Vegan
8 Reasons to Eat Whole Grains
https://www.chicvegan.com/8-reasons-to-eat-whole-grains/

With the increasing popularity of the paleo and keto diets, carbohydrates have been getting a bad rap. It’s important to remember that carbohydrates are a macronutrient, not a food group.
Not all carbohydrates are equal, and I find it unfair to grains like brown rice and quinoa that they get lumped in to the same category as highly processed, sugary breakfast cereal and stale, packaged cupcakes. Despite what their ad executives would like you to believe, those little “o” shaped pieces of cereal are not whole grains! The whole grain category includes include foods such as quinoa, brown rice, barley, millet, amaranth, buckwheat, wheat berries and spelt berries (also know as farro).
The truth is that whole grains have been a main part of the human diet since early civilization. When it was discovered that grain crops could be harvested and eaten througout cold weather months, people ceased being hunter-gatherers and settled down into farming communities. People living in these communities—on all continents—had lean, strong bodies. Each region had their own staple grain: corn in the America, rice in Asia sorghum in Africa and buckwheat in Russia. In the Middle East, people made pita bread, tabouli and couscous from wheat. In Europe, corn, millet, wheat, rice, pasta, dark breads and even beer were considered health-providing foods. People were rarely overweight.
So why eat whole grains? They’re actually very nutritious! Here are just a few reasons why they should be part of your diet.
8 Reasons to Eat Whole Grains
- Energy. The body absorbs the nutrients in grains slowly, so they provide sustained and high-quality energy and help regulate blood sugar.
- Fiber. Whole grains are high in dietary fiber, so they will keep the body “regular” and help flush out toxins. Studies have shown that grains can contribute to gastrointestinal health.
- Vitamins. While the vitamin content varies from grain to grain, most are high in Vitamin E and B-Complex vitamins.
- Minerals. The mineral content also varies from grain to grain, but they can be high in iron, magnesium, selenium zinc, potassium, and calcium.
- Protein. Most grains are high in protein. In fact, quinoa contains all eight essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Half a cup contains 11 grams of protein!
- Weight Management. The fiber in whole grains can help you feel full with very little calories. Some of the B vitamins found in grains, such as thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin, play a key role in metabolism, as they help the body release energy.
- Stress Management. The B vitamins found in whole grains are essential for a healthy nervous system.
- Disease Management. Studies have shown that the fiber found whole grains may help reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
Related
Vegan
Summer Spinach Salad with Chickpea Olive Crumble

A fully loaded, flavor packed, protein rich summer spinach salad with an umami-packed crisp chickpea hemp seed olive crumble, nutrient dense greens, and creamy, vibrant tahini lemon dressing. A perfect hot weather dinner. (23g protein and 15g fiber per serving, (gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, high protein)

This is a fantastically hearty summer spinach salad. It has so many textures and flavors, and it has 80 grams of protein for the entire salad. That’s 20 grams of protein per serving. For a salad!
There is protein from the chickpeas, from the hemp seeds, and from the nutritional yeast in the chickpea crumble. There’s also protein from the tahini in the dressing, the non-dairy yogurt (depending on the brand), as well as a little protein from the greens that you use in the salad. You can amp up the protein even more by sprinkling it with some hemp seeds before serving or adding some of my tofu bacon bits, or other high protein toppings.

The salad has this creamy texture from the dressing, the crunch from the fresh veggies, and crispiness from the chickpea crumbles, which we bake until they’re crispy-crunchy. The umami comes from the olives and the sun-dried tomato, and the refreshing, fresh flavor comes from lemon zest, the cucumbers, and any other crunchy veggies and greens.
It’s just a fabulous combination of flavors and textures. The combination of tahini and yogurt helps mellow tahini’s strong flavor and makes for a rich, creamy dressing.

Why You’ll Love this Summer Spinach Salad
- incredible combination of flavors and textures! Crunchy veggies, creamy dressing, and savory, crisp chickpea-olive crumble.
- easy to make in about 30 minutes
- packed with veggies and protein
- naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free

More Dinner Salads
- Harissa Tofu Salad Bowls
- Grilled veggie Summer pasta Salad
- Mango, Chickpea, Zucchini Koshimbir Salad
- BBQ Chickpea Potato Salad
- Chickpea Dill Salad
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