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Bread, potatoes, pasta, rice    Play Audio
Module 2, Unit 1, Level: Advanced


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General information
Bread and pasta
Rice and Potatoes
Keywords

Bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, carbohydrates, cereals, tubers

Level

Advanced

Bread, potatoes, pasta, rice
Description
According to the Mediterranean diet Pyramid, products such as potatoes, pasta, rice and bread should be presented in every meal on a daily basis.

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Benefits
A lot of benefits related to health can be listed for grains and cereals, especially, wholegrain products (pasta, bread, etc.). Whole grains contain three parts: the bran, germ, and endosperm. The bran is the fiber-rich outer layer that supplies B vitamins, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, antioxidants, and phytochemicals.
The germ is the core of the seed where growth occurs; it is rich in healthy fats, vitamin E and B, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. The endosperm is the interior layer that holds carbohydrates, protein, and small amounts of some B vitamins and minerals.
They are also rich in complex carbohydrate, mostly starch, providing the energy that fuels the body. Moreover, gluten may also be present in these products.

Since they are a good source of fiber, it leads to a reduction of risk hearts disease, the improvement of digestive processes, it also provides satiety (high rich in protein so it can be considered as an ally to weight management).
Whole meal bread milder effect on blood sugar and insulin than white bread, white rice, and other refined grains.
Representative Products
Potatoes (russet (starchy), sweet potatoes, spunta, red potatoes (waxy), white and yellow potatoes (all- purpose), Kennebec, Elodie), rice (wild rice, brown rice, sticky rice, jasmine rice) cereal (oatmeal, buckwheat, millet, whole rye, corn, spelt, bulgur, barley).

Buckwheat is a highly nutritious whole grain. It is a pseudocereal as it shares many similar properties to cereals but does not come from grass as most other cereals do. It is a good source of protein, fiber, and healthful complex carbohydrates.
Risks
There are some risk of intolerances and allergy reactions related to the consumption of:

Gluten which is a protein generally presented in some grains and cereals: several conditions relate to gluten, including celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity and wheat allergy.
When potatoes are over baked or over fried, there is a risk of generation of acrylamide, a non-biological chemical substance which may be very harmful and proportionally to temperature and time.
Further references
- https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/know-your-food-groups
- https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/HealthyLiving/Nuts-and-seeds
- https://www.potatogoodness.com/
- Pasta Facts, Health Benefits and Nutritional Value (healthbenefitstimes.com)
- Is pasta healthy? Benefits and types (medicalnewstoday.com)

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