Originally published June 30 2005
Whole grains gain popularity as latest food craze
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
More Americans are making the switch to a healthier diet, and at the top of the list right now is eating more whole grains, reports The Day, but government statistics find that still not enough Americans have made the jump to more whole grains yet.
As one of three cooks at the downtown Mystic natural foods store, Mancini was able to use products from the shop's shelves to make the cookies, muffins, salads, and wraps that customers stop in regularly to buy.
"I love experimenting, and having so many ingredients here created an incredible opportunity," says Mancini, who has always been into organic and natural foods.
For example, the Jasmine Orange Hazelnut Muffins that are so popular at Puritan & Genesta went through several transformations before Mancini decided that adding turmeric, an ancient tropical plant related to ginger, was what was needed to perfect the recipe.
"I would just urge people to experiment, to try different things.
The world has so much more to offer than just wheat flour," says Mancini, as she pulls a tray of just-baked muffins made with brown rice, amaranth and oat flour from the oven.
New dietary guidelines place an increased emphasis on the value of whole grains in our diet, but unfortunately, most Americans get few if any whole grains on a regular basis.
The government is working to change that, since current research shows that a diet rich in whole grains is associated with significant health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer, and Type 2 diabetes.
Last fall, General Mills jumped on the whole grain band wagon, announcing that it would make all of its major breakfast cereals with whole grains.
At stores like Puritan & Genesta, near the flagpole in downtown Mystic, whole grains are mainstay, and have been throughout the store's 28-year history.
Puritan & Genesta sells them in a variety of forms, and as flours, pastas, crackers and cereals.
For baking, Mancini suggests substituting spelt flour for traditional white flour.
Owner Christine Cooney Breeding welcomes shoppers to come in, browse and ask questions.
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