Reduce Refined Flour |
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Apart from following this guideline in your own cooking, the other opportunity to do this is in your choice of bread. There are now numerous whole-grain and wholemeal varieties available, some with other healthy attractions like reduced salt. There has recently been some confusing discussion about choice of breads. Some experts have said that, within a balanced diet, it makes no difference whether you eat white or wholemeal bread. This is probably true, as it stands. If you already eat a balanced diet, your choice of bread probably doesn't matter. What it ignores is the potential for sensible bread choice to contribute to achieving your balanced diet. Just as you need to watch for sugar added to processed foods, you should also read the labels to keep an eye out for added refined flour, which is often used as a thickener. Preferably prepare your own food, thickening it with yoghurt or wholemeal flour. If that's not possible, choose an alternative processed food that doesn't contain refined flour and thicken it yourself. Food fiber generally comes from the outside of grains (like wheat or oat bran) or from the tougher, stringy parts of plants (called cellulose). Unfortunately, bran is usually removed from grains during the milling process and the fibrous part of fruit and vegetables is usually cut off during food processing and for most traditional Western recipes. This explains why our traditional Western diet has become so low in food fiber, with bad effects on our health. Although food fiber contains energy, it is virtually indigestible for humans and passes through your digestive system largely unchanged, except that most of it will absorb water on the way, increasing its volume. This means it can provide bulk in your food, which helps you to feel full after and between meals, without any additional kilojoules. It also gets your intestines working faster to push it through. There is growing evidence that by eating more fiber, we can aid weight loss and prevent a number of illnesses, including haemorrhoids, constipation, bowel diseases and cancer, and heart disease. Some fibers (found in rolled oats and beans) also help to lower your cholesterol level. Don't be fooled by claims that oat bran 'actively' lowers cholesterol levels. A report the New England Journal of Medicine found that men who had eaten 100 grams of oat bran a day for six weeks did indeed have lower cholesterol levels. However, much the same reduction occurred after eating low fiber wheat instead. Pectin (a starch found in fruit) also lowers your cholesterol level and helps your body to get rid of fat. Some diabetics, by eating high fiber diets, have been able to stop using drugs because of the helpful effects of their diet on their blood sugar levels. |
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