Top 5 Naturally Gluten-Free Grains
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Though ancient grains may sound as if they belong in the past, they hold a well-deserved spot as a staple of any well-balanced eating program. Cooper Clinic Nutrition Services highlights the health benefits of five gluten-free ancient grains—along with practical ways to incorporate them into your daily diet.
Ancient grains are a group of grains, grasses, cereals, pseudocereals and seeds that have been planted and harvested for thousands of years. They have been linked to multiple health benefits due to their substantial nutritional value. Many of these benefits are attributed to being a rich source of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals.
Since ancient grains have not been modified over time and are generally not highly processed, they are able to retain their high vitamin and mineral content. However, they have primarily been replaced by other grains producing more crop during harvest such as corn, rice and wheat.
Vitamins and minerals
Consuming a diet rich in whole grains, such as ancient grains, can help achieve the daily intake recommendations for many vitamins and minerals. Meeting these recommendations helps ensure the body's metabolic processes function correctly and can improve overall health and well-being.
As rich sources of both soluble and insoluble fiber, consuming ancient grains may help improve cholesterol, decrease triglycerides and lower blood glucose levels. Research shows high-fiber foods also increase satiety, or fullness after a meal, which can help to meet weight loss goals.
Recent studies have found ancient grains are full of phytochemicals such as antioxidants and phytosterols. Phytochemicals help the body neutralize free radicals known to cause oxidative stress and inflammation, which are major contributors to many chronic diseases including:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Obstructive pulmonary disease
- Kidney disease
- Neurodegenerative diseases
Five common gluten-free ancient grains
Amaranth is a pseudocereal, or grain used in the same manner as cereal, loaded with nutrients which has been cultivated for more than 8,000 years. Amaranth has long served as a dietary staple in many parts of the world but has only recently gained popularity in the United States. With its rich nutty flavor, it can easily replace rice or couscous in various dishes. Amaranth also makes an excellent breakfast porridge which can be flavored or topped just like oatmeal.
Millet is another pseudocereal popular throughout Africa, India, Ethiopia and China. Since it has an overall neutral flavor, millet can be easily flavored as desired with spices and herbs. Try making it with your favorite chicken recipe for dinner or as a substitute for grits at breakfast.
Quinoa is one of the most commonly consumed ancient grains in America. It is heartier than rice with an earthy, nutty flavor profile. Quinoa is an ideal grain to add to any salad or use as a base for a protein bowl.
Sorghum has a mild earthy, nutty flavor and is very similar to wheat berries. Sorghum flour is one of the gluten-free flours most similar to wheat-flours—making it an ideal baking ingredient for those who cannot consume gluten.
This pseudocereal is the smallest of grains being less than 1% the size of a wheat kernel. It is also one of the few grains that is a rich source of vitamin C, which supports bone and immune system health. With its lightly sweet flavor it can be used in porridges, soups and stews. Teff flour is also commonly used in baking and can replace 25-50% the portion of white flour called for in recipes to add nutritional value to pancakes, waffles, bread and muffins.
*Information collected from the USDA Food-Data Central Database.
While all of these grains are naturally gluten-free, if you have a medical condition requiring a gluten-free diet, read the food label to verify they are certified gluten-free before consuming. It is also important to note current research does not support a gluten-free diet as beneficial for all individuals. Only those with medical conditions requiring a gluten-free diet should adopt a gluten-free lifestyle.
A Cooper Clinic Registered Dietitian Nutritionist can help form an individualized approach and eating pattern that works best for you and provide guidance to ensure you are meeting all of your nutritional needs. For more information or to schedule a nutrition consultation, visit cooperclinicnutrition.com or call 972.560.2655
Article provided by Cooper Clinic Nutrition Services.
Tazama ukurasa wote wa sehemu ingawa nafaka za kale zinaweza kuonekana kama zinahusiana na zamani, zina nafasi inayostahili kama msingi wa mpango wowote wa kula vizuri. Huduma za Lishe ya Kliniki ya Cooper zinaangazia faida za afya za nafaka tano za kale zisizo na gluten - pamoja na njia za vitendo za kuziingiza katika lishe yako ya kila siku. Mbegu za kale ni aina ya nafaka, nyasi, nafaka, nafaka bandia na mbegu ambazo zimepandwa na kuvunwa kwa maelfu ya miaka. Zimeunganishwa na faida nyingi za afya kwa sababu ya thamani yao kubwa ya lishe. Mengi ya faida hizi ni sifa ya kuwa chanzo tajiri ya vitamini, madini, nyuzi na phytochemicals. Kwa kuwa nafaka za kale hazijabadilishwa kwa muda na kwa ujumla hazitengenezwi sana, zina uwezo wa kuhifadhi vitamini na madini mengi. Hata hivyo, wamebadilishwa hasa na nafaka nyingine zinazozalisha mazao zaidi wakati wa mavuno kama vile mahindi, mchele na ngano. Vitamini na madini: Kula chakula chenye nafaka nyingi, kama vile nafaka za kale, inaweza kusaidia kufikia mapendekezo ya ulaji wa kila siku kwa vitamini na madini mengi. Kufuata mapendekezo haya husaidia kuhakikisha mchakato wa kimetaboliki wa mwili unafanya kazi kwa usahihi na inaweza kuboresha afya na ustawi wa jumla. Kama vyanzo vya nyuzinyuzi nyingi, kula nafaka za kale inaweza kusaidia kuboresha cholesterol, kupunguza triglycerides na viwango vya chini vya sukari ya damu. Utafiti unaonyesha kwamba vyakula vyenye nyuzi nyingi pia huongeza hisia ya kuridhika baada ya mlo, ambayo inaweza kusaidia kufikia malengo ya kupoteza uzito. Uchunguzi wa hivi karibuni umegundua kwamba nafaka za kale zina kemikali nyingi kama vile antioxidants na phytosterols. Phytochemicals husaidia mwili neutralize huru radicals inayojulikana kusababisha oxidative stress na uvimbe, ambayo ni wachangiaji kuu kwa magonjwa mengi ya muda mrefu ikiwa ni pamoja na: ugonjwa wa moyo na mishipa ya damu, ugonjwa wa mapafu, ugonjwa wa figo, magonjwa ya neurodegenerative, na aina nyingine ya nafaka ya kale isiyo na gluten. Amaranth imekuwa chakula cha msingi katika sehemu nyingi za ulimwengu, lakini hivi karibuni tu imekuwa maarufu nchini Marekani. Kwa sababu ya ladha yake yenye ladha ya karanga, inaweza kuchukua mahali pa mchele au couscous katika vyakula mbalimbali. Amaranth pia hufanya mchuzi bora wa kiamsha kinywa ambao unaweza ladha au topped tu kama oatmeal. Mchuzi ni nafaka nyingine bandia inayopendwa sana katika Afrika, India, Ethiopia na China. Kwa kuwa kwa ujumla hauna ladha mbaya, unaweza kuupaka ladha ya aina mbalimbali za vikolezo na mimea. Jaribu kuifanya na kichocheo chako cha kuku unachokipenda kwa chakula cha jioni au kama mbadala wa unga wakati wa kiamsha kinywa. Quinoa ni mojawapo ya nafaka za kale zinazotumiwa sana nchini Marekani. Ni yenye kupendeza zaidi kuliko mchele na ina ladha ya udongo na karanga. Quinoa ni nafaka bora ya kuongeza kwenye saladi yoyote au kutumia kama msingi wa bakuli la protini. Sorghum ina ladha laini ya udongo na ya karanga na inafanana sana na matunda ya ngano. Mchuzi wa sorghum ni moja ya unga usio na gluten sawa na unga wa ngano <unk> kuifanya kuwa kiungo bora cha kuoka kwa wale ambao hawawezi kula gluten. Pseudocereal ni aina ndogo ya nafaka, ambayo ni chini ya 1% ya ukubwa wa nafaka ya ngano. Pia ni mojawapo ya nafaka chache ambazo zina vitamini C, ambayo hutegemeza mifupa na mfumo wa kinga. Kwa sababu ya ladha yake tamu kidogo, inaweza kutumiwa katika mchuzi, mchuzi, na mchuzi. Mafuta ya Teff pia hutumiwa kwa kawaida katika kuoka na inaweza kuchukua nafasi ya 25-50% ya sehemu ya unga mweupe unaohitajika katika mapishi ili kuongeza thamani ya lishe kwa pancakes, waffles, mkate na muffins. * Habari zilizokusanywa kutoka kwa Hifadhidata ya Kati ya Takwimu za Chakula ya USDA. Ingawa nafaka hizi zote ni asili gluten-free, kama una hali ya matibabu ambayo inahitaji lishe gluten-free, kusoma lebo ya chakula ili kuthibitisha wao ni kuthibitishwa gluten-free kabla ya kula. Pia ni muhimu kutambua utafiti wa sasa haunga mkono lishe isiyo na gluten kama faida kwa watu wote. Ni wale tu walio na magonjwa yanayohitaji kula vyakula visivyo na gluteni wanaopaswa kuishi maisha yasiyo na gluteni. Mtaalamu wa lishe wa Cooper Clinic anaweza kukusaidia kuunda mbinu ya kibinafsi na muundo wa kula unaofanya kazi bora kwako na kutoa mwongozo ili kuhakikisha unakidhi mahitaji yako yote ya lishe. Kwa maelezo zaidi au kwa ratiba ya ushauri wa lishe, tembelea www.cooperclinicnutrition.com au piga simu 972-560-2655, makala iliyotolewa na Huduma za Lishe ya Kliniki ya Cooper.