Canadian Running

The Replacements

 May 2009

Best Alternative Grains

Online Version: http://runningmagazine.ca/2009/04/sections/health-nutrition/recipe/great-grains/

Brown rice? Done that. Morning oats? Not again. Whole-wheat bread? Been there. Sure, these whole grains are healthy and can put more zip in your stride, but it’s just that they can get stale, so to speak. Thankfully for those carbohydrate freaks out there, many more seemingly exotic choices are becoming readily available on the marketplace. Here are       four underappreciated whole grains that have the goods to fight disease, boost running performance and awaken a bored palate.

Amaranth

ID: Amaranth was a dietary staple of the Aztecs, who believed it possessed supernatural powers, even incorporating it into religious ceremonies. The seeds are diminutive oval shapes, with a creamy colour.

Nutrition Payoff: Giving your diet the roughage treatment, this ancient grain has among the highest fibre levels of any of the grains - 9 grams in one-half cup uncooked. It’s recommended that women and men consume 25 and 38 grams of fibre daily, respectively. What’s more, amaranth also dishes out worthy amounts of magnesium, calcium, copper, manganese and, particularly important to runners, iron. Devoid of gluten, amaranth can be enjoyed by those whose stomachs churn when exposed to this grain protein

In the Kitchen: Amaranth has an earthy flavour that becomes even more pleasing when toasted prior to cooking. Toast it in a skillet with a bit of oil for about 4 minutes and then add 1 cup of the grain for each 2.5 cups of boiling water, cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Consider adding aromatics to the cooking liquid such as ginger, herbs and spices. Serve as a side for fish, chicken or steak.

Wild Rice

ID: Indigenous to North America, dark wild rice is a seed of an aquatic grass traditionally harvested by the native people of the northern Midwest. These days, most so-called “wild rice” is commercially grown.  .

Nutrition Payoff: In addition to plenty of complex carbohydrates needed to replenish muscle energy stores following a run, wild rice contains the most folate of the rice varieties. Folate is a B vitamin that, on top of helping prevent birth defects, helps fend off depression and strokes as well as lowering levels of homocysteine - a protein that has been linked to heart disease and cognitive decline. Like amaranth, wild rice is a safe food for those allergic to gluten.

In the Kitchen: Cooked wild rice has a rich nutty, smoky flavour and chewy texture. It should be rinsed before cooking, to remove unwanted particles such as hulls or storage debris. For each cup of wild rice use roughly 3 cups of water and don’t expect quick results. It takes about 45 to 60 minutes for wild rice to fully cook (indicated when the kernels begin to burst).

Barley

ID: Ranking fourth just behind wheat, rice and corn in terms of overall world cultivation, much of today’s barley is used for livestock feed, to make the sweetener malt syrup, or fermented to produce beer. That’s too bad because, as a whole food, it’s exceptionally nutritious.

Nutrition Payoff: Like oats, barley contains a soluble fibre called beta-glucan, which is a non-starch polysaccharide that reduces blood sugar spikes and binds up cholesterol preventing its absorption. Thus, many studies have demonstrated that higher intakes of beta-glucan can reduce overall lousy LDL cholesterol levels, offering protection against heart disease. Plus it trumps other whole grains with respect to selenium. Acting as an antioxidant, selenium has been shown to have the ability to help stave off cancer, preserve muscle strength and prevent cognitive decline. Although most barley available commercially is pearled or pot (scotch), hulled barley has only the outer husk (hull) removed and is the most nutritious form of the grain, since the bran and germ are left intact. Hulled barley’s superior nutrient content - including more iron, thiamin and fibre - makes it worth hunting down. All barley contains a small amount of gluten, so those who are sensitive need to be wary.

In the Kitchen: Barley is an excellent addition to soups, salads, casseroles and stews. A caveat though - barley takes a long time to cook. Add 1 cup of barley to 2.5 cups of boiling water, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 50 minutes or longer. Hulled barley will need the longest to cook thoroughly. Rustle up big batches at once to save time.

Buckwheat

ID: Buckwheat is the seed of a plant native to northern Europe and Asia that is related to rhubarb. In Japan, buckwheat is ground into flour to make very nutritious and delicious soba noodles. Buckwheat groats, also called kasha, is whole-grain buckwheat in which only an inedible hull is removed from the kernel.

Nutrition Payoff: Like amaranth and wild rice, buckwheat is free of gluten, plus it contains a significant amount of the amino acid lysine, making it a fairly complete protein, which will aid in repairing muscles article-run. It’s also packed with several valuable nutrients, such as magnesium, B vitamins, copper, manganese, selenium and phosphorus. Not found in other grains, the phtyochemical rutin in buckwheat is thought to halt the expansion of bodyfat cells, and have a favourable impact on blood cholesterol. Further, a Canadian study found that buckwheat extract was effective in lowering blood glucose in diabetic rats.

In the Kitchen: With a 15-minute simmer time, buckwheat is quick-cooking and versatile. It can be used in pilafs, salads, stuffings, stir-frys and soups, or in place of a portion of meat in burgers and meatloaf. If you find the taste of buckwheat a little too overpowering on its own, try mixing some in with other grains like rice or quinoa when serving as a side dish.

Load Up

While our grain picks are increasingly available in supermarkets, your best bet for scooping them up is in those bins at bulk and health food stores. Quinoa, millet, spelt and kamut are other nutritious whole grains worth giving a try.

The Whole Truth

The research is in. Without a doubt, whole grains are far superior to their refined counterparts with respect to disease prevention and weight management. Researchers at Wake Forest University concluded that people who eat two-and-a-half daily servings of nutrient-dense whole grains are 21 per cent less likely to have heart disease than those who skimp. From a runner’s perspective, the complete grain (including the bran, germ and endosperm) contains many more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants than processed grains like white rice and ghostly bread that have had their bran and germ removed, and thus their nutritional soul. Those extra nutrients will help support your training and recovery.

RECIPE

Amaranth Porridge

Makes 2 servings

½ cup uncooked amaranth grain

1 cup water

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of coarse sea salt

½ cup skim or 1% milk, or unsweetened non-dairy milk

1 apple, diced

½ cup blueberries, raspberries or sliced strawberries

¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Pure maple syrup (optional, but very tasty)

Add amaranth, water, cinnamon and salt to a small pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed. Add milk and simmer uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes. Stir in apple, berries and nuts. Let sit, covered for a few minutes before serving. Porridge should thicken during this time. If desired, drizzle with pure maple syrup before serving. A great alternative to oatmeal for breakfast.

Cranberry Wild Rice Salad

Makes 4 servings

1/2 cup wild rice

2 cups water

1 cup cooked, skinless chicken or turkey breast cut in cubes

1/3 cup dried cranberries

¼ cup walnuts

2 green onions, sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

Rinse the rice well and then combine with water in a saucepan. Cover and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 50 minutes. Add rice to a bowl and allow to cool slightly. Stir in poultry breast cubes, cranberries, walnuts, green onions and celery. Combine olive oil, vinegar, mustard, sugar, pepper and salt and whisk until well combined. Drizzle mustard mixture over rice mixture.