It's safe to love carbs again

I was brought up with the wonder of Wonder Bread, that deliciously sweet confection known as white bread. It was fortified with all kinds of -- well, who knows what exactly -- but it is what good mothers gave their growing children back in the '50s.

Fast forward. All of those "white bread" kids, now adults, are warning their kids (or grandchildren) about the evils of carbohydrates. It will make you fat, it will turn you into a carboholic.

In this fast-changing world, it is hard to keep up with what is good for you.

Just this past month, Atkins Nutrionals, the company that spearheaded the low-carb dieting craze, has gone belly up. Pasta is coming back in vogue. And most influentially, the new 2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasizes whole grains.

Before we go further, what exactly are "whole grains?" They must include all three parts of the kernal in its natural proportion: the bran, germ and endosperm.

The first two are the healthy parts of the wheat, but they get wasted in the refining process, leaving the starchy carbohydrates of the endosperm.

According to the University of Minnesota's "The Whole Grain" Web site, whole grains can claim an array of health benefits: fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium and iron, calcium, omega-3s and numerous other disease-fighting phytochemicals and antioxidants.

Furthermore, studies have shown whole-grain indulgers will have more appropriate weight and body proportions plus lower overall cholesterol. If you manage to eat three daily servings of whole grains you will be in good company, hanging with those who have up to 36 percent reduction in heart disease risk and stroke, approximately 25 percent decrease in Type 2 diabetes, almost 40 percent reduction in digestive system and hormone-related cancers.

All good. But remember, not all bread is created equal. Learn to shop smart. Here are some guidelines:

1. Buy organic.

It is the most nutritious because it is clean. Nutritionists will tell you that people develop allergies to wheat products because of all of the chemicals and preservatives used in most store-bought products. Make sure the first ingredient on the list is "whole wheat," not "enriched wheat flour."

2. Buy "stone ground whole wheat" products.

When a bread says that it is stone ground, it doesn't necessarily mean that little old ladies in some faraway emerging country are getting stress fractures in their fragile bones grinding wheat with a stone. It most likely refers to some modern process that renders the entire grain into usable flour without exposing it to high heat, thus preserving its nutritional value.

3. Buy sprouted wheat products whenever possible.

When you get your hands on breads that are made from sprouted wheat, you are already further along in the process of gaining nutritional benefits because sprouting predigests grains. Many anti-wheaters eschew the grain because of its difficulty with absorption. Sprouted wheat mitigates this problem.

Instead of bypassing the bread aisle at your local food store, try reading the labels and look for these ingredients. Also check out all of the new whole-wheat pastas. Remember that whole-grain breads will spoil at about the same rate as milk, so refrigeration is necessary.

So go ahead, toast up a nutty nutritious slice of bread. It's safe again!

Dr. Michael O.L. Seabaugh, a Cape Girardeau native, is a clinical psychologist who lives and works in Santa Barbara, Calif. Contact him at mseabaugh@semissourian.com.