Sunday, May 6, 2012

Do You Really Need That Bag Of Wheat?




There are SOOO many lists which empahtically state that you should store 100  to 300 pounds of wheat  per person per year.  Is this a realistic goal for YOU?

Do you plan to get a grain grinder? Do you even bake bread? And how much bread do you and your family eat?


Both the American and Canadian Government Nutritional Guidelines recommend 6 to 11 servings of grains, cereals, rice or pasta per day, with preferably  at least half of that  in the form of WHOLE grains. 


The following, when consumed in a form including the bran, germ and endosperm, are examples of generally accepted whole grain foods and flours. (Whole Grains Council)

Amaranth

Barley

Buckwheat

Corn, including whole cornmeal and popcorn

Millet

Oats, including oatmeal

Quinoa

Rice, both brown rice and white rice

Rye

Sorghum (also called milo)

Teff

Triticale

Wheat, including varieties such as spelt, emmer, farro, einkorn, Kamut®, durum and forms such as bulgur, cracked wheat and wheatberries

Wild rice

Thus, unless you already grind wheat, bake bread, and eat a lot of it, there is  no need to store all that wheat and/or flour. Healthy and delicious dishes can be made with barley, oats, rice, quinoa and other grains (as well as a wide variety of  pastas) without the use of an oven, which may not be available in the event of a power outage.

As in all the food you store, consider and calculate the amount you and your family normally eat. If you don't  normally eat it now, there is no reason to store it. Before you go to the expense of storing ANY food, make sure it is one that you would eat under normal circumstances.




4 comments:

  1. Thanks for this. Much better to eat a lot of grains than just bread. Who needs 300 pounds of flour anyway. We wouldn't use that up in 10 years, and we're a family of 5!!!We eat lots of brown rice, pasta ( mostly whole wheat) and have been adding more barley, quinoa and other grains to our meals. We barely use 1 loaf of bread a week.
    Su Anne in Atlanta

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  2. govt guidelines are wrong, why is our nation fat,wheat sugar educate yourself, go to wheatbelly.com, learn people

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  3. Wheat is a nearly perfect blend of carbohydrate, protien and fat that your body requires. If you were to only store one food, it woul dbest meet nutritional need (not including vitamins and minerals).

    Storing only one type of food is not realistic. Food is a very personal thing. each person needs to make rational decisions about what food to store for an emergency.

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    1. The health benefits of wheat greatly depend on the form in which the individual consumes it. While whole wheat is extremely nutritious, the benefits of wheat are reduced if you eat bleached white flour (which is obtained by processing after 60% extraction from the grain)However,ifyou are susceptible to allergic reactions, whole wheat consumption can enhance your allergies, such as hives, itching, skin rash, and eczema. Whole wheat contains oxalate, which are the naturally-occurring substances in animals, plants, and human beings. Too much oxalate in body fluids can lead to crystallization, thereby causing health problems. It is always best to have a well rounded - out diet. Don't forget your legumes and beans (dry or canned) your veggies and fruit - fresh if you have the ability to grow them, canned or dried if not.

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