The Fresh Loaf

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Interesting article: health benefits of sourdough/whole wheat/whole grain

spsq's picture
spsq

Interesting article: health benefits of sourdough/whole wheat/whole grain

I thought people here might find this interesting!  I loves me whole grain (fortunately, I have a flour mill), but good to know sourdough is good to!

 

http://health.lifestyle.yahoo.ca/channel_health_news_details.asp?news_id=15727&news_channel_id=1055&channel_id=1055

Yerffej's picture
Yerffej

Fascinating article and of interest to me as the vast majority of my baking is with sourdough.  Here is an essay on whole grains that may shed more light on the subject.

Jeff

 http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/be_kind.html

suave's picture
suave

But this is another piece by the Mary Enig, famous for spouting pseudoscientific nonsense.   "Cruelty to grains"? "...process that destroys nutrients and turns the proteins in grains into veritable poisons."? Puh-leze.  If we start believing into this sort of stuff we might as well get our financial advice from Kevin Trudeau.

Mike

benjamin's picture
benjamin

This is so very typical, and something that causes me much frustration. I am a biochemist and work as a molecular biology research scientist. Unfortunately I read articles like this all too often... the author has taken a few fundamental truths of biochemistry and cellular metabolism and distorted them into a sensationalist rant, which makes very little sense to me. Without sounding condescending, the average person has limited knowledge of cellular processes and metabolism (quite understandably), so articles like this using scientific words and reasoning seem very legitimate and believable to the masses. Unfortunately, certain individuals take advantage of this to generate sensational headlines for book deals.

In reality this article is based on distorted half truths and is laughable at points. It is the responsibility of the scientific community to communicate and inform the general public regarding research and current scientific thinking, bridging the gap between scientists and non-scientists, allowing everyone to make informed unbiased decisions. However it turns out that we are doing an awful job of this, which is really bad for everyone, since it is left down to average people to vote and decide on allocation of research funding etc. So the consequence of this fundamental lack of communication can be much more damaging than some money hungry person, spouting half-baked ideas in order to sell a book on nutrition.

 This kind of stuff really bothers me, as general advice, read everthing with a critical eye (to some degree). How many times have we heard that a certain vegetable is a 'superfood', and then next week that same item will give you bowel cancer if you eat too much.

Well, thats the end of my rant for today... I appologise, that was rather heavy for a Friday afternoon!

 

ben

suave's picture
suave

I'm afraid that despite being named Graham the author of the study is about to be crucified by the "health community" for saying that under certain conditions white flour may provide more benefits than whole wheat.

Mike

Yerffej's picture
Yerffej

"...the Mary Enig, famous for spouting pseudoscientific nonsense"

Please fill me in.  What's her story?

Jeff

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

Seems to me Prof. Terry Graham, is rather slow or he would have included more sourdough & flour varieties in his test. That is why I feel this test in still incomplete. He could just be starting a base study and going on from there, I surely hope so. No one can tell me this is new information.   And where are the women test persons?  :)

There is a lot of nutritional information on how fermented and sprouted, flours and grains have more beneficial effects than their original counterparts, non-gluten grains included. The best thing about having a grain shortage, is that this kind of information is coming to light. Good!  With a demand for more nutrition and positive grain benefits, the processing of grains and flour and how we make our bread is being questioned.  Very Good!

Everyone should question everything, quality control demands constant attention.

Mini O

spsq's picture
spsq

One thing I noticed, btw, is that the article specified the difference b/n whole wheat flour and whole GRAIN flour.  It's so sad to me that whole wheat does not mean whole grain, but the general public is largely not aware of this "deception".  Mimi, you make a good point too: the added benefits of other whole grain flours, sprouted grains, etc., are not factored in.  It does make me happy that there are - apparently - recognizable benefits to sourdough - I love wg bread, but sometime a good crusty, holey baguette is just the tops.

 

I'm gonna develop me a sourdough, whole grain, multi flour, sprouted wheat, crusty and holey baguette.  That should have all the bases covered!

PaddyL's picture
PaddyL

I've been making white sourdough bread now for a few months and, after reading this study, I started testing my blood sugar more often and it turn out there's some truth in what he says.  My blood sugar is not spiking as it would were I to eat plain white bread or even non-sourdough ww bread.  Maybe it doesn't work to the benefit of all diabetics, but it does for me, and it's worth trying.

Yerffej's picture
Yerffej
ehanner's picture
ehanner

I don't want to hijack this thread and I have done a fair amount of digging on this subject so I will start a new thread with credible scientific info if you are interested.

Eric

prairiegal's picture
prairiegal

Hi, Eric.  I would be interested in the new thread, if you start one.  I'm one of those who tries to bake sourdough, wholegrain... but I'm only about halfway where I want to be.  I'd love to hear what you have learned.

susanvan's picture
susanvan

I agree, think its a spammer

 

sue

dexter's picture
dexter

health benefits of sourdough/whole-wheat is no longer available.