Here we go again with the grains!
Today's local news paper ran an article on the importance of folic acid in our diets.
Folic acid (folate) is extreemly important for cell health. It's of particular importance during rapid cell production which occurs during fetal development, recovery from injury, and infant growth. I'd also like to include that stress causes extensive cell damage, and folic acid consumption would assist with the bolstering of quality cell production, in times of stress.
Today's local news paper ran an article on the importance of folic acid in our diets.
Folic acid (folate) is extreemly important for cell health. It's of particular importance during rapid cell production which occurs during fetal development, recovery from injury, and infant growth. I'd also like to include that stress causes extensive cell damage, and folic acid consumption would assist with the bolstering of quality cell production, in times of stress.
The article in the paper mentions grains as a source of folic acid, but fails to indicate any other foods that contain this important nutrient. This is deeply engrained-pardon the pun-ignorance that perpetuates the belief that people can't live without grains. This is a very sensitive topic for many people today, and when people are given half information such as in this article; it further entrenches the false beliefs. Many people plain and simply don't dig further for their information so they skim their information from popular-not necessarily very informative- sources that are convenient.
Let me say that there are far better sources from which to obtain folic acid other than whole grains. Spinach, romaine lettuce, and just about all leafy greens are a tremendous source. The great part about the greens is that they are also more favourable in as far as weight management goes. It doesn't stop there; green vegetables are nutrient dense foods, meaning that they posses nutritious elements that most other foods don't. They are full of; calcium, phytonutrients (essential plant compounds that are great for you), a whole plethora of vitamins, folic acid, fibre, they won't spike up your blood sugar, and have far less calories than grain products. Whole grains just can't compete with all that.
I think grains are a component in most of our society's favourite delicious foods, and that makes articles that support consumption of them so attractive. Hell, a few months ago there was a totally blown-out-of-proportion salmonella scare that involved spinach; nobody would touch the poor leafy green titan with a 10 foot pole. I wonder if people would respond with such fervour if the same scare involved grain. I could just hear the response, "What, avoid cereal, pasta, bread, and muffins; they must be mistaken!"
Let me say that there are far better sources from which to obtain folic acid other than whole grains. Spinach, romaine lettuce, and just about all leafy greens are a tremendous source. The great part about the greens is that they are also more favourable in as far as weight management goes. It doesn't stop there; green vegetables are nutrient dense foods, meaning that they posses nutritious elements that most other foods don't. They are full of; calcium, phytonutrients (essential plant compounds that are great for you), a whole plethora of vitamins, folic acid, fibre, they won't spike up your blood sugar, and have far less calories than grain products. Whole grains just can't compete with all that.
I think grains are a component in most of our society's favourite delicious foods, and that makes articles that support consumption of them so attractive. Hell, a few months ago there was a totally blown-out-of-proportion salmonella scare that involved spinach; nobody would touch the poor leafy green titan with a 10 foot pole. I wonder if people would respond with such fervour if the same scare involved grain. I could just hear the response, "What, avoid cereal, pasta, bread, and muffins; they must be mistaken!"
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