Eating grains, especially whole grains can be a healthy and an important decision in our lives. By eating grains and whole grains, you can prevent and control certain diseases. The diseases that can be prevented include heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Eating them can also lower cholesterol and keep it under control. Here are the main health benefits of getting grains in your diet daily. This guide will discuss types of grains, benefits of grains and how grains can be used in daily life. For those who are considering using grains as part of a food emergency stockpile plan, this guide will touch on how to do that as well.
Health Benefits
Besides preventing certain diseases such as heart disease and cancer, getting grains in your diet can also reduce the risk of getting constipated because of its fiber content. Not only this but grains can help us lose weight and keep control of our weight. They are also good for your baby if you are pregnant and can even be good for eating when trying to get pregnant.
Nutrients of Grains
When eating grains, you will receive the important nutrients in your diet you need. They include B vitamins, fiber and certain minerals like iron, selenium and magnesium.
Grains can help with metabolism because of the B vitamins they have in them. The B vitamins included in grains include Niacin, Riboflavin and Thiamin. B vitamins are also good for a healthy immune system and can also help with a healthy nervous system.
The folic acid in grains can help form red blood cells. Folic acid is also good for women who are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or those who are nursing their newborns. This is because folic acid helps reduce birth defects, tube defects and spina bifida during the baby's development.
Whole and refined grains are high in iron content and iron is good for women who are at child bearing age. This is because they usually develop anemia when they become teenagers and are able to carry babies. Iron is good for you because it carries oxygen to the blood. Eating grains is a good idea because of the iron content in them.
Whole grains are also a good source of selenium and magnesium. These minerals are essential for building your bones, releasing energy from muscles and they are also good to help improve the immune system.
Other Health Benefits
Consuming grains can also prevent tooth loss and help prevent gum disease. Grains can reduce the risk of asthma. They can also reduce the risk of having a stroke by 30%.
Tip
It is also important to remember that eating grains alone will not make you a healthier person. You also need to incorporate the other food groups into your diet daily to make for a healthier life. Just make sure to get grains in your diet in at least 6 to 11 servings with your food intake every day to increase their chance of keeping you healthy while eating other healthy foods.
If you can at least boil water, then you can cook grains. Grains, especially whole grains, are an important part of your daily diet because they are the most important part of the food group. Eating different grains every day can provide the vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy. Here is how you can cook different grains to incorporate them into your daily diet.
On the Stove
You can cook any type of grain on the stove. However, it might take longer and you will use more water when doing so. If you do decide to use the stove, use a medium sized pot with a tight lid that fits right. Add some broth or bouillon to the water and boil. Then, stir in your grains, at least a pound and go back to boiling them. Once they are finished boiling, lower the heat, allow to simmer until they are tender and almost all of the water is gone. This will probably take about 45 minutes. Remember, cooking times will be different for the different types of grains.
Electric Steamer
This is probably the easiest way to cook your grains. An electric steamer comes with different recipes for cooking vegetables as well as an instruction manual. Just follow the instructions for the different types of grains and use the cooking times shown on the chart.
Rice Cooker
A rice cooker is not just for rice. You can also use it for different types of grains. It comes with a sensor to let you know when the liquid is all the way absorbed. However, experimenting is a good idea to determine the correct amount of liquid to use with the different types of grains besides rice.
Microwave
You can use a plastic rice steamer that is designed for cooking in the microwave when using it for grains. However, make sure to follow the instructions of the rice steamer carefully to cook the grains correctly. You will also need to change the power settings and stir the grains in the middle of them cooking for them to come out right.
Pressure Cooker
A pressure cooker can be sued as well for cooking grains. You will need to adjust the time and settings for the grains like you would for other types of foods. Whole grains will only take half of the regular time, however.
Crockpot
Cooking grains in a crockpot will take the longest amount of time. Just put your grains in it with some water and allow to cook for at least 6 to 8 hours.
Tip
The best way to cook grains seems to be to steam them with an electric steamer. The longest seems to be the crockpot. If you are going to use a crockpot you can either put the grains on the night before or get up early in the morning to start them. This way they will be done in time for dinner.
When you buy grains and flours, you want to store them where they will be safe. If not, bugs can get in them and lay eggs which will then turn to larvae that look like worms. This will definitely ruin your grains and flours so you need to find an alternative place to store them. However, if they are in a store packaging that won't tear or break, you might be alright. If the store packaging is paper or plastic, however you will need to transfer the grains to another container that is sealed tight.
Containers
When transferring your grains into another container, you might want to put them in metal or glass containers. This will keep the pests out and keep the grains from getting ruined. You will also want to check the grains before transferring them if they are in plastic or paper packaging to make sure there are no pests in them already. Also, make sure you place tight lids on them or use a seal around the containers to keep the pests out.
Refrigerating
You can store flour and grains in your refrigerator as well. It is a very good option when wanting to keep the grains and flour for a long time and to prevent pests from getting in. Make sure to use an air tight lid if you have moisture problems as well because moisture loss will ruin the quality of the flour or grains. White flours and grains will store for up to a year in your refrigerator while wheat type will store for at least six to eight months. If you need to store corn meal, it can store for 18 months and white and brown rice will store good too.
Freezing
Some flour and grains can benefit greatly from being placed in the freezer. This is because freezing them can slow down the oils from going bad. The oils can go bad for sitting at room temperature for long periods of time. Types of flour and grains that can keep for up to two years in the freezer include white flour, corn meal and whole wheat. You can also store rice for a year in your freezer. Make sure to put your flours and grains in air tight containers to prevent moisture from getting in and ruining them.
Tip
One thing you need to remember is that whole grains will not keep quite as long as refined or pearled grains because the germ part of the kernels can cause them to go bad over a certain amount of time. This is why it is best to use one of the above options for storing and keeping them for as long as you need to.
When it comes to cooking with grains, you should know what the different types are. Most people know what rice is by looking at it, however, there are other cooking grains that many people may not know about. If they don't know about them, they don't know they can cook with them to make the food healthier. Here are some common grains used in cooking.
Amaranth
This type of grain can be cooked a few different ways. You can put some in a rice cooker, pot or a pressure cooker and can be served as breakfast porridge. Amaranth contains protein, lysine and is free from gluten which makes it one of the healthy alternatives when cooking with grains.
Barley
Although barley has a hard hull and when it is removed it removes the bran, there are alternative types of barley without the tough hull. You can usually find these ones at health food stores or by ordering them through the mail from a catalog. It contains beta-glucan that helps lower your cholesterol. You can use barley in soups, grain salads and risotto.
Buckwheat Berries
The seeds from this grain, or the berries come from a plant from the rhubarb family. Although they are called buckwheat, they are neither a buck nor wheat. They are gluten free and can make good pancakes, cook the groats in hot cereal and put them in blinis and bread. They are also the main ingredient in soba noodles.
Cracked Wheat (Bulgur)
Bulgur and cracked wheat is the same thing. They are actually wheat kernel that have been pre-cooked, dried and cracked or cut. Because of the process it goes through, it is easy to cook or prepare. All you need to do is boil it to make it tender enough to eat. It is high in fiber and also gluten free. You can put it in salads, side dishes and pilafs. If you are short on time and need a substitute for rice, use it for stews, curry or stir-fries.
Millet
Millet is gluten free and better than wheat when it comes to getting the protein from you need. It is a popular grain throughout the world. However, not in the United States because it is mainly used for bird feeders and to throw at those who just got married. For the rest of the world, you can cook it up for breakfast porridge, grits, side dishes, croquettes and terrines.
Popcorn
Corn is a grain that stands alone because people eat it both fresh and dried. Popcorn kernels are the whole grain from corn and are good as a tasty snack. It is also a good source of protein and fiber. As for regular corn, you can find it in tortillas, cornbread, hominy and grits.
When it comes to being self-sufficient, you might want to consider buying a grain mill. With a grain mill not only can you grind your own grains such as flour from wheat, rice, corn or other types of grains but you can also use them to store them. If you plan on doing something like this, you are probably wondering what type is the best type to buy. Here are some of the different types of grain mills and why you might need them. It really depends on the following questions you might want to ask first.
How Often Will You Use a Grain Mill?
If you think you will only use a grain mill for certain emergencies then you might want to try a hand cranked mill. You won't need electricity to use them; they require very little space and are pretty inexpensive. However, if you plan to use a grain mill at least once a week then you might want to try an electric type one. The reason electric mills might be a better option if you are going to use it more often is because they work faster than a hand cranked mill. A hand cranked mill can take up to five minutes for only one cup of flour while an electric one can grind 24 cups of flour in a half hour or less.
What Will You Make With the Grain Mill?
The hand cranked mills have limited options when wanting to make different things with it from grains. If you want to make coarse or fine flour, you don't want to use a hand cranked mill but rather an electric type one. Electric mills have more settings for better options.
How Much Are You Willing to Spend?
If you have the money and want something that will work fast for you, an electric mill will be your best option. They cost between $200 and $370. However, if you are on a budget or are new to this type of thing then a hand cranked mill would be better as they are only around $60.
Other Features of Grain Mills
Electric mills are noisy and can create some flour dust. However, if you are baking for a large family, they are your best option as they have a larger bowl capacity.
Grinding Whole Grains
Once you have decided on the type of grain mill you are going to buy, you will need to decide where to purchase your whole grains for making your own flour. If you are going to be doing a lot of baking with your homemade flour then you should buy them at health food stores in bulk. Most health food stores will sell whole wheat, triticale and other types of grains in bulk at a decent price.
Cooking with different types of grains can be a healthy solution to the food you already eat. This is because they are the most important food group. Because they are so healthy, it is suggested by the Food and Drug Administration's food pyramid that we eat 6 to 11 servings of grains every single day. However, when you decide to start using grains in your food, you need to know where to buy them.
Amaranth
Amaranth contains protein and is gluten free. You can find this grain and foods made from it by visiting health food stores, through the mail, food co-ops and specialty stores. You can cook it in a rice cooker, pressure cooker and a regular cooking pot on the stove.
Barley
Barley is good to eat in grain salads, soups and risotto and can help lower your cholesterol. You can buy it through the mail, at health food stores, fully stocked food stores and specialty stores.
Buckwheat
Buckwheat comes from the rhubarb plant family and is good in hot cereal, breads, can make good, healthy pancakes and is the main ingredient found in soba noodles. You can find buckwheat and the foods made from buckwheat at health food stores, through the mail, specialty stores, kosher markets and fully stocked stores with kosher sections.
Corn
Corn is good both dried and fresh. You can find corn in tortillas, cornbread, grits and hominy and itis a great source of fiber and protein. If you want to buy corn to cook with your foods, you can find it at Hispanic markets, health food stores, food co-ops and large grocery stores.
Flaxseed
Flaxseed is called one of the most powerful foods in the world and can help prevent certain diseases. It can help prevent heart disease, control cholesterol and treat inflammation and heat flashes caused by menopause in women. You can find this grain at fully stocked food stores, health food stores, food co-ops and specialty stores.
Millet
Millet is a good source of protein and is gluten free. Although it is popular in most parts of the world, it is mainly used in the United States to feed birds. However, you can find millet at African, Indian and Korean markets as well as health food stores, through the mail and food co-ops.
Wheat
Wheat is one of the most important grains there is. It is highly nutritional as well as great for making bread because of its gluten content. You can find wheat and foods made from wheat at Middle Eastern markets, health food stores, big grocery stores and co-ops.
Most of these grains can be bought at the same places. Learning where to buy them at the best prices is a good idea as well.
Regardless of the types of grains you choose to use for your family or for your emergency stockpile, there are always benefits. The health benefits shown in this guide will help you determine what kind of grains may work for your needs. The techniques for storage, where to buy grains and other sections should help you on your way to figuring out what methods are best for you and your family as well. Remember, that with proper storage techniques, grains can last for years and sometimes decades. With the right tools you can use grains daily to create a multitude of healthy food options.
If you have any questions or need further resources for grain and grain usuage, check out the Provident Pantry. This site is devoted to helping families understand stockpile and food storage techniques as well as helping them determine what grains are best. You can even order various grains in storage containers from their site to help build your stockpile. There are other resources as well, so don't be afraid to research all your options and use those options to fit your needs.