How should we consume whole grains: whole? sprouted? broken? rolled? flours? bread (sprouted / dense / fluffy)? pasta? shredded? flaked? puffed? Brenda Davis explains.

Dr Greger explains how pulverization of intact whole grains into broken whole grains, rolled whole grains and whole grain flours results in higher glycemic load, overeating and reduced bowel movements.

Intact whole grains are the best way to eat whole grains. We can eat some whole grains raw or after soaking alone! Others may be sprouted. Or we may boil them after soaking.

Broken grains are whole grains broken down into smaller sized pieces. Examples: steel cut oats, cracked wheat ('dalia' in Hindi) and coarsely ground cornmeal.

Rolled whole grains are considered great in Brenda Davis' Whole Grain Hierarchy. However, flaked grains and shredded grains are to be avoided. Why?

Are whole grain breads okay? What about sprouted whole grain breads? Are European-style hard breads healthy? What about pasta?

Ideally, we should consume intact whole grains and eliminate flours altogether. If we choose to consume whole grain flours, we should consume them in moderation and prefer coarsely ground flours instead of finely ground.

Puffing is done by heating dry grains to high temperatures; sometimes, high pressure is used. Puffed grains are at the very bottom of the Whole Grain Hierarchy by Brenda Davis. They are calorie dense foods with high glycemic index.