Whole grain.
A cereal of a special kind, incredibly healthy and nutritious. But
what is whole grain?
Whole grains are cereals from which only the grains and husks are removed after harvesting. As a result, fiber, vitamins, oils, and minerals are ideally preserved. Thus, whole grains have many crucial benefits for the body and health: they keep you full longer, help to maintain blood sugar levels, and support digestion. So if you already have a whole grain product on the table at breakfast : Everything is done right!
The history of whole grains is a very eventful one. Nowadays, it is no longer just one grain that is transformed into many different products, but much more than that. It's also an outlook on life, a commitment to a healthier lifestyle. But for a long time, whole grains were not seen for what they actually are.
The Story of the Whole Grain
Before the technical possibilities for sifting out seedlings and marginal layers were available, the flour clearly contained all the components of the grain. In the early days of flour and bread, every flour was a whole grain flour. Initially, the grain was eaten raw by hunters and gatherers, and occasionally it was roasted by the fire. It probably didn't taste too good. 😉
Turn flour into bread
After the Neolithic revolution had been initiated and people had settled down, it was through targeted arable farming and cultivation of plants that the grain was processed into porridge or flatbread. Grain was also sifted out in ancient times. This method helped to reduce the number of seedlings and marginal layers. This achieved a degree of purity that would correspond to that of the sifted flour today. Most of the time, however, the grain was sold unsifted and turned into bread. For example, the ancient doctor Galen already told of the cleansing and laxative effect of this bread, even if he assumed that it was less nutritious than its sifted counterpart.
The beginnings as "poor people's food"
Early on, black bread or wholemeal bread was considered backward and poor. Because it was easier to make than bread made from white flour. So whole wheat bread was more for the poorer lower class. Even in hospitals, you could clearly see this distinction – rich patients and doctors were given white bread, while the rest had to "settle for" black bread.
Whole grain turnaround in the 19th century
It was not until the 19th century that this distinction gradually evaporated again. With the first advent of nutrition research, it was quickly agreed that whole grain bread is healthier than white bread. So a turnaround took place and the mostly unpopular black bread experienced a considerable upswing – today you can enjoy a variety of wholemeal bread specialties in the German-speaking world.
Unfortunately, black bread also had to endure a dark chapter. So it was that National Socialism propagated black bread as "pure" and "German" food. Nowadays, black bread is mainly known in Europe. In many parts of the world, however, our favorite cereal is still considered inferior.
Full flavor and completely healthy
Although perhaps many people still prefer not to eat whole grains for reasons of taste, today there are many dishes that taste incredibly good on a whole grain basis. In addition, doctors agree that you can live a healthier life with a diet rich in whole grains!
For example, studies showed that people who took care to include whole grains in their diet for over 20 years had a lower mortality rate than people who completely spurned whole grains. However, these results are not completely certain. Not because whole grains would not be healthy, but because people who include whole grains in their diet generally pay more attention to their health than people who do not. But we are still convinced: Feeling more vital and healthier is definitely possible with whole grains.
Whole grains for breakfast
Especially when it comes to breakfast, it is advisable to make more use of whole grains. Why? Whole grains are full of fiber – they keep you full for longer, ensure a constant blood sugar level, promote digestion and prevent a number of diseases. The energy stores, which are emptied overnight, can therefore be ideally refilled with whole grains.
But what is the easiest way to do this? Of course, we recommend the easiest (and tastiest!) way to incorporate more whole grains into your life and start the day with muesli or porridge. Another option popular in Austria is the classic black bread: delicious and incredibly healthy.
Verival tip: If you consume a lot of fiber in the form of whole grains, you should not forget to drink enough, as our digestion needs the liquid to be able to break down the fiber properly.
Our recommendation for the daily breakfast: our fruity coconut apricot muesli or the delicious Bircher porridge . This is definitely a healthy start to the day. Another big plus for a nutritious breakfast: those who eat well and feel healthy are automatically in a better mood. Just give it a try! If you have a taste now, you are welcome to browse with us. Simply select the filter "whole grain" here and easily find all whole grain products in our online shop. Make your own healthy breakfast .
