Instant Grains

Hi Everyone. I love the idea of eating only whole grains. I mean, why would you eat a partial grain anyway? The thing is, I don't have a pressure cooker and even when I did use a pressure cooker before I totally ruined some rice I was going to cook. Therefore, most of the grains that I eat as side dishes (couscous, quinoa, rice) are the kind from a box that you boil in water on the stove top. Generally speaking, aren't boxed foods bad for you? What's a person to do? Is there an appliance that can cook whole grains faster and with less margin of error? How do y'all get your whole grains other than breads. I do make my own bread with whole grain wheat or spelt flour.

I don't eat grains anymore, but when I did, I used a rice cooker. It's less expensive than a pressure cooker. It shuts off automatically when done, so you don't have to watch it.

You can also use broths and seasonings in it, as well as veggies to cook along with the grains.

If the whole grains are in a box, that's okay, as long as it isn't processed in any way. They just box it to overcharge you . You can buy from the bulk bins and save money.

One thing that's very important, though, is to wash (rinse) the grains before cooking.

_raVen_:

Do you cut out all grains (even corn and rice)?

I do feel better when I eat less grains (I don't eat bread at all), but cutting it out all together would seem a bit extreme for me.

Do you feel any different physicalwise when you cut them out?

offense74, yes, I do. I don't have anything against corn, I just haven't had any in a long time and don't care to have any right now.

The only rice I have is occasionally I have some raw rice protein, but I don't really need it, I just like it

From what I know grains are acidic so contribute to an acidic body which contributes to poor health (meat, for example is highly acidic). What is optimal is to have an alkaline body which comes from...fruits and vegetables!

It may seem extreme, but not really. I used to be a major carb addict. I don't even crave bread or grains any longer (I eat high-raw).

Interestingly, before I knew about grains being acidic, etc., my holistic dentist remarked to me, "Gee, you must have an acidic system." I assumed she meant that, because I was having tooth sensitivity, I was consuming a lot of acid foods -- to me, I thought "acid fruits."

Fast forward and I learned that it was not poor old fruit to blame, it was grains! I was consuming a LOT of whole grains because I thought they were best at the time (10-13 servings a day, which is about 3 Cups or more). I did eat a lot of fruit, but I believe it was the grains. I eat more fruit now and have no teeth problems; so that's proof enough for me .

I also attribute it (my healing) to my large consumption of greens.

I know a lot of people who say exactly what you say -- that they feel better without grains. This is true of a lot of people who follow Dr. Fuhrman's dietary guidelines (he's not a raw foodist and he's not an extremist which is one reason I like him!). He does not believe a diet should be based on grains, but on raw and cooked vegetables, beans,fruit, and seeds and nuts. He does advocate lots of raw and believes they are optimal, but does believe 100% raw food is necessary. He also allows for grains and bread but only AFTER you consume what he suggests is the amount of veggies, fruit, beans, and fat you need daily. So if you have room in your stomach, you're welcome to it

Another doctor who I like is another advocate of high-raw, but also finds problems with the claims of rawists. He does not like high-grains either.

Here are a couple links. Dr. Fuhrman's book is really good, I've read it and he explains it all. He believes most of us are truly deficient because we are not feeding our bodies the nutrients they need which can only be found in fresh fruit and veggies.

sorry to be so longwinded . To answer your question, yes I feel great. I'm the healthiest I've ever been and I look better too. I've experienced some nice changes.

Dr. Harris on Tooth Erosion

Dr. Harris on Grains and Greens - (good site too; he has a lot of good info and he's fair, I think)

Dr. Fuhrman's Plan in a nutshell:

"Basically, the goal of Eat to Live is to eat foods that have a very high nutrition to calorie ratio and avoid foods that don't provide much nutrition for the calories they contain. Fruits and vegetables pack the most nutrition, so the diet is based on them. The goal is to... eat at least 1 pound daily of raw vegetables; 1 pound of cooked, non-starchy vegetables; 4 servings of fruit; and 1 cup of beans. Those foods are unlimited.

The plan limits other foods: ... 1 ounce of raw nuts and seeds, and 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds. All animal products and refined oils are off limits, and refined grain products, such as bread, are not encouraged. (but 1 cup maximum of starchy vegetables or whole grains" is allowed) After a person has reached a healthy weight, very limited amounts of less-healthy food may be added in (for those who absolutely will not give them up.)" - taken from fatfree vegan.com

I've limited myself to about 4 servings a day of grains (this being compared to the 5 - 7 servings of fruit, and the other 5 - 7 servings of vegetables, along with nuts & seeds and beans), though I've never had a cavity or anything. I personally think grains are overrated, though I think they're okay for a little extra variety.

How do y'all get your whole grains other than breads.

Whole grain oatmeal!

I really don't eat that many grains anymore, with the exception of some sprouted grain breads (by Health for Life) or a hemp + sprouted grain bread by something-or-other Meadow Bakery (I like mashing 1/2 avocado between two slices of this).

For whole grains, I prefer Quinoa (both because it's quick cooking --quite a difference from "instant"--and because it's a complete protein).

I eat some crackers that have brown rice, quinoa and other whole grains in.

I haven't eaten it in a long time, but I used to eat scottish oats (also goes by other names, like "oat groats" ). These are whole oat grains that are chopped in half or thirds (more-or-less). They take longer to cook than oat flakes (about 30 minutes), but if you make a big batch a couple of times a week, you can save the extra in microvaveable bowls, then when you are ready to eat it, chop it up with a spoon (the cooled oats will have solidified into a block!), add some soy or rice or almond milk, microzap to heat, and put on some real maple syrup and a tbsp of freshly-ground golde flax seed (hmmm.....makes me want to cook up some oats right now!!)

For whole grains, I prefer Quinoa (both because it's quick cooking --quite a difference from "instant"--and because it's a complete protein).

If you're going to eat just one grain, quinoa gets my vote as the one to choose. Although it is not the only complete protein grain out there, quinoa offers more iron and calcium than other grains and contains high levels of potassium and riboflavin, as well as other B vitamins: B6, niacin, and thiamin. It is also a good source of magnesium, zinc, copper, and manganese, and has some folate (folic acid).

it is not the only complete protein grain out there

As I understood, it is the only complete-protein grain (hemp is a complete protein, but it's a seed/nut, not a grain).

If you get right down to it, quinoa is an achene or fruit, botanically speaking. Amaranth and buckwheat are two other grains that are a source of complete protein.

Quinoa and amaranth are my favorite grains. If I eat any grains again, it will be quinoa, probably . They are complete proteins by themselves from what I've read as well.

I agree with Drs. Fuhrman and Harris that they should be eaten sparingly. For me, grains would be a treat like a dessert might be for others. I used to love to make grain medleys and add mushrooms.

Amaranth and buckwheat are two other grains that are a source of complete protein.

I don't remember ever hearing that (but it sounds logical as far as amaranth is concerned, because it is similar to quinoa). Do you have any sources for the info on buckwheat as a complete protein (I like to be able to back up my info, and since I've never heard this before, I need convincing before I can convince others. )