One of the groups of foods that promote weight loss, cereals (or grains), have been a core food for thousands of years. Rice, millet, maize, wheat, barley, oats and rye have kept civilisation going from Asia and Africa, through Europe and into North & South America.

It is not surprising that, today, they are often considered as nothing other than starchy fillers, when you think nearly all commercially available cereal products have been so refined there is not a lot left except for the starch. This is then loaded with sugar, salt, flavourings etc.etc. When eaten, refined cereals are easily absorbed into the blood stream which can cause an imbalance to sugar and fat levels.

However, go back to the bare grain, previous to processing, and you have a nutritional gem just waiting to be exposed! Like all seeds, cereals contain all the ingredients a new plant needs to grow, so the complete nutritional significance is in its core composition. In this untreated state, they are a rich source of plant proteins, carbohydrates, some fat, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, other minerals, antioxidants, phyto-nutrients and more.

All of these nutrients go to work in concert to reduce the health risks associated with obesity, heart problems attributed to excessive cholesterol and elevated blood pressure, bowel disorders, diabetes, and a number of types of intestinal and lower body cancers.

They are also a valuable source of fiber. Bran is just about one of the richest sources of fiber in the entire component of whole grain. Found on the hard-to-digest outer husk of rice, wheat, oats, cereal grains, and so on, studies reveal that bran has the capability to help prevent major health problems like cancer of the breast, uterus, prostate, and colon; intestinal problems like constipation, and prevent heart attacks.

Whole Grains and Weight Loss

Health experts believe that whole grains are much more beneficial to us than their refined counterpart. Since refined grains are basically just starch with add-ons, they are absorbed speedily by your body.

The sugar and fat content are effortlessly broken down and absorbed, flooding into your bloodstream in massive quantities. This triggers over-production of insulin. This in turn causes your body to convert digested carbohydrates into fat and accumulate it.

Whole grains, on the other hand, take much longer to be digested and are absorbed into your bloodstream much more gradually. This allows your body to keep insulin production under control at a more natural level. Also, as whole grains are more gradually digested they provide the feeling of fullness that reduces food intake - thus aiding weight loss.

If you are planning to add whole grain to your diet, then you must be aware that there is a massive range to select from. In this article I have used a very broad brush to paint my picture. To go into detail about the benefits of every one would require a very big book!

Suffice to say, exactly like pulses, grains are by and large readily available and inexpensive, and as foods that promote weight loss working in concert they will clearly make up for any lack of protein should you be thinking of eliminating meat from your diet.