More whole grains

Q: I want to eat more wholegrains, but besides changing my bread and cereal, what else can I do?

A: Brown rice, as well as wholewheat pasta and wholegrain tortillas, are just the beginning of ways to add whole grains to your meals.

There's also wheat bulgur, wholewheat couscous, quinoa (high in protein and gluten-free) and teff, an Ethiopian grain used in their enjera flatbread. Corn kernels are classified as a vegetable, but cornmeal and polenta are wholegrains. Amaranth is another high-protein, gluten-free whole grain. These whole grains can be cooked in just 10 to 20 minutes, but some whole grains take longer to cook, such as barley, wheat berries and wild rice.

Many people think of whole grains principally as a source of fibre, which is important now that evidence is even stronger about the role foods high in fibre can play in reducing risk of colon and breast cancers.

But whole grains' role in protecting our health is much more. Compared to refined grains, they contain more protective antioxidant compounds, and also have higher levels of magnesium and vitamin B6.

- Information courtesy the American Institute for Cancer Research