Part 1: Lipids - Kind and sources (2)

2.Compound Lipids.

Are triglycerides components combined wit other molecules are about 10% of body's total fat.

a).Phospholipids - water soluble end and a fat soluble end (thus found in cell membranes to modulate fluid movement across cell membrane); found in nerve sheath; important role in blood clotting

b). Glycolipids - fatty acids bound with carbohydrate.

c). Lipoproteins - protein capsules used for carrying lipids in the blood.
i).Chylomicron - emulsify fats and carry fats from the intestine into the lymphatics. Transport fat-soluble vitamins like A,D,E & K. Able to absorb larger molecules than normal absortion route.
ii). HDL (good cholesterol)
iii).LDL (bad cholesterol)

Part 1: Lipids - Kind and sources (1)

Lipids is the general term for a group of compounds, includes oils, fats, waxes, and related compounds. Oils become liquid at room temperature, whereas fats remain solids.
We can classify lipids to 3 main groups. 1) Simple Lipids 2) Compound Lipids 3) Derived Lipids

1).Simple Lipids Consist primarily of triglycerides. It is the major storage form of fat in the fat cells that resides in the adipose depots under the skin. Consist of a glycerol molecule and 3 fatty acids.
Saturated fatty acids:
Chemically when the carbon is maximally bonded with hydrogen.
Primarily in animal products such as beef (52% saturated fatty acids), lamb, pork, chicken, egg yolk and dairy fats of cream, milk, butter (62% saturated fatty acids), and cheese.

Unsaturated fatty acids: Chemically the carbon atoms have double bonds.

Part 1: Carbohydrate Dynamics - Moderate/prolonged exercsie

Glycogen stored in active muscles supplies almost all of the energy from resting to moderate exercise. In the first 20 minutes, liver and muscle glycogen supply between 40-50% of the energy requirement, with the remainder provided by fat burning and a little protein.

With time the muscle glycogen depletes and the blood glucose is increasingly utilized. Fat catabolism is also increasingly becomes a major energy supplier. Fatigue occurs when liver and muscle glycogen are depleted. This occurs despite enough oxygen supply and abundant energy from stored fat. The athlete may feel that he has “hit the wall”.

Fat contributes about 50% of the energy requirements during light and moderate exercise. Stored intramuscular fat and fat from fat cells becomes important during prolonged exercise. In this situation, the free fatty acids supply more than 80% of the exercise energy requirements.

A carbohydrate-deficient diet quickly depletes muscle and liver glycogen. This affects both all-out exercise capacity and the capacity to sustain high-intensity endurance exercise.

Individuals who train intensely should consume between 60 and 70% of their calories as carbohydrate predominately in unrefined form (8-10g per kg of body mass).

For the ordinary person just eat a normal balanced diet. To lose weight here are some tips:

To burn fat and lose weight, aerobic exercise is advocated. However, it must be of moderate intensity. When you exercise too hard or become breathless while exercising, the energy, which feeds your movement, is drawn from glycogen in your liver and muscles, not your fat stores.

You do not start to burn fat as soon as you begin your work out. Getting your body to burn fat instead of glycogen depends on complex hormonal responses (adrenal hormones and insulin) to trigger your fat cells to release triglycerides into the blood. The first 20 minutes of exercise the body burns sugar from the glycogen stores. The next 10 minutes it is a mixture of sugar and fats. Only after 30 minutes does the body burns proportionately more fat (50 percent from fat). The key about fat burning is to exercise not hard but long.

Studies in exercise physiology show that the minimal aerobic threshold to shed fat demands continuous movements of at least 30 minutes duration carried out at least 3 times a week. It has to be continuous and should you stop and restart workout after 20 minutes of exercise, the hormonal shift has reverted to burning sugar again. For beginners, you may find that your muscles may not sustain exercise for 30 minutes. It is okay as it may take several weeks to build up your muscular strength first.

SLOW DOWN.

Many so-called instructors advocate a training heart rate of 60-70 percent of the maximal heart rate (220 minus your age). However, at that kind of rate the unfit majority will reach their anaerobic threshold, and the body will burn mostly protein and sugar. That is why you see so many overweight women in aerobic classes and overweight men jogging in the park, panting like mad.

In fact, the optimal intensity of exercise for fat burning is far lower at 45-55 percent of your maximal heart rate. A daily walk of at least 30 minutes will burn far more fat than killing yourself at the gym.

Body fat is interesting stuff. It is very caloric dense. This means that it needs a lot of oxygen to be metabolized – broken down – so that it can be put into the bloodstream and used as energy. If your workout is too intense, the body will not be supplied with enough oxygen and switch to other tissue for energy. In effect it will stop burning your stored fat and increase its burning of protein and glucose, for these tissues require less oxygen to burn. Exercise too vigorously, say running or sprinting, and your body never gets enough oxygen to burn fat efficiently. For, as the intensity of your exercise increases, the amount of oxygen available decreases. When this happens, your body has to look for more and more sugar and protein to maintain the effort.

Build-up gradually

Initially you can start by walking 15 minutes, 3 times a week, and then build up to 45 minutes more intense brisk-walking at least 3 times a week, if not all days.

You should progress from light level of exercise initially if you are unfit or heavily overweight. Each level of intensity and duration should be maintained for at least 1-2 weeks. Please avoid injury. Progressing too rapidly will result in muscle soreness, fatigue, increased cardiac risk and eventually decreased motivation. Each exercise period should include warm-up and cool-down periods.

Light:
Slow walking (15 min/km, or 4 km/hr), tai chi, house cleaning, and golf (no buggy)

Moderate:
Brisk-walking (10 min/km, or 6 km/hr), active gardening, cycling (2.5 min/km, or 24 km/hr), badminton, swimming and aerobic exercise/dancing

High:
Jogging (6 min/km, or 10 km/hr), walking with upload hill, basketball, climbing and football.

Part 1: Carbohydrates - Carbohydarate Dynamics - Intense exercise

During strenuous exercise, there is an increase in adrenalin, noradrenalin, glucagon (hormone that releases glucose for burning).

The enzyme glycogen phosphorylase, helps breakdown the glycogen in the muscles and liver for combustion.

Initially, it is muscle glycogen that provides the energy, but as exercise continues the blood glucose increases its contribution as metabolic fuel (i.e 30%).

An hour of high intensity exercise depletes half of the glycogen stores. After 2 hours it almost depletes all the liver glycogen and specifically exercised muscles. (FYI, I just went up Mt.KK. I went up to the rest house at 11,000 feet in less than 3 hours just walking and also carrying my own 6kg bag and there was no need to eat energy bars etc. The important thing is to restore the glycogen within 40 minutes of stopping or reaching the rest house as glycogenosis [restoring the glycogen in the liver and muscles] is maximal 30-60 mins after exercise. If you reload the glycogen immediately there is no need to eat carbohydrate for the 2.30 am climb to the top. I left the rest house at 3.00am and got to the top at 5.15am. See the pictures at victorchenministries.blogspot.com).

Carbohydrate is the main fuel coz of its fast rate of energy conversion and transfer (into ATP, the cell’s energy currency) which is twice that of protein and fat. In addition per unit of oxygen consumed, carbohydrate generates 6% more energy than fat. Thus for intense exercise, its is mainly dependent on carbohydrates.

Tomorrow, we will look at moderate and prolonged exercise which mobilizes and burns fat for those who want to lose weight etc.

Part 1: Carbohydrates - Carbohydrate Dynamics In Exercise

The intensity and duration of effort and the fitness and nutritional status of the athlete largely determine the fuel mixture in exercise.

The liver increases glucose release to active muscle as exercise progresses from low to high intensity. Simultaneously, muscle glycogen supplies the predominant carbohydrate energy source during the early stages of exercise and as the intensity increases.

Carbohydrate is the preferred fuel during high-intensity aerobic exercise because it rapidly converts into ATP (the cell's unit of energy to make it simple; all the protein, fat & carbo you eat has to be converted into ATP for cell energy) compared to fat and protein. In short intense anaerobic efforts the sole fuel to make ATP is carbohydrates (i.e 200-400 meter sprint). If it is a 100 meter run you just use available ATP already in the cells.

Carbohydrate availability in the metabolic mixture controls its use for energy. In turn, carbohydrate intake affects its availability. High blood glucose will inhibit liver release of its glycogen stores. If blood glucose is high (i,e ingesting fast release carbs prior to exercise) will inhibit oxidation (burning) of fatty acids in the muscles and transport of fatty acids into the mitochondria (cell's Tenaga Nasional that makes ATP).

(will be away from 17-21 May, 2007). to be continued - Intense exercise vs moderate/prolonged exercise wrt to carbohydrate dynamics.

Part 1: Carbohydrates - Role of Carbohydrates in Exercise

Carbohydrates serve 4 important functions related to energy metabolism and exercise performance.

1) ENERGY SOURCES

Carbohydrates serve as an energy fuel especially during high-intensity exercise. Energy from catabolism of blood-borne glucose and muscle glycogen ultimately powers the muscle to contract and other forms of biological work.

Note that glycogen stores can be saturated. Once the stores reach maximum level, excess carbohydrates is converted to and stored as fat.

2) PROTEIN SPARER

Adequate carbohydrate intake helps preserve tissue protein. Protein is vital for tissue maintenance, repair, growth and metabolic functions. With glycogen depletion, the labile pool of amino acids may be used to make glucose. With extreme starvation or exercise resulting in extreme glycogen depletion, the lean body mass (muscles) may break down to provide energy.

3) METABOLIC PRIMER

Components of carbohydrate catabolism serve as substrate for fat oxidation. Insufficient carbohydrate breakdown (depletion etc). causes fat mobilization to exceeed fat oxidation. This incomplete fat breakdown leads to accumulation of ketone bodies. Ketone bodies leads to body acidity which can be harmful.

4) FUEL FOR CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

The brain uses blood glucose almost exclusively under normal conditions. Inadequacy of carbohydrate can lead to central nervous system fatigue with prolonged exercise.

Part 1: Carbohydrates - Recommended Intake of Carbohydrates

Cereals, cookies, candies, breads and cakes provide rich carbohydrate source. Fruits are less valuable as carbohydrate source because of their large water content. However, the dried portion of these foods, sold as dehydrated product, contains almost pure or concentrated carbohydrate.

The typical Malaysian diet contains about 50% of the total calories from carbohydrates. for a sedentary 70kg man this amounts to a daily intake of 300g of carbohydrate. For more physically active and those involved in training, carbohydrates should represent about 60% of daily calories (400-600g), predominately as unrefined, fiber-rich fruits, grains and vegetables. During intense training, one needs to increase to 70% of total calories consumed (9-10 g per kg of body mass).

Carbohydrates - the athlete's fuel

Athletes who regularly eat a varied, carbohydrate-rich diet have sufficient energy stores to fuel their increased activity during a competitive event. Some coaches recommend a special precompetition meal to prevent hunger and to provide the water and additional energy the athlete will need during competition. Most athletes eat 2 - 4 hours before their event. Some athletes perform their best if they eat a small amount 30 minutes before competing, while others eat nothing for 6 hours beforehand.

For many athletes, carbohydrate-rich foods serve as the basis of a precompetition meal. However, to some, there is no magic pre-event diet. They recommend choosing foods and beverages that you enjoy and that don't bother your stomach and suggests experimenting during the weeks before an event to see which foods work best for you.

One source of energy for working muscles is glycogen, which is made from carbohydrates and stored in your muscles. Every time you work out, you use some glycogen. If you don't consume enough carbohydrates, your glycogen stores can become depleted, which can lead to fatigue.

Some trainers and athletes use "carbohydrate loading" to increase the amount of glycogen in muscles. An athlete eats 10 - 12 g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight for 5 - 7 days before a competitive event and gradually reduces the intensity of the workouts. That's a lot of carbohydrate - 700-800 grams for a 150-pound person. The day before the event, the athlete rests and eats the same high-carbohydrate diet. Those who participate in endurance sports which require 90 minutes or more of non-stop effort use this technique. Most athletes don't need to do this and can get what they need from eating a diet that gets more than half of its calories from carbohydrates.

Part 1: Carbohydrates - Kind and Sources

Except for lactose and a small amount of glycogen from animal origin, plants provide the carbohydrate source in human diet.

Monosaccharides
1) Glucose - forms naturally in food or in the body through digestion of more complex carbohydrates. The liver can also make glucose from amino acids etc.

2) Fructose - occurs in fruits and honey. Converts to glucose in the liver.

3) Galactose - does not exist freely in nature; it combines with glucose to form milk sugar in mammary glands.

Oligosaccharides
2-10 monosaccharides form together and bond chemically.

1) Sucrose - (glucose+fructose) or table sugar. Occurs in sugar cane, honey, maple syrup & brown sugar.

2) Lactose - (glucose+galactose). Found in milk and milk sugar

3) Maltose - (glucose+glucose). Found in beer, breakfast cereals and germinating seeds.


Polysaccharides

Linkage of 3 to thousands of sugar molecules. Formed by dehydration. Commonly reffered to as complex carbohydrate it is the most important dietary source of carbohydrate (accounts for 50% of carbo intake).

PLANT SOURCES
1)Starch - storage form of carbohydrates in plants, occurs in seeds, rice, corn and various grains of bread, cereal, pasta and pastries. Large amount also in peas, beans, potatoes and roots.

2) Fiber - nonstarch, structural polyssacharide. Fiber resist breakdown by human digestive enzymes although a small portion ferments by action of intestinal bacteria. Fiber exist exclusively in plants; they make up the structure of leaves, stems, roots, seeds and fruit coverings.
-Water soluble fiber (lowers cholesterol) - psyllium husk, B-glucan, pectin & guar gum present in oats, beans, brown rice, peas, carrot, corn husk and many fruits.
-Water insoluble (scrapes and cleans intestine)- cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin and cellulose-rich products (wheat bran).

ANIMAL POLYSACCHARIDE
Glycogen, the storage carbohydrate peculiar to mammalian muscles and liver. It is stored by binding many glucose molecules together by a process called glucogenesis.

Note: a well-nourished 80kg person stores approximately 500grams of carbohydrate. Of this, muscles glycogen accounts for 400 grams, followed by 90-110 grams as liver glycogen with 2-3grams in blood as glucose.

Each gram of either glycogen or glucose contains 4 calories(Kcal) of energy, the person stores 1500-2000 kcal as carbohydrate - enough energy to power a 20 mile run at high intensity.

During exercise, the glycogen in the muscles (intramuscular glycogen) provide most of the energy for active muscles. The glycogen in the liver breaks down into glucose for other extramuscular metabolic functions.

Nutrition - The Base for Human Exercise and Performance

Nutrition and exercise are naturally linked. A lot of you may argue that you may already know a fair bit on nutrition and that well-balanced diet readily provides optimal sports performance. This is not exactly true!

The optimal performance of the human body in exercise calls for looking at the framework of energy capacities and performance, with the understanding of energy sources and diverse nutrients play energy release and transfer. Only then can we we critically evaluate claims about certain nutritional supplements and dietary modifications to enhance physical performances.

Remember that nutrients provide energy and regulate the biological processes in exercise, so dietary modifications often lead to improved performances.

The Science Behind Exercise

Exercise Physiology! What is it? Basically, it is the science behind exercise. That is what I will dwell into from now till the end of the year.

Part 1- Nutrition
part2 - Energy
Part 3- Energy Transfer
Part 4 - Enhancing performances
Part 5 - Exercise, Successful aging, Disease Prevention

I had always been interested in sports. I played a lot of football when I was young, played rugby for Wesley College and racket sports. Upon graduation, I attended a one-year course on Sports Medicine run by the Australia Medical Association (WA) for General Practitioners while I was a resident in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

These days, I still run 3 times a week (7-10km), gym once a week, and swim 2 times week (30-50 laps of the 50m pool).

Biological Value of Proteins

Since not all proteins are of the same quality, there is a measure of protein quality known as the Biological Value (BV). The BV is a reflection of how well the protein is digested and absorbed.

Egg is a good source of quality protein and is benchmarked with a BV value of 100.

BIOLOGICAL VALUE (BV) OF COMMON PROTEINS

Egg 100
Cow’s milk 91
Egg white (albumin) 88
Fish 83
Meat 80
Chicken 79
Soya 74
Rice 59
Beans 49

The reason why meats and fish have a low BV is that its BV value is measured after it is cooked. When proteins are heated, some of their amino acids are denatured – changed in their molecular structure – and rendered useless. Some amino acids can even be destroyed.

Protein Sources

Fish

Choose from non-fatty white meat fish such as trout, carp or occasionally wild salmon (my favorite). Oily fish are rich in essential fatty acids, and are very good for regulating hormone and blood sugar levels.

Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds are good. They contain a lot of essential fatty acids, or good fats. When you eat a lot of essential fatty acids, you won't put on weight easily - they even help you lose weight.

Nuts and seeds contain a powerhouse good stuff - the full profile of amino acids, vitamin A,B,C and E and the minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, selenium and manganese. Sunflower seeds, flax seeds, alfafa seeds, pumpkin seeds, almons, chestnuts, cashews, pecans, brazil nuts and walnuts are good.

Nuts and seeds are so nutrient-dense, so you do not need to eat a lot of them. - a teaspoon a day would be more than enough. I sprinkle them on breakfast cereals or my oats. Some people use them in cooking as garnishes or to flavour a gourmet dish.

Good Proteins

No doubt protein is important but too much is also no good as the body cannot store the protein it does not immediately use. Instead the liver converts excess protein into glucose and toxins.

Meat, fish, poultry, eggs and milk are rich sources of protein but they aren't the best sources as the liver finds it hard to digest all that fat as well as the antibiotics and other chemicals used in the raising of animal produce. Your body has to work harder to digest meat proteins.

It is better to vary your protein sources ie. also get them from grains., nuts, spouted seds and leafy veggies.

Beans (4) - Soybean

Soybean has a compete protein content. They also have several anticancer compounds and have a balancing effect on male and female hormones.

Every cell needs protein. It is needed to manufacture antibodies, enzymes, hormones, for cell growth and repair, repair of muscles and bones, etc.

Beans (3) - Lentils

Lentils are a delicious part of dishes that range from hearty soups to spicy entrees. in addition, all this flavor comes in a legume that experts consider one of the world's healthiest foods. Lentils are major source or protein, fiber, folic acid and iron (making it a food for expecting mothers). Lentils have all these benefits, yet are low in calories and have almost no fat. Next time your at the market, don't forget lentils. They're a perfect part of any meal.


Benefits
Lentils are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Not only do lentils help lower cholesterol, they are of special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal.

Lentils also provide good to excellent amounts of six important minerals, two B-vitamins, and protein—all with virtually no fat. The calorie cost of all this nutrition? Just 230 calories for a whole cup of cooked lentils. This tiny nutritional giant fills you up--not out.

Lentils—A Fiber All Star

Check a chart of the fiber content in foods; you'll see legumes leading the pack. Lentils, like other beans, are rich in dietary fiber, both the soluble and insoluble type.

Love Your Heart—Eat Lentils

A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirms that eating high fiber foods, such as lentils, helps prevent heart disease. Almost 10,000 adults participated in this study and were followed for 19 years. People eating the most fiber, 21 grams per day, had 12% less coronary heart disease (CHD) and 11% less cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to those eating the least, 5 grams daily. Those eating the most water-soluble dietary fiber fared even better with a 15% reduction in risk of CHD and a 10% risk reduction in CVD.

Lentils' contribution to heart health lies not just in their fiber, but in the significant amounts of folate and magnesium these little wonders supply. Folate helps lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is an intermediate product in an important metabolic process called the methylation cycle. When folate (as well as vitamin B6) are around, homocysteine is immediately converted into cysteine or methionine, both of which are benign. When these B vitamins are not available, levels of homocysteine increase in the bloodstream--a bad idea since homocysteine damages artery walls and is considered a serious risk factor for heart disease.

Lentils' magnesium puts yet another plus in the column of its beneficial cardiovascular effects. Magnesium is Nature's own calcium channel blocker. When enough magnesium is around, veins and arteries breathe a sigh of relief and relax, which lessens resistance and improves the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.

Lentils Give You Energy to Burn While Stabilizing Blood Sugar

In addition to its beneficial effects on the digestive system and the heart, soluble fiber helps stabilize blood sugar levels. If you have insulin resistance, hypoglycemia or diabetes, legumes like lentils can really help you balance blood sugar levels while providing steady, slow-burning energy. Studies of high fiber diets and blood sugar levels have shown the dramatic benefits provided by these high fiber foods.

Iron for Energy

In addition to providing slow burning complex carbohydrates, lentils can increase your energy by replenishing your iron stores. Particularly for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency, boosting iron stores with lentils is a good idea--especially because, unlike red meat, another source of iron, lentils are not rich in fat and calories. Iron is an integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism. And remember: If you're pregnant or lactating, your needs for iron increase. Growing children and adolescents also have increased needs for iron.

Beans (2) - Green (Mung) Beans

This bean can lower high blood pressure, treat gastrointestinal ulcers and urinary problems, and cleanse the blood by introducing more oxygen.

Mung beans also called "lok tao" is a liver cleanser and good for detox.

Mung beans are a good source of Vitamins A, B, C & E, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and amino acids. Mung beans contain 20% protein and are a good source of foliate and dietary fiber.

Beans (1) - Red (Aduki) Beans

RED BEAN: THE WEIGHT LOSS BEAN

Red beans are high in nutrients but low in calories. This bean, with its exceptionally high levels of fiber, vitamin B complex, and minerals (iron, manganese & zinc), acts as a natural diuretic to relieve the body of excess fluids. It also removes unwanted mucus, congestion and stools, burns fat and balances protein metabolism for weight management.

If you want to lose weight, this is the bean for you.

There are many ways to eat red bean - red bean salad, red bean casserole, pancake, red bean stew red bean soup, red bean porridge (Korean) ,etc, etc.

Nutrient Profile
ONE CUP of cooked red (aduki) beans has as much iron as 4 ounces of lean steak, more folate than a cup of cooked spinach, and about as much protein as 4 tablespoons of peanut butter.

CALORIES 294
PROTEIN 17 G
FAT 0 G
FIBER 12 G
IRON 4.6 MG
POTASSIUM 1,224 MG
ZINC 4 MG
VITAMIN [B.sub.1] (THIAMIN) .26 MG
FOLATE 278 MCG

Beloved Beans

Beans are basically seeds from a pod of specific plants. Most of them are packed with complete protein and almost no fat.

Beans are great for weight loss. They also lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease and rid the body of toxins. Importantly they are a good source of complex carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates is important for the body for fuel. If you stop eating carbohydrates, you will feel weak and depressed. Instead of eating high GI refined carbohydrates, eat high GI complex carbohydrates like beans. Remember beans are essential for good health. Eat them regularly!

Wheat & Noodles

When I was young I thought only Westerners ate wheat (cereals etc). But a lot of noodles are actually made of refined wheat. Of course people will tell you that you are better of eating unrefined wheat bla!bla!bla!


Udon = Japanese thick noodles Udon noodles are white, Japanese wheat flour noodles, that are round or flat.


Chinese Wheat noodles= Chinese wheat starch noodles Made from strong plain wheat flour and water. These delicate noodles are mostly used in soups.


Chow mein noodles These egg and wheat flour noodles are used to make chow mein, in which the cooked noodles are formed in to a pancake and fried on both side.



Miswa = misua These wheat noodles are very slender. The dried noodles can be deep-fried to make a crunchy nest, or boiled for 2-3 minutes to make a salad, or added directly to soup.

Pancit Canton = flour sticks = pancit mian These dried yellow noodles are used to make a dish called pancit. They're made with wheat flour, coconut oil, and yellow food coloring.

Shanghai noodles Shanghai noodles are fresh, white wheat flour noodles that need to be cooked in boiling water before use.



Hokkien noodles Hokkien noodles are egg and wheat-flour noodles that have been cooked and lightly oiled before before packaging. They need no preparation before use - simply stir-fry or add to soup or salads.

Of course there are other noodles like wanton mee that is made from eggs etc, etc.

Good Grains (6) - Wheat

Bread, pasta, bagels, crackers, cakes, and muffins just begin to describe the list of foods made with this grain. A lot of Chinese noodles are actually made from wheat (not rice).



Wheat, in its natural unrefined state, features a host of important nutrients. Therefore, to receive benefit from the wholesomeness of wheat it is important to choose wheat products made from whole wheat flour rather than those that are refined and stripped of their natural goodness.

BENEFITS

The health benefits of wheat depend entirely on the form in which you eat it. These benefits will be few if you select wheat that has been processed into 60% extraction, bleached white flour. 60% extraction-the standard for most wheat products, including breads, noodles and pastas, baked goods like rolls or biscuits, and cookies-means that 40% of the original wheat grain was removed, and only 60% is left. Unfortunately, the 40% that gets removed includes the bran and the germ of the wheat grain-its most nutrient-rich parts. In the process of making 60% extraction flour, over half of the vitamin B1, B2, B3, E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, iron, and fiber are lost.