoa

  This South American “grain,” grown for generations in the Andes Mountains of Peru, has come stateside big time. And that’s good news. Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah), with its distinctively nutty flavor and pearly appearance, is quite the nutrition powerhouse. Fully cooked quinoa has an almost translucent quality except for the germ of the grain, which is visible as a white crescent.

  Cooking rating: Easy. Simmers for ten to fifteen minutes.

  Nutritional benefits: Has the distinction of being a complete protein. In other words, it is a “high-quality” protein comparable to the protein found in meat and eggs.

  Shopping tip: Available in many supermarkets.

  Rye

  Once referred to as “the grain of poverty,” rye is a hearty cereal grain that can grow just about anywhere. Poor soil, high altitudes, harsh climates—none of these seem to stop this grain from taking hold. In fact, rye first appeared as a weed that overran fields of wheat nearly 2,000 years ago. This grain is sold in several forms. The berries, which look like wheat berries and can be used like them, are available mainly in specialty stores and online. Rye flour, because it’s low in gluten (the protein that helps bread to rise), makes dense loaves of bread. It’s usually used in combination with a higher-protein flour like wheat or with gluten powder.

  Cooking rating: Easy but time-consuming. Simmers for thirty to forty minutes.

  Nutritional benefits: Lower in protein than wheat.

  Shopping tip: Look for the whole kernels or berries at specialty stores. A medium grind of rye flour is sold in many supermarkets. Dark rye flour or the more coarsely ground pumpernickel flour is usually available mainly at specialty stores or online.

  Spelt

  An ancient cousin to wheat, these large brown kernels look nearly identical to wheat berries (whole kernels of wheat) and, in fact, are pretty much interchangeable with wheat berries in recipes. Spelt, however, is slightly higher in protein than wheat and may be tolerated by people with wheat allergies. Either the berries or the flaked form of spelt can be used for hot cereal or in granola mixtures (see Apple Crunch Oatmeal on page 303). They’re also good cooked into soups, salads, and casseroles. Spelt flour can be used in place of wheat flour. See the cooking instructions for wheat berries.

  Triticale

  This slightly sweet hybrid of two other grains—wheat and rye—is found mainly in specialty stores. You can cook the whole berries, which look like wheat berries and can be used much the same way, or buy triticale (pronounced triht-ih-KAY-lee) flakes to use as cereal or for baking. Triticale flour, like the whole grain, is low in gluten, the protein that gives yeast breads their lift, so triticale flour is used in combination with wheat flour to make acceptably textured baked goods.

  Cooking rating: Easy but time-consuming. The whole berries must be simmered thirty to forty minutes.

  Nutritional benefits: Cholesterol-free, with a small amount of healthy fat from the whole grain. Higher in protein than wheat, but lower in gluten. (Rye is low in gluten, so this hybrid has some of its characteristics.)

  Shopping tip: Look for this grain in health or natural food stores.

  Wheat Berries

  These whole kernels of wheat contain all the goodness of the wheat grain. Wheat berries come in soft and hard varieties, but the soft and hard moniker has nothing to do with tenderness. The difference between the two varieties is gluten (protein) content. Soft wheat is low in gluten and is ground into pastry flour. Hard wheat is high in gluten and is ground into regular or hearty flours. Very nutty in flavor, cooked wheat berries make a wonderful breakfast cereal or a crunchy addition to breads and baked goods. They even make a chewy-crunchy substitute for pasta in cold salads.

  Cooking rating: Easy but time-consuming. Wheat berries must be simmered for thirty minutes or so. They can be toasted in the oven or in a dry skillet beforehand to shorten the cooking time.

  Nutritional benefits: Cholesterol-free and high in fiber; 16 percent of calories from protein. Small amounts of minerals, including iron and zinc.

  Shopping tip: Wheat berries can be found in specialty or whole-food grocery stores.

  Wild Rice

  Technically not a type of rice but the seed of an aquatic grass, this grain rates attention for its stellar fiber content, not to mention an intensely nutty flavor. Because it is so intense—and quite expensive—wild rice is often paired with milder-flavored grains (see Wild Rice–Quinoa Pilaf on page 365). Like its grain counterparts, wild rice is cholesterol-free and has a small amount of healthy fat. Quality can vary, with the more expensive brands typically having a larger percentage of well-shaped, uncrushed grains. Use more expensive varieties in dishes where appearance is important and less expensive ones in soups or stuffings. Steer clear of instant varieties: they may save you time but don’t look quite so appetizing.

  Cooking rating: Easy but time-consuming. Wild rice must be simmered for 40 to 45 minutes.

  Nutritional benefits: Wild rice contains more protein than brown rice. It’s a good source of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as phosphorus, zinc, and folate.

  Shopping tip: Wild rice can be found in specialty or whole-food grocery stores but is also showing up in mainstream grocery stores.

  Whole-Grain Cooking and Storage Tips

  Here are some general points to keep in mind when storing and cooking whole grains.

  • Soaking intact whole grains, either for just a few hours or overnight, helps reduce cooking time.

  • Toasting whole grains intensifies their nutty flavor. Toasting can also reduce the cooking time for some grains, including barley, spelt, wheat berries, and oat groats.

  • Cooking times aren’t carved in stone. Grains, like legumes, may cook faster or slower depending on how long they have been in storage. Just-harvested grains cook quicker than grains that have been stored for a long time. Tenderness is the best measure of doneness.

  • Store whole grains in airtight containers,
preferably in the refrigerator. All whole grains carry small amounts of natural oils, which can spoil quickly, particularly during hot weather.

  • Cooked whole grains will keep in the refrigerator for two to three days. They also freeze well. So you might want to consider simmering large batches of grains and packaging them for the freezer. That way you can pull them out and drop them in a soup, a casserole, or a salad without investing a lot of time in the kitchen.

  FILLING THE HEALTHY SHOPPING BAG

  Now that you’re committed to eating more whole grains, fresh produce, unsaturated fats, and healthy protein packages, chances are your shopping list has a few new additions. And you may have questions about where and how to find these foods. Will you need to make routine pilgrimages to specialty stores? How do organic foods fit into the overall picture? Which whole-food products taste best? These questions aren’t difficult to answer, but they do involve some individual preference.

  The organic issue, for example, has more to do with personal choice than nutrition. There is no evidence that organic produce, grains, or meat are nutritionally superior to produce and grains grown by traditional farming methods.1 The key difference is what other things they contain—or don’t contain—like pesticides and antibiotics. Organic foods come out on top in that category because they are grown without pesticides and antibiotics.

  If you decide to make a commitment to organic foods, keep in mind that these products are not always widely available. One of the best strategies is to consider locally grown produce. When you shop at a local farmers’ market, farm stand, or small supermarket that carries local produce, you’ll be rewarded by some of the best-tasting fruits and vegetables around, organic or not. Produce that is shipped from long distances may have lost some of its flavor or nutritional value because it can take many days to reach the supermarket. Locally grown fruits and vegetables, picked at the height of ripeness, have incredible flavors and nutrition profiles. So, rather than look for asparagus to make the Asparagus, Tofu, Shiitake, and Cashew Stir-Fry (page 336) in July when it’s out of season, find a vegetable that’s being harvested. Green beans are a summertime crop; they can make a nice stand-in for asparagus in the stir-fry recipe. Learn to cook with the seasons. You’ll be rewarded with fruits and vegetables that are at their flavor and nutritional peak.