When it comes to getting the best taste and the greatest nutritional value from grains, keep it whole grain.
Quinoa, oats, short-grain brown rice and wild rice, polenta (which is made from corn) and barley are most nutritious in their whole, unprocessed form. That's because the bran is still intact, and the bran is where most of the minerals, vitamins and plenty of fiber reside.
Processed and packaged foods are rarely made from 100 percent whole grains. Think of them as empty carbs with lots of preservatives, so switch to these flavorful grains to load up on nutrition, including essential minerals and even some protein.
Tip: Don't be fooled by the word "multi-grain" on packages -- this does not mean that a variety of or even any whole grains were used.
Brown rice is high in magnesium and tryptophan, barley is high in selenium and tryptophan, and steel cut oats are high in manganese and zinc. These grains are simple to prepare. Bring water to a boil, add your grains and cook on low heat for about 45 minutes until tender. Remove from the heat and keep covered for 5 minutes to allow the grains to fluff, then stir with a fork.
Quinoa is another excellent choice, high in iron and manganese, plus it's quicker to cook than the other grains. Rinse a cup of dry quinoa under cold running water, then add it to 2 cups of boiling water. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Use cooked grains in any dish that calls for white rice or pasta. If you're eating them plain, you can still get creative with tasty "add-ins" like dried cranberries on breakfast oatmeal or barley, a drizzle of balsamic on brown rice and a sprinkle of Parmesan on quinoa.
More Great Grains
Amaranth
Bulgur
Buckwheat
Kasha (toasted buckwheat)
Spelt
Farro
Millet
An experimental drug increased growth rates in children with dwarfism, according to a new study.
ReplyDeleteThe four-year phase 2 trial was conducted at centers in the United States, France, United Kingdom and Australia, and included 35 children, ages 5-14, with the genetic bone disorder achondroplasia, the most common type of dwarfism.
The children were divided into four groups that received daily injections of the drug vosoritide, which helps regulate bone development, in increasing amounts.
The average increase in height among the children was about 2.4 inches a year, which is close to growth rates among children of average stature, according to the study published June 18 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
On average, the children's growth rate increased by 50%, said the authors of the study, which was designed and funded by drug maker BioMarin Pharmaceutical, which also analyzed the data.
The side effects of the drug were mostly mild, according to the researchers.
Vosoritide is now being tested in a phase 3 trial in a larger group of patients ages 5-18.
Achondroplasia is caused by overactivity of a signal that stops growth, which can be compared to overwatering a plant, explained study lead author Ravi Savarirayan, a clinical geneticist at Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia.