What are Refined Grains?
Refined grains (for example, white flour and white rice) normally have the bran and germ removed during processing which greatly decreases their nutritional value. In fact, when the bran is removed, 25 percent of the grains protein is lost as well as a minimum of 17 key nutrients. In a twist of industrialized food irony, refined grains are usually enrichedafter the true nutrients are removed, vitamins and minerals are added back. All of that refining energy used to end up with a nutritionally inferior approximation of the original. Go figure! Even after enrichment, refined grains do not have as many nutrients as whole grains and provide little fiber, if any. Three Things You Need to Know About Refined Grains Glycemic Index The glycemic index (GI) ranks carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the rate that the sugars from these carbohydrates enter the blood and cause blood sugar levels to rise. When the fiber (from the bran) is removed from grains during the refining process
