A Healthier Hokie: A Blog for Smarter Eating

Grains come from a lot of tasty foods that we college students love! They come in the form of popcorn, bagels, pizza crusts, and pastas, to name a few. With the American diet, it is not hard to consume the amount of grains your body needs daily, but it is important to make sure that are getting them! You need energy to get through a long day of classes, just like your body needs fuel to assist in its’ daily processes. This fuel is in the form of carbohydrates, which come from grains. This is not to say that grains are the only carbohydrate source that you need to focus on; it is equally as important to make sure you get some from fruits and vegetables as well.

Grains are beneficial to your body not only because of the energy they provide, but also because they can help you to decrease your risk of chronic diseases by focusing on “whole” options. Eating whole grains is a simple way to reduce your chances of developing cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other diseases. By just making small changes in your diet, like eating whole grain breads or whole grain cereals, you can make a huge impact on your life. The dining halls have many breads and cereals that are loaded with whole grains, so making a change is easy! If you want to prepare a dish at home, the recipe for the Classic Macaroni Salad is the perfect choice! This quick and easy dish is delicious, as well as high in whole grains and low in fat.

Start to make a small change today. By simply saying wheat instead of white, you can help your body to stay healthy and happy throughout your life.