There is a significant health difference in eating pre-made flour products versus fresh whole grains, whole or freshly ground:

• Processed flour products increase the risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Fresh whole grains significantly decrease the frequency of cancer, heart failure and high blood pressure.
• A whole grain is a seed. It has enough "life" in it that it can be sprouted and result in an entire plant. You cannot sprout flour or partially cut seeds such as steel cut oats because they are dead!
• Grinding whole grains into flour destroys the protective outer shell of the seed known as the "bran". Every day past grinding, the energy dissipates. Within 2 days of opening up whole grains, the "life" they contribute to you is poor. Freshly ground grains pass on more energy to you as store-bought flour products are ground months earlier!
• Store-bought flour has had the outer shell of the seed called the bran removed. Freshly ground grains contain the bran, which provides B vitamins, minerals and fiber.
• Store-bought flour has also had the "germ" of the grain removed. A "germ" is a small structure that provides nourishment for the seed so that a complete new life form can develop. Freshly ground grains pass on this nourishment from the germ to you in addition to vitamins B, E and antioxidants.
• When you eat store-bought flour products, your body has to produce its own digestive enzymes to digest them. The net result to you after eating them is less energy.
• Eating store-bought flour products is like eating air. They leave an empty feeling, which causes you to eat more. Fresh whole grains satisfy your body.

Try this: Grind some fresh whole grains (looks like a complete seed) in a coffee or grain grinder and eat it soon after in some form such as Cinnamon Oat Balls or Five Grain Porridge. On another day prepare something from store-bought flour and eat that. Compare how they make you feel.

Choose food that satisfies!

Read all my nutrition tips to find out how easy it is to keep yourself healthy, and how to get healthier faster.

Best wishes,

Dr. Pepi

October 29, 2008