Rosalee Brown
ONE READER requested that I write on ground provisions versus rice. She mentioned that she was advised by her doctor to replace the refined foods in her diet and she has been successful in replacing the white flour foods with whole wheat flour but cannot change her white rice to brown rice since she hates the taste of brown rice. She wanted to know if ground provisions, including bammy baked with a little butter, were enough to help her to lose the weight she desires.
Refined food, as we know it, means food which has been processed in such a way that fibre, and oftentimes some of the valuable nutrients, are reduced. Refining is often done to lengthen shelf life, shorten cooking and preparation times, increase palatability in some foods and reduce bulk. After the refining process, some of the nutrients that are lost, such as vitamins, are often re-added to the product.
The refining process often makes a product, especially one such as wheat, higher in calories weight for weight. This is so because the fibre and the water which are lost during processing, cause a reduction in volume or weight of the refined product compared to the unrefined. The refined product therefore becomes denser in calories, and in the case of flour, has more starch compared to the same weight of the unrefined flour, such as whole wheat flour. The same thing happens to fresh fruit when compared with extracted juice, where there is no fibre and consumption is easier.
REGULATE PORTIONS
One rule of thumb is that the foods with their water and fibre contents intact are normally lower in energy than the processed ones. When many of these foods are altered, the speed at which they are digested is often affected and the rate of breakdown in the body and absorption into the blood stream is different from the unrefined product. The intact starch, along with the fibre, often take a longer time to be digested compared to the processed starch, which will cause a quicker rise in the blood sugar levels (which can be a problem for diabetics, weight watchers and sedentary individuals).
So the recommendation is to have more foods which have their water, fibre and other components intact. It is important to note, however, that even whole or unprocessed foods can lead to high blood sugar, weight gain and other problems, when had in excess, that is, more than your daily energy requirement. Some of these foods in their unprocessed state are high in carbohydrates.
So, like with all wholesome foods, we must regulate our portions. Many times it is not just the food which causes the bad effect, but it the amount we enjoy eating.
Let us look at some commonly eaten foods, their calories, carbohydrate, fibre, sugar and water content. All items are cooked, except for the wheat products. Approximately 2 oz of the flour should yield boiled dumplings weighing 4 oz. The flour is by far the most concentrated in calories and has the least water; whole-wheat flour has the most fibre in these examples.
Dr. Rosalee Brown is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who operates Integrated Nutrition and Health Services; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
