Eat with understanding
Grains, beans, nuts & oils
26 stories
Grains
- CornMost of the niacin (vitamin B3) in corn is bound to other molecules, and the body does not absorb it well.Grains & Legumes · Grains4 stations
- MilletWhen millet is simmered into congee, its starch soaks up water and swells, which makes it easy to digest — and for the same reason it raises blood…Grains & Legumes · Grains4 stations
- OatsThe thing most worth knowing about oats is their soluble fiber, beta-glucan (β-glucan).Grains & Legumes · Grains8 stations
- RiceWhite rice and brown rice are the same grain.Grains & Legumes · Grains8 stations
- BreadWhat a loaf of bread means for your body starts with whether the bran and germ are still there.Grains & Legumes · Grains8 stations
- QuinoaQuinoa is one of the few plant proteins that is not missing a piece even when eaten on its own.Grains & Legumes · Grains8 stations
- BuckwheatThe most important thing about buckwheat is where it comes from.Grains & Legumes · Grains8 stations
Legumes
- ChickpeasThe most useful thing to know about chickpeas is that their starch is locked inside cell walls.Grains & Legumes · Legumes5 stations
- Mung BeanA bowl of iced mung bean soup feels good because it is cold and it is water.Grains & Legumes · Legumes4 stations
- LentilsLentils raise blood glucose slowly because their starch is wrapped in a fiber gel and in intact cell walls, so digestive enzymes take time to reach it…Grains & Legumes · Legumes8 stations
- Black BeansA rumbling belly after black beans does not mean you cannot digest them; it means the bacteria in your colon are eating.Grains & Legumes · Legumes8 stations
- Soybeans & TofuThe isoflavones in soy can sit in the estrogen receptor, but they push it only very weakly and prefer a different receptor, so eating normal soy foods…Grains & Legumes · Legumes8 stations
- NattoNatto is soybeans fermented by Bacillus subtilis for about a day. Fermentation breaks down some phytate and makes a large amount of vitamin K2 (MK-7),…Grains & Legumes · Legumes7 stations
- MisoMiso's savory taste is what is left after koji mold snips soy protein, bit by bit, into free glutamate; the chapter on where the umami comes from…Grains & Legumes · Legumes7 stations
- TempehTempeh is whole soybeans fermented by a mold.Grains & Legumes · Legumes7 stations
Nuts, Seeds & Oils
- Olive OilOlive oil's benefit for blood lipids comes mainly from one move: when it replaces saturated fats such as butter and lard, the liver regains its…Grains & Legumes · Nuts, Seeds & Oils5 stations
- Cooking with OilOil in a hot pan is not just getting hot.Grains & Legumes · Nuts, Seeds & Oils5 stations
- SesameMost of sesame's calcium grows in the outer seed coat, the hull, and the same layer also holds oxalate, which locks calcium up.Grains & Legumes · Nuts, Seeds & Oils4 stations
- AlmondsSome of the fat in the almonds you chew never reaches your body.Grains & Legumes · Nuts, Seeds & Oils8 stations
- WalnutsMost of the omega-3 in walnuts is the plant form, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and the body can turn only a small share of it into the EPA and DHA…Grains & Legumes · Nuts, Seeds & Oils5 stations
- PeanutsThe peanut is the seed of a legume, and its pods ripen underground.Grains & Legumes · Nuts, Seeds & Oils5 stations
- Seed Oils / Linoleic AcidThe main player in seed oils is linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid), an essential fatty acid the body cannot make and has to get from food.Grains & Legumes · Nuts, Seeds & Oils6 stations
- Coconut OilLauric acid, the main fat in coconut oil, behaves in the body more like a long-chain saturated fat, and it raises the bad cholesterol in your blood (…Grains & Legumes · Nuts, Seeds & Oils6 stations
Pantry & Seasonings
- Salt (Sodium)When you eat a lot of sodium, your body holds on to extra water to dilute it, so blood volume and the pressure on your vessel walls go up.Grains & Legumes · Pantry & Seasonings5 stations
- Sugar & HoneyOnce inside the body, honey and white sugar break down into almost the same molecules: glucose and fructose.Grains & Legumes · Pantry & Seasonings5 stations
- Dark Chocolate & CocoaCocoa beans contain molecules called flavanols that help the lining of blood vessels release a little more nitric oxide and let the vessels relax…Grains & Legumes · Pantry & Seasonings6 stations