Forty percent of daily calories consumed by U.S. children ages 2 to 18 are devoid of nutrients and high in fat and sugar. J. Am. Dietetic Assoc.
Research reported at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) International Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer, by Rui Hai Liu, M.D., Ph.D., and his colleagues at Cornell University shows that whole grains, such as buckwheat, contain many powerful phytonutrients whose activity has gone unrecognized because research methods have overlooked them.
A grain of whole wheat consists of three parts-its endosperm (starch), bran and germ. When wheat-or any whole grain-is refined, its bran and germ are removed. Although these two parts make up only 15-17% of the grain's weight, they contain 83% of its phenolics. Phenolics are powerful antioxidants that work in multiple ways to prevent disease and are one major class of phytonutrients that have been widely studied. Dr. Liu says his recent findings on the antioxidant content of whole grains reinforce the message that a variety of foods should be for eaten good health. "Different plant foods have different phytochemicals," he said. "These substances go to different organs, tissues and cells, where they perform different functions. What your body needs to ward off disease is this synergistic effect - this teamwork - that is produced by eating a wide variety of plant foods, including whole grains."
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