Interesting facts when comparing the nutrients of Fresh-ground Whole Wheat to Enriched & Bleached White Flour: Nutrient WWF E&BWF Total dietary fiber 12.2g 2.7g Calcium 34mg 15mg Iron 3.88mg 4.64mg Magnesium 138mg 22mg Phosphorus 346mg 108mg Potassium 405mg 107mg Zinc 2.93mg 0.7mg Manganese 3.799mg 0.682mg Selenium 70.7mg 33.9mg Niacin 6.365mg 5.904mg Folate 44mcg 183mcg Vitamin K 1.9mcg 0.3mcg Total Fats: 1.87g 0.98g WHERE DO I BUY MY WHEAT FROM: WHEAT MONTANA Check out their website: www.wheatmontana.com Their wheat is grown on local farms, chemical free, organic and Non-GMO. What Makes Whole Grains So Good? (following info is from www.webmd.com) A whole grain is a plant seed with three layers. When it is refined, the outside and the inside are stripped away along with most of the nutrients and fiber. The starchy middle remains and you get white rice or white flour -- and lighter breads, pastries, and pastas. "Enriching" adds back some nutrients, but not as much as you get if you eat the grain "whole."
A Good Way to Boost Fiber Fiber has a long list of health benefits, from helping you feel full longer after a meal, to losing weight, to keeping you “regular.” Americans don't get enough fiber. In fact, most of us get less than half the fiber we need every day: 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. Most whole grains are packed with fiber.
Whole Grains Keep You StrongFiber isn’t the whole story when it comes to whole grains. They’re also loaded with B vitamins, which give you energy. They're rich in folate, which builds red blood vessels. They're packed with minerals like magnesium and selenium, which build bones and strengthen your immune system. Whole grains also have phytochemicals -- natural plant compounds that can help fight disease.
Whole Grains for Long Life Eating whole grains may help you live longer and gain extra protection against diseases that creep up with age. My items are made from the whole wheat kernel of grain called the wheat berry. There are 3 layers to the wheat berry: 1) The Bran (outer layer): This part contains the largest amount of fiber (insoluble), B vitamins, trace minerals and a small amount of protein 2) The Endosperm (middle layer): This contains mostly protein and carbs, along with small amounts of B vitamins, iron and soluble fiber 3) The Germ (inner layer): This part is a rich source of trace minerals, unsaturated fats, B vitamins, antioxidants, phytochemicals and a minimal amount of high quality protein. Most store bought bread is heavily processed, which removes most of these ingredients for the purpose of lengthening shelf life. When the fiber is stripped away, the remaining product converts quickly to blood sugar once in your body. Research indicates that true whole grain flour moderates blood sugar spiking and makes you feel fuller longer due to the fiber content. The most common comment about my breads/foods, is that it has to be kept in the fridge or it will mold within 2-3 days. Not like their store bought bread that has been in the pantry for a few months, and it's fine....hmmmm! Facts about the Agave Nectar we use, brand name: Xagave Nectar People have been bringing up some concerns about the use of agave nectar in foods, that it has a high fructose level. I looked into the brand we use, and from what I have learned, it shouldn't be a concern. I have included an article, written by the company, explaining how they process their agave nectar. So, read it if you have concerns and see if that helps you on using it. But, also, please know, that we will be happy to substitute desert honey in your foods, if you prefer - no problem, and no additional cost. It's a long article, but i wanted to put it in its entirety, for those who have concerns. /jamie February
17, 2010 By stephen-richards (owner of Xagave) There have been several articles circulating about agave nectar lately that put all agave’s in a negative light. Unfortunately they are based on misconceptions that have been floating around the internet for a while now and don’t relate at all to Xagave. What We Believe We believe in stepping outside the box to offer people a unique and healthy alternative to mainstream sweetener options. This belief prompted us to create Xagave which is a proprietary blend of the calcium rich white agave and the nutritional inulin extracted from the preprocessed blue agave. There is nothing on the market like it. We are believers in moderation in all things. We believe that over consuming any type of sugar is bad, whether it be sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose or lactose. You may have heard that Americans consume as much as 150 to 200 pounds of sugar a year – this is clearly too much. The concept behind BetterBody Foods & Nutrition and Delicious Meets Nutritious is to find ways to significantly reduce sugar in all forms, reduce fat, and incorporate whole grains into the foods that we love. Simply, we are trying to make foods delicious and nutritious. We cannot speak on behalf of other agave nectar brands, but here is a response to the claims that have been made regarding agave and how they apply to Xagave Premium Blend Agave Nectar.
The Facts: Agave does not contain starch. Agave is made from the root of the plant, sometimes referred to as the bulb or the “pina”. The agave process is nothing like the process used to derive High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) from corn starch as agave nectar is derived from the fructans of the agave plant. There are two processes utilized, one is simply heating the nectar to break the fructans down into sugars (fructose and glucose) and the other is to introduce organic certified enzymes to break the fructans down into sugars (fructose and glucose). We prefer the organic enzymes process due to the fact that it eliminates the need to heat the nectar and permits us to retain a “raw” status. Xagave is a USDA certified organic product and is certified to contain no genetically modified organisms (GMOs). *For a full discussion on the process of Xagave please see our website.
The Facts: Agave is composed of 49% fructose which is lower than table sugar and HFCS. It is also lower in total sugars (being 49% fructose, 17% glucose) than the other natural options. For a comparison of your sweetener options, comparing total sugars (fructose and glucose), calories, and glycemic index, please review the chart below and decide for yourself. You will note that Xagave’s total sugars are lower than table sugar, honey or date paste. It also provides calorie savings and is significantly lower on the glycemic index. Sweetener Comparison Chart
Please note that blue agave has a higher fructose and fructose content will depend on how long it has been processed. The above fructose content is based on Xagave which is a white agave based product. *Sugar is actually sucrose, but sucrose, upon consumption breaks down into fructose and glucose in roughly equal parts. ** Information was not readily available on date paste, so the author utilized medjool dates as the metric. *** Total Sugar may exceed fructose and glucose because of other sugars such as sucrose and maltose. Here is a little more perspective on the fructose content of Xagave: An average size Fuji Apple weighs between 180 and 300 grams and will contain about 15 to 25 grams of sugar. The 25 grams is split 15 to 18 grams of fructose and 5 to 8 grams of glucose. Two tablespoons of Xagave has 18 grams of fructose and 3 grams of glucose; thus, two tablespoons of Xagave has about the same fructose of one large apple and less glucose! Our recipe for Carrot Cake contains about 1 tbsp of Xagave per serving; therefore containing less fructose than a large apple. When baking or cooking foods that require a sweetener, using Xagave instead of table sugar can actually decrease your fructose consumption. Xagave is clearly the better option, but it is important to remember that all sweeteners should be used in moderation.
The Facts: Xagave is a low Glycemic Index Food. Xagave is between 30 and 35 which places it in the “low” category. The glycemic test on Xagave was conducted by an independent laboratory. The Glycemic Index for other popular sweeteners are as follows:
**For Xagave Independent Lab Results Click Here, **** Glycemic Values obtained from “International table of glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) values” Summary The simple truth is that there are a number of sweeteners on the market, all claiming to be the best. Xagave brand agave nectar is a great alternative that can help you reduce your total sugar intake by as much as 50%. It tastes delicious and can be used to cook, can and bake and can be utilized to also reduce the fats in your diet while improving the taste and texture of you foods. It is a low glycemic food that does not spike your blood sugar levels and it contains fiber, which studies have shown improve digestive health. Look at the facts and we are sure that you will come to the same conclusion that we have. Enjoy in moderation! More opinions on agave: An Examination of Agave Facts and Fiction
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