Cereal comes from the Latin word for Ceres, Roman goddess of agriculture, crops and fertility. This daughter of Saturn and Ops, taught men the art of cultivating the land, sow, harvest the wheat and make bread.
cereals have been linked with the rise of civilizations around the world. It was when the man got cultivate happened to lead a nomadic to sedentary life.
belong to the grass family, with the exception of buckwheat that is a pseudo cereal.
are energy foods, we provide quality and stable power. They have a great importance in shaping our daily diet as they are, along with legumes, the only foods that contain all important food groups for our body: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and fiber.
cereal grains contain: 10-15% water, 70-76% of carbohydrates (starch), 8-12% protein and 2-4% lipids (mainly in the germ).
Although primarily have a role in energy inputs, cereals also provide protein foods are building. Cereal proteins are essential amino acid composition significantly lower than animal proteins are deficient in lysine, so consume it with vegetables is especially interesting in vegetarian diets.
Your carbohydrates are sugar compounds (polysaccharides), ie slow absorption. Assimilation by the body, begins during chewing through the ptialina present in saliva and, after a series of steps, are converted into glucose, our main source of energy.
Fiber, contained mainly in the outer sheaths of grain or bran and mostly insoluble, not assimilated in the small intestine, no fermentation and leaves unchanged. They are "dietary fiber" that favor the digestive tract, contribute to the satiating effect and are involved in lipid and glucose metabolism.
As for the vitamins, cereals have similar characteristics: the absence of vitamin A, C and D, presence of B group vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B8) and vitamin E.
In regard to minerals, comprising trace elements, are rich in potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and silicon, but low in calcium, iron and zinc.
AMENDMENT OF THE NUTRITIONAL QUALITIES FOR MILLING
nutritional losses of wheat vary from one nutrient to another, because of the heterogeneity of its distribution in the different constituent parts of the grain. These losses relate primarily to the lipids (contained in the seed, often eliminated), minerals and vitamins.
While a complete soft wheat flour contains all the vitamins originally present in the grain, as flour extraction rate of 75-80% is retained about 20% of vitamin B6, 25 % of B8, 30% of B3, B5 55% and 70% vitamin E. When the rate of extraction is less than 70%, the contents of some B vitamins, especially thiamin, decreased sharply in relation to the initial content of the grains.
mineral losses in the milling of grains are also significant. For a soft wheat flour extraction rate which was 75%, losses of sodium and phosphorus are important, but do not pose a nutritional disadvantage, whereas in the case of magnesium, iron and zinc, whose contributions total ration typically low, these losses are regrettable.
Approximately 25% of the amino acids lost during the milling of grain into flour. While the content of vitamins, minerals and trace elements is reduced as the flour extraction rate is low, against the bioavailability of these same elements can be affected in flour extraction rate which is high. The bioavailability of Fe and Zn is significantly reduced in the presence of phytates (fiber is not absorbed).
For all this, we should regularly eat cereal grain and as nature gives us, ie, whole, with its shell. Consumption of whole grain flours and products made from cereals (bread, pasta ...) would have to be for occasional use.
ENERGY LEVEL
From a prism energy, grains are "seeds of life", contain all the information they passed the sun and capable of germinating.
His energy is stable, allowing us to escape the extreme highs and lows, mood swings and hyperactivity that triggers the consumption of refined sugars.
His energetic effect on us is contractionary, acidifying heat.
CONSUMPTION AND PREPARATION
The 50-55% of our total daily calorie intake should come from carbohydrates. Of these, 45% would be composed of carbohydrates (whole grains, legumes and vegetables) and 5-10% simple (fruits, juices, sweeteners and refined products).
Since we provide stable power and are a staple in our diet, should be present at all meals.
The first step in its preparation is to wash the corn under cold water until it runs clear. For good digestion and assimilation, must be cooked cereals correctly, ie in time and with adequate water ratio (see table), and add a pinch of salt to the cooking process to promote and enhance the flavor. At the end of cooking, must have evaporated all the water. Before opening the pot, let stand 5 minutes.
CEREAL HAVE A Pression BE CONVENCIONAL
; Proportion cereal: water Cooking Time Share cereal : water ; Cooking time
Rice 1:2 40' 1:2 50'-60'
Avena 1:2 50' 1:3 1h
Avena 1:2 50' 1:3 1h
Cebada 1:2 50' 1:3 1h
Centeno 1:4 2h - -
Centeno 1:4 2h - -
Mijo - - 1:3 20'
Quinoa - - 1:2 15'-20'
Trigo 1:4 2h - -
TO CONSIDER
Quinoa - - 1:2 15'-20'
Trigo 1:4 2h - -
Buckwheat - ; ; - 1:2 30 '
TO CONSIDER
Remember the importance of cooking and chewing at the time to consume grain to assimilate properly and prevent flatulence. As well as consume them in a proper amount, because if we abuse them acidified body.
As I said before, to take advantage of its vital energy needed and consumed in whole form integral. However, we must note that pesticides used to obtain better crop yields, tend to accumulate in the husk of cereal. Therefore, if we do not use grains of biological origin, it might be best to eat the shells.
Those whose digestive system is "sensitive" or low power, it is more advisable to use semi-full cereal until they can afford the consumption of whole grains.
If we are dealing with very frail or damaged, it is always preferable to start with creams screened grains and gradually begin introducing cereal grains as they see it as improving their health.
have any health problem, it is better to use an expert to individually assess the needs of each person, and that these are general recommendations and standard.
