Grains

Sprouted-grain bread offerings in the market have been slowly but steadily on the uptick of late, and a number of health claims have attached themselves to the spongy, nutty-tasting loaves: more digestible, richer in protein and higher in vitamins and minerals compared with other breads. But are the claims true? Yes -- and no. Sprouted-grain products have distinct nutritional advantages over white breads, but when compared to other whole-grain breads, they're usually nutritionally comparable -- although nutrient contents can vary, depending on the sprouts included.

This week, singer Miley Cyrus became the latest celebrity to endorse a gluten-free diet, telling fans and critics she didn't have a weight disorder, but a food allergy (or two).  “For everyone calling me anorexic I have a gluten and lactose allergy. It's not about weight it's about health. Gluten is crapppp anyway!” she tweeted Sunday. Later that day she added, “everyone should try no gluten for a week! The change in your skin, phyisical and mental health is amazing!

This week, singer Miley Cyrus became the latest celebrity to endorse a gluten-free diet, telling fans and critics she didn't have a weight disorder, but a food allergy (or two).  “For everyone calling me anorexic I have a gluten and lactose allergy. It's not about weight it's about health. Gluten is crapppp anyway!” she tweeted Sunday. Later that day she added, “everyone should try no gluten for a week! The change in your skin, phyisical and mental health is amazing!

At first glance, Susan and Herb Eckerling's kitchen doesn't look that bad, food-wise. A bowl of fresh fruit graces the tan tile counter, there's leftover steamed cauliflower in the refrigerator and some quick-cooking oats in the pantry. But scratch the surface and signs of poor choices and unnecessary deprivations emerge: Susan's diet is extremely short on whole grains, and neither eats much red meat - even though they like it - because they fear every cut is bad for their health.

The messages are all over the supermarket aisles: "Made with whole grain goodness," screams a bag of Tostitos tortilla chips. "With whole grain guaranteed," says a box of Chocolate Cheerios. "One serving of whole grain," declares a package of frosted strawberry Pop-Tarts. Whole grains have been the darlings of the food industry ever since the government's 2005 food pyramid recommended we eat more of them — at least 3 ounces per day. These days, you'll find them in a wide array of products, some expected, some not: breakfast cereals, crackers, frozen dinners and snack chips.

Pour yourself a nice big bowl of whole-grain cereal. A study finds that diets high in fiber, particularly from cereal and whole grains, may reduce the risk of colon cancer. The study, released online today in the British Medical Journal , is a meta-analysis of 25 studies that examined the relationship between dietary fiber and colorectal cancer, the third most common type of cancer diagnosed among men and women in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. Previous studies have shown that dietary fiber may decrease colorectal cancer risk, but the authors of this study said it's not apparent whether certain types of fiber are key. After analyzing these papers they found that for every 10 grams of dietary fiber and cereal fiber there was a 10% reduced risk of colorectal cancer.

If you're a newcomer to whole-grain cooking, you might take advantage of the following ideas. Let them serve as inspirations for your own creations. Pairing cooked grains with available seasonal vegetables can give old recipes new flavors, colors and textures. To keep fat to a minimum and maximize flavor, use unrefined, cold-pressed oils, cook in heavy-bottomed non-stick cookware and add a drizzle of oil to the finished dish just before serving.

The Chernobyl nuclear disaster energized American futures markets again Tuesday. Grains, soybeans and cattle prices advanced, partly because of developments, or mere rumors, linked to concern over radiation damage to European farms. Traders at the Chicago Board of Trade were expecting lower prices Tuesday because of rain over much of the nation's cropland, good progress in planting corn and other factors.

Although there is no Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for fiber, 25 to 30 grams per day is considered a desirable intake. This can be accomplished by including two to three servings of cooked whole grains and four to five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables in the daily diet. Wheat germ, buckwheat and barley are a few of the more familiar grains that can be baked into breads or used to complement ingredients in both sweet and savory dishes. They are easy to use and are an economical way to sneak additional fiber into the diet.

Stephanie Jacobson eats a smattering of whole grains and vegetables, which is better than none at all. She's cut way back on her soda consumption and stopped drinking coffee. But fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and foods with calcium need to be added to her daily diet ASAP. What she's doing right: Stephanie Jacobson eats a smattering of whole grains and vegetables, which is better than none at all. She's cut way back on her soda consumption and stopped drinking coffee because of her vertigo, replacing those beverages with water.

Pour yourself a nice big bowl of whole-grain cereal. A study finds that diets high in fiber, particularly from cereal and whole grains, may reduce the risk of colon cancer. The study, released online today in the British Medical Journal , is a meta-analysis of 25 studies that examined the relationship between dietary fiber and colorectal cancer, the third most common type of cancer diagnosed among men and women in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. Previous studies have shown that dietary fiber may decrease colorectal cancer risk, but the authors of this study said it's not apparent whether certain types of fiber are key. After analyzing these papers they found that for every 10 grams of dietary fiber and cereal fiber there was a 10% reduced risk of colorectal cancer.

USC quarterback Matt Barkley isn't getting caught up in the hype, or in Washington Coach Steve Sarkisian's assessment of him. Sarkisian said this week that if he were an NFL coach, he'd take Barkley ahead of Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck , the presumed No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL draft. "I definitely think it's a little sugarcoating," Barkley said Tuesday. "We'll see what he says in March or after this game. " Not that Barkley disagrees. He'd also take himself over Luck.

This far-flung capital of Nevada's Gold Belt is booming - very, very reluctantly. With the price of gold in the stratosphere, the mine-chiseled corner of northeastern Nevada is scrambling to fill thousands of jobs, while newcomers to the barren region beg for somewhere to sleep. The motels: sold out. The apartments: good luck. The RV parks: get in line. Nevada churns out more gold than all but four nations. The Elko area's 7.4% jobless rate is about half that of the once-thriving Las Vegas region.

Hundreds of angry longshoremen walked off the job at ports in the Pacific Northwest on Thursday, effectively shutting down loading and unloading operations in a wildcat labor action that turned into a raucous confrontation — with union members storming a grain export terminal and holding security guards at bay for hours. Shipping terminals in Seattle, Tacoma and Everett were idled as workers joined the protest in the town of Longview, where police said union members rushed into a contested loading area in the pre-dawn hours, cutting brake lines on a train full of grain, pushing a security vehicle into a ditch and dumping part of the grain cargo off the train.

Picture a mortgage program that seems to defy many of the lessons of the housing bust: • 91% of its borrowers make zero down payments. • Loan amounts go well into the jumbo range — to $1 million and sometimes above, even with little or nothing down. • Credit standards are flexible and generous. Underwriting rules encourage loan officers to look for ways to approve applications rather than to reject them. • Mortgage originations are up — almost triple what they were just three years ago and on track this year to exceed 2010's volume.

Most pharmaceutical ads in biomedical journals may not be up to snuff as far as Food and Drug Administration guidelines are concerned, a study finds. Researchers examined 192 pharmaceutical ads for 82 individual products in 12 journals from November 2008 using criteria from the FDA's Prescription Drug Advertising Guidelines (excluded were ads for devices, over the counter medications and disease awareness). They also assessed ad content that related to safe prescribing. At least two people reviewed each ad. Only about 18% of the ads complied with all 20 FDA guidelines and about 58% didn't calculate serious risks of the drugs, including death.

Dan Dalager has this thing about sand. The granular stuff, sifting luxuriously between his toes, played a major role in creating his memories of youthful, glorious afternoons along the Southern California shore. That was during the late 1960s, when Dalager, then a North County lifeguard, and his surfer friends romped along soft beaches and buried each other neck-deep in the shifting, sensuous sand. But Dalager's sandy playground disappeared--eroded by vicious storms and the hand of man.

"Nobody in our family has a flat stomach, Carolyn," my dad stated authoritatively. A scientist, he generally gave us The Last Word on Every Subject. I looked up from my rounded belly. "Well, I still wish mine were flat," I told him as we sat at the table after dinner, nibbling as we talked. Who knew? Belly fat is dangerous. I complained all those decades ago because mine hung over my jeans, a sign of much after-dinner-snacking. Back then, we did not know that a big belly pumped its own chemical mix throughout the body.

Here are some of my favorite grains for summer salads, along with their cooking proportions and some tasting notes. Bulgur1 cup to 11/2 cups water (soak only)Chewy, slightly vegetal Couscous (quick cooking)1 cup to 11/4 cups boiling water (soak) Tender, wheaty Pearl barley, farro1 cup to 3 cups waterChewy, earthy Millet1 cup to 21/2 cups waterSlightly chewy, slightly vegetal Quinoa 1 cup to 13/4 cups waterTender, vegetal Wheat berrylike pastaChewy, earthy

Confession time here: For years I avoided cooking with whole grains. There was just such a tinge of sacrifice I associated with them. They seemed like food for penance, not pleasure. "Eat them, they're good for you. " Sure, I'd occasionally add some pearl barley to a mushroom soup, and last year I found a delicious Greek dessert made from wheat berries, but that bit of dabbling was pretty much the extent of it. No longer. After spending a couple of weeks playing with various whole grains, cooking them this way and that and turning them into summer salads, I'm ready to say: "Eat them, you'll like them.