Grains

Grains are the fuel for your body and are one of the most important foods that give you energy and keep you going!  Whole grains are very healthy as they have very little fat, lots of fibre, some vitamins and minerals and lots of carbohydrates that give you energy. 

Grains are the seeds of grasses like wheat, barley and oats (and lots more).  They are usually made into foods everyone eats like bread, pasta and rice.  When you are choosing these foods, make sure to go for wholegrain versions.  This means that all of the goodness of the grain is left for your body to use.  In processed or refined grain foods, like white flour (which makes white bread or white pasta) or white rice, the bran and outer husk of the grain are removed.  There is not as much goodness left for your body as the nutrients and fibre are gone.  Fibre helps you to feel fuller more quickly and makes sure that your food moves through your digestive system at the proper speed!

There are two different types of carbohydrates that you can find in grains – complex and simple.  Complex carbohydrates are also called starches, and these give you energy more slowly over a longer period of time.  Simple carbohydrates are also called sugars and you can find these everywhere.  Sugar makes food taste nice, which is why people add so much to their food from the sugar bowl or eat foods that have lots of sugar.  These are refined sugars and it’s not a good idea to eat too many foods containing refined sugar.  They have lots of calories and give you energy very quickly, but only for a short time so that you feel hungry again very quickly.  You are better off getting your simple sugars from foods like fruit or milk because as well as natural simple sugars, they contain fibre, vitamins and minerals like calcium – all of which are very healthy.