Why is it healthier to eat whole grain as opposed to refined flour products?
Refining of flour causes the loss of the majority of its nutrients. Most people think of fiber when they think of whole grain products. But most of the mineral content, including magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, and manganese, is lost. Only iron is replaced. Some of the lost B vitamins are replaced, but vitamin B-6 and pantothenic acid are not. Whole wheat flour is rich in a wide spectrum of the natural forms of vitamin E, including the tocotrienols with their special properties. Unfortunately, almost all of this vitamin E is lost in the refining process as well. Important phytochemicals (plant nutrient-chemicals) are also lost, including lutein, the carotenoid that gives whole wheat its golden color, and phenolic acids like ferulic acid, which are antioxidants. Although nutritional studies in the past often ignored the differences between whole and refined grains, things are changing. A recent study from Italy showed that people who infrequently consumed whole grains had five times
Refining of flour causes the loss of the majority of its nutrients. Most people think mainly of fiber when they think of whole grain products. But most of the mineral content, including magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, and manganese, is lost. Only iron is replaced. Some of the lost B vitamins are replaced, but vitamin B-6 and pantothenic acid are not. Whole wheat flour is rich in a wide spectrum of the natural forms of vitamin E, including the tocotrienols with their special properties. Unfortunately, almost all of this vitamin E is lost in the refining process as well. Important phytochemicals (plant nutrient-chemicals) are also lost, including lutein and zeaxanthin, the carotenoids that give whole wheat its golden color, and phenolic acids like ferulic acid, which are antioxidants. Although nutritional studies in the past often ignored the differences between whole and refined grains, things are changing. A recent study from Italy showed that people who infrequently consumed whole
