Whole grains, half truths

Since I've returned to eating what Chris Carmichael tells me to eat, I have a food plan and last night night Doreen and I did our grocery shopping. The good news is that a big ole pile of whole and wholesome carb heavy food is satisfyingly big and bulky even if it's a bit spendy. One thing did annoy the hell out of me, especially coming from someone who REALLY should know better.

Whole wheat pasta. It's a small thing but if you don't know the hype from the science, it messes with my confidence. Here's the thing. There was a study a while back that showed that whole grains, have a wide range of positive effects. This was backed up by more studies and soon people began to clamor for them...without bothering to ask anyone who knew anything about nutrition what exactly IS a "whole grain."

The problem with whole grains is that the spoil absurdly fast. The parts of the grain that are stripped away in processing are stripped away to make the product more shelf-stable. This means that REAL whole grains are sadly food for people who can afford and are willing to pay a premium or those with access to farms and the knowledge/ability to deal with their own food...which is to say, not most of the USA. Market demand for a food brings out the food scientists trying to create a low-cost, shelf-stable, high profit version of whatever the public is "hungry" to eat and this is (as with many packaged foods) where the trouble starts.

Using the best technology at our disposal, it's possible to strip those grains apart and MAKE the parts that make them go rancid into something that will last a bit longer at the grocer...and be easier to adapt to machine production and a lot cheaper to make. The problem is, these properties that are undesirable in a food from a business point-of-view are EXACTLY the ones that make them good for you. Studies are now bearing this out. There might be minor nutritional content changes in processed "whole grain" foods but the mojo just isn't there.

This is good news! Most of the "whole grain" foods are not only more expensive than the traditional processed foods but let's be honest, they taste like shit. I got myself to where I like whole wheat pasta but really...REALLY? Just buy the box of Barilla and get REALLY good bread and brown rice and move on. Bottom line: Does this food LOOK like something that you would look more at home cascading out of a grain silo or a machine?