Introduction
So, what’s your favorite snack while settling down for a quiet night in front of the boob tube or at the movies?
Popcorn is the popular response I gather. And it’s healthy… make no mistake!
If you’re at the movies though, you can literally see people shoveling down throatfuls of popcorn as well as washing it down with a supersized Coke relentlessly. No wonder obesity seems to be the problem these days thanks to the generous amount of oil, butter and salt used to add flavor to a serving of popcorn.
I’ve seen a woman take about 20 minutes to fit into a chair while getting ready for a JP Morgan Chase New Hire training session, and just about making it ‘in time’. It was torturously funny if not embarrassing because getting out of the seat for lunch was a different story altogether. And I can’t help but think to myself as to why would anyone want to put themselves through embarrassments like this.
I don’t think the problem lies with the popcorn but actually the amounts that we tend to shovel down our throats especially while you can keep track of how much you’re actually eating, while watching a movie or your favorite sitcom.
The reason for my explanation is because popcorn belongs to the family of Whole grains, which are healthy for you. Not unless your proclivity for eating popcorn matches the amount of food served buffet style at the nearest ‘lucky’ Chinese restaurant. And you might as well pray for the magic of the fortune cookie to work on your luck, because you’re going to need some in the fitness department.
But I digress.
So, what are whole grains then?
Whole Grains
Very simply, whole grains are cereal grains that retain the bran, the germ and the endosperm as opposed to refined grains that remove the first two.
Examples of whole grains are rolled oats or oat groats, hulled (not pearled) barley, popcorn, brown rice, whole wheat flour, sprouted grains and whole wheat bread.
So now why are whole grains healthier than refined grains?
It is because of the retention of the bran and the germ along with the endosperm. The endosperm contains only carbohydrates and protein (refined grains) but the added value of including the bran and the germ are the B-vitamins, minerals, fiber, heart-healthy oils and protein that increase the nutritional value of the meal. Of course, research has shown that whole grain decrease the risk of heart disease, some types of cancer, Type-2 diabetes, the reduction of bad cholesterol while regulating blood sugar level and helping the body to control its weight.
So what this means is while you do get the carbohydrate and protein nutrients from refined grains, whole grains simply have a wider range of nutrients which have advantages that refined grains don’t have.
So it only bodes well that you choose to go the whole grain way, not unless you don’t care about your health or what you eat or if you don’t have common sense. Good luck with all that, then!
In Closing
It’s understandable that some people are foodies, and like foods that are classified as junk. Well, most of the time we gravitate to cravings that are just not good for us, and so it’s just as hard to let go of food that you like just as alcoholics or junkies who can’t do without their poison. Yet the challenge to reaching your goals of fitness can be made much easier if you watch what (and how much) you eat. All it really depends on is whether you prefer the habit over health!
