Hey, did you know?

That grains are a superfood? Humans biggest source of energy for the body. More especially whole grains.

Whole grains refer to unrefined grains of any cereal such as maize, rice, wheat, oats, rye and sorghum that have every part of the grains still intact. And refined grains are the opposite. There are many health benefits of eating whole grains and in this post, we will touch on a number of them.

But first what are grains?

Grains are edible seeds of certain plants in the grass family. These seeds are usually small, hard and dry. These include, rice, wheat, corn or maize, sorghum, millet and oats. They are also known as cereals and are a staple food to a lot of people of different race, color, tribe and ethnicity all over the world. 

For example: rice is the staple of most Asian countries while maize or corn is the staple food of many African countries and most South American countries.

Grains are used to make different kinds of food like Banku (made from maize and common to Ghanaians), Bread, porridge, pasta and Jollof for the consumption of man. Grains are also used for feed to fatten chickens and other animals

Not all refined stuff are good

Whole grains are grains in their natural state and a great source of multiple nutrients and fiber. Refined grains are not. Refined grains have most part of the seeds removed. Such as the outer layer of the grain containing fiber and antioxidants and the embryo containing most part of the nutrients such as the vitamins, minerals and protein. Leaving just the part that contains mostly carbohydrates.

The fact that refined grains do not contain such nutrients gotten from the parts removed makes it unhealthy for consumption. Consuming refined grains means you are consuming nothing but starch.

Benefits of consuming whole grains

Consuming grains that are whole provides us with many nutrients that are highly beneficial to our health and wellbeing. There is the widespread notion that eating grains only provides you with nothing but carbohydrates. However, that is not entirely true. Clearly, the point is, eating refined grains provides you with nothing but carbohydrates. At least now we all know why.

The following are the benefits of consuming whole grains;

• Prevents Constipation: fiber in whole grains does a lot to reduce the risk or chance of becoming constipated. It helps move waste through the digestive tract and keeps the stool soft and bulky. Fiber also helps lower cholesterol levels. Eating whole grains will provide you with the needed fiber to help prevent constipation
• Provides high energy levels: whole grains are made up of B vitamins and these vitamins are essential for well being. They provide the body with high energy levels, boosts cognitive performance, reduces stress and helps prevent infections. 
• Lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes: fiber is known to reduce or slow down the breakdown of starch into glucose, improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. Hence maintaining a steady blood sugar rather than high spikes. When there is a steady blood sugar level, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is minimized.

Now that you know why, what next?

What is next is this; that you become intentional about your food choices for the benefit of your health and wellbeing. That is why at Sesi Technologies, we have introduced the market place on our Grainmate app, where we have available for sale whole grains in addition to other commodities. Download our Grainmate app here http://bit.ly/grainmateapp on google playstore to purchase good quality whole grains.