Want an update on whole grain trends, health studies and news in between editions of this monthly newsletter? Check out our WGC blog, which we update about once a week. Recent topics include

• USDA Cafeterias Make Whole Grain the Default
• New Snacks Pack A Whole Grain Punch
• WGC Welcomes Visitors
• Diabetes Prevention with Whole Grains

...and so many more.  If you have a topic you'd like us to feature, email Karen!

Recently, Kelly Wright sent us a copy of her latest nonfiction book, The Benjamin Franklin Diet.  While the most common image of the country's founding father might not reflect his most fit state, Ben Franklin was in fact a healthy and food-conscious man who lived to be 84, twice the age of his contemporaries. 

Wright uses the historical writings of Franklin as a reference, revealing the theory Ben Franklin followed for most of his life, which is that "seventy-five percent of one's daily intake should be complex carbohydrates, mainly in the form of whole grains."  He incorporated whole wheat, oatmeal, whole cornmeal, brown rice, barley, popcorn, rye and millet into his diet as the major component.  With sample menus, recipes and Franklin's personal advice for living a long healthy life, this book reveals what seems to be a successful way of approaching a whole grain based diet.  For more info on this, and other whole grain based books, visit the WGC Bookstore.

• Ginger-Pear Oat Smoothie  
• Oatmeal Fruit Smoothie

Whole grains, legumes, seeds and many other plant foods contain plant compounds called phytates that have long been labeled as "anti-nutrients" because they may reduce the absorption of some minerals.  Soaking grains for several hours or overnight, or sprouting them, or fermenting them (think sourdough) cuts the phytic acid in grains, and is recommended in some circles.

More recent studies, however, show that phytates have powerful benefits too: antioxidant effects; cholesterol-lowering effects; anti-cancer activity; and may prevent pathological calcification (e.g. kidney stones and calcification of blood vessels).

Our advice is this:  if you're eating a good variety of healthy, real foods, then just relax, and enjoy.  The stress brought on by worrying about calculating amounts of minerals lost can actually cut your absorption more than anything else!