Taking stock of alternative whole grains

Tag : Whole Wheat Flour

This is part of a continuing series on the health benefits ofgrains that you might not have heard of or tried. The first in theseries focuses on bulgur and sorghum.
Bulgur
What it is: Bulgur is not actually a plant: You won't ever seebulgur growing in the fields. It's actually a Middle Eastern way ofpreparing wheat that maintains almost all the bran and germ of thewheat kernel, which is why it's considered a whole grain.
"To make bulgur, whole-wheat kernels are steamed, then dried andcracked, and the resulting pieces sorted by size from coarse tofine. Because it's largely pre-cooked, bulgur can be on the tablein as little as 10 minutes," said Cynthia Harriman, director ofFood and Nutrition Strategies for The Whole Grains Council.
Texture: Pleasant. Soft without being at all mushy.
Tastes like: Bulgur has a mild, nutty flavor that some say ishalfway between white rice and brown rice. It's a great "startergrain" for people just branching out beyond refined grains.
Nutritional information: (1 cup cooked) 151 calories, 0.44g fat,33.82g carbs, 8.2g dietary fiber, 5.61g protein.
Nutrients: (Daily values are based on 1 cup cooked) Higher thanaverage in niacin (1.82mg, 9 percent of daily value, heart health)fiber (8.2g, 33 percent), magnesium (58mg, 15 percent), iron(1.75mg, 9.7 percent, forms hemoglobin in blood), copper (1.37mg,6.8 percent), zinc (1.04mg, 6.9 percent, cellular metabolism,immune response). Some of the other nutrients found in bulgur arecalcium, vitamin B6, thiamin, pantothenic acid, potassium, seleniumand folate.
Health perks: The amount of fiber is off the charts — awhopping 33 percent of the daily value, making it an excellentsource. In fact, bulgur has more fiber than quinoa, oats, millet,brown rice and many other whole grains. There are also 98micrograms of lutein, plus zeaxanthin, which is important for eyehealth.
Best served or cooked with: There are three grades of bulgur. "Finegrains are used in such dishes as kibbe, which is a mixture ofbulgur and meat or poultry that's cooked, baked or made into acasserole. The fine grains do well in dishes with meats becausethey adhere well to the meat," said Dr. Michael D. Ozner, medicaldirector of wellness and prevention at Baptist Health South Floridaand the author of "The Miami Mediterranean Diet."
"Medium-size grains are used for various salads and in makingtabbouleh. The third size, which is coarser and larger, is bestused in pilafs," It can be used in recipes very much like rice andcouscous and is often substituted for meat in many vegetariandishes.
Classic Tabbouleh
From "The Miami Mediterranean Diet"
¾ cup bulgur
1½ cups water
2 cups freshly chopped parsley
¾ cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
½ red bell pepper, diced
½ green bell pepper, diced
½ cup finely chopped fresh mint
½ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
In a small saucepan, soak bulgur in water for 30 minutes. Drainbulgur through a sieve and allow it to dry thoroughly. Placebulgur, parsley, scallions, peppers and mint in a large bowl. Stirto mix well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together lemon juice and oil. Seasonbulgur mixture with salt and pepper. Add lemon mixture to bulgur— only enough to make salad moist (not runny) — and toss.Fold in tomatoes and cucumber, then cover and chill. Serve on a bedof greens, with seasoned pita wedges for dipping.
This salad goes well with toasted, herb-seasoned whole-wheat pitatriangles.
Makes 4-6 servings
Sorghum
What it is: Sometimes known as milo, the type we eat today iscalled sweet white sorghum to differentiate it from the red varietyfed to livestock.
"Sorghum is used in other countries to make beer and is now usedhere in the U.S. as the basis for several brands of gluten-freebeer, but it also makes wonderful baked goods," said Carol Fenster,author of "Gluten-Free Quick & Easy."
Sorghum is an ancient grain that originated in Africa and then wentto India and the Middle East. "It was brought to the U.S. byslaves," said Julie Miller Jones, a professor of nutrition atCollege of St. Catherine, St. Paul, Minn. "Despite its use inAfrica as a staple human food, in the U.S. it was mostly used asanimal feed.
"It grows well in hot climates and does not require a rich soil. Itis being promoted as the perfect 'Earth Day food,' as it has fewerenvironmental needs."
Hard to find in stores, whole-grain sorghum can be ordered directlyfrom a grower at www.twinvalleymills.com, Fenster suggested.
Texture: When cooked, it is very chewy and hearty, much likebulgur.
Tastes like: There are many varieties, so its color and taste vary.Some of the dark varieties have a stronger, more bitter taste. Thelight varieties have a taste like quinoa or millet or some ricepilafs.
However, according to Fenster, "Many gluten-free people think thatthis grain tastes the closest to wheat. It has a mild, slightlyearthy flavor that won't interfere with other foods."
Nutritional information: (¼ cup) 163 calories, 1.58g fat,35.82g carbs, 3g fiber, 5.42g protein.
Nutrients: (Daily values are based on ¼ cup) It's a goodsource of fiber (12 percent of daily value) and protein (11percent). It also contains 2.11mg iron (about 12 percent), 138mgphosphorus (14 percent) and 168mg potassium (5 percent). Sorghumhas heart-healthy vitamin B's (thiamin 7.5 percent, riboflavin 4percent and niacin 7 percent).
Health perks: This is a perfect gluten-free whole grain for thosewith celiac disease (those who are allergic to gluten). "Somevarieties are very high in antioxidants. It also contains a waxycompound called a polycosinol, which lowers serum cholesterol,"Jones said.
Best served or cooked with: The whole grains should be soakedovernight to soften them slightly before cooking in water. Or cookovernight on low in a slow cooker with 4 parts water to 1 partsorghum kernels, Jones said.
Many gluten-free bakers use sorghum flour in place of wheat flour.When cooked, it makes a wonderful substitute for bulgur or wheatberries, Fenster said, and it can be used like couscous for adelicious mix of whole grain, vegetables and meat. It can even beeaten like popcorn.
Slow-Cooker Sorghum Pilaf
From "Gluten-Free Quick & Easy"
Sorghum produces a robust pilaf with lots of chew and texture. Forbest results, have all ingredients at room temperature when youstart the slow cooker.
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
½ cup uncooked whole-grain sorghum
2 cups gluten-free low-sodium chicken broth, such as SwansonNatural Goodness
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese or soy alternative, such as Soyco

Lightly coat the liner of a slow cooker with cooking spray. Add allingredients except the Parmesan cheese to the slow cooker and stirto blend thoroughly.
Cover and, without removing the lid, cook on low for 6 to 8 hoursor until all liquid is absorbed. Stir in Parmesan cheese and serve.
Serves 4
Charles Stuart Platkin is a nutrition and public health advocate,founder and editor of DietDetective.com, the online source fornutrition, fitness, food, diet and wellness information.