Tag: yummy

#5/52 Butternut Squash Chicken Chili

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We tried a new soup this week, Butternut squash chicken chili, recipe from paleo running momma

The flavors were pretty great, although I’m not sure how I felt about the Butternut squash. Knowing what I am eating is fairly healthy helps me just eat it, but I think in the future I would replace the squash with white beans. Or I would make sure the squash was peeled and cut into much smaller cubes and I wouldn’t use a whole one.

After we ate dinner, I went back through the soup and picked out all the squash and added half a can of great northern beans and froze it like that. The flavors and spices were amazing, but it will not be in our soup rotation. If you try it, drop a comment on your take of the butternut squash

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded*
  • 2 Tbsp ghee or avocado oil
  • 1 medium butternut squash cut into 3/4” cubes (about 4 cups)
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 2 Tbsp fresh jalapeños finely chopped
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 3/4 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
  • 4 oz can diced green chiles
  • 3 cups chicken bone broth
  • 1 tbsp fresh minced cilantro
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast optional
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste
  • Garnish: “sour cream” coconut cream see notes** avocado slices, cilantro

Instructions

  1. If your chicken needs to be cooked and shredded, do this first* and set aside. Prepare all ingredients before beginning.
  2. Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat and add the ghee or oil. Add the butternut squash and sprinkle all over with sea salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, until just beginning to brown and soften.
  3. Add in the diced onion and sauté for about a minute until translucent. Then, add in the garlic, peppers, jalapeño and spices, stir and sauté for 3 minutes, until fragrant and softened.
  4. Add in the green chilis, and broth , stir and bring to a boil. Stir in the shredded chicken, nutritional yeast cilantro and lime juice and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve with coconut “sour cream” (see notes) sliced avocado, additional cilantro and sliced jalapeño if desired. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Notes:

*if you don’t already have cooked chicken, season your chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until cooked through, then shred before using. You can also use a rotisserie chicken, just check ingredients for Whole30 compliance if needed.

** To make Whole30 compliant sour cream with coconut cream, mix 1/2 cup of thick, cold coconut cream with 2 tsp lemon or lime juice and 1/8 tsp fine sea salt. I like to use the 365 brand (Whole Foods) for this as it’s very thick and creamy. Feel free to adjust the salt and lemon to taste.

#3/52 Italian Stuffed Peppers

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This recipe from well plated was okay. We opted for ground turkey, and I’m pretty sure my husband didn’t notice it wasn’t beef. In my opinion, turkey doesn’t have much flavor, so I did HEAPING teaspoons of Italian seasoning, doubled the red pepper flakes (would do more next time), and added extra mozarella by accident.

Our peppers were on the thicker side, and I wish I would have cooked them for closer to 50 minutes instead of 35. All in all, these stuffed peppers are on my “OK” list. I think the next time I try stuffed peppers; we might check out a different recipe. Do you like stuffed peppers? What are your favorite ingredients to stuff them with?

Ingredients  

  • 4 large red bell peppers
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound ground chicken or turkey
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or up to ½ teaspoon if you like more spicy
  • 1 can no salt added diced tomatoes with juices, 15 ounces
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice farro, quinoa, cauliflower rice, or orzo (if using orzo, undercook it slightly)
  • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella provolone (or a mix)
  • ½ cup Parmesan divided
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Instructions 

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Slice the bell peppers in half from top to bottom. Remove the seeds and membranes then arrange cut side up in the prepared baking dish.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook, breaking apart the meat, until the chicken is browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid, then pour in the can of diced tomatoes and their juices. Let simmer for 1 minute.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the rice (or farro) and ½ cup of the Mozzarella and ¼ cup of the parmesan. Mound the filling inside of the peppers, then top with the remaining cheeses.
  4. Pour a bit of water into the pan with the peppers—just enough to barely cover the bottom of the pan. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted. Top with fresh basil. Serve hot.

#2 of 52 New recipes in 2023 White Chicken Chili

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This week was packed with snowy mountain adventures that called for dinner to be finished by time we got back home. In steps this White Chicken Chili Recipe from Iowa Girl Eats. It was so easy to put together my 3-year-old did most of it (huge win). We paired it with cornbread muffins, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and fresh cilantro. This will definitely stay in the winter soup rotation at our home!

INGREDIENTS
(Serves 3 to 4)

  • 1lb chicken breasts (~2 large chicken breasts)
  • 15oz can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 4oz can chopped green chiles
  • 1 – 2 fresh jalapenos, seeded then minced (use 1 made for a mild chili)
  • 1 shallot or 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • big pinch dried oregano
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • juice of 1/2 small lime
  • 1/4 cup milk, any kind
  • 1 Tablespoon gluten free flour (or AP flour if you don’t need to eat GF)
  • Toppings: green Tabasco sauce, verde sauce, lime wedges, tortilla chips, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, sour cream

DIRECTIONS


1. Add first 12 ingredients — chicken breasts through lime juice — into a 6-quart crock pot then stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until chicken shreds easily.
2. Remove chicken then shred and place in the refrigerator. Whisk flour and milk together in a small dish then drizzle into chili and stir to combine. Cover then cook on high for 30 minutes. Stir shredded chicken back into chili then scoop into bowls and serve with toppings.

Chicken Duo Meal

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Chicken Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchilada Skillet and Chicken Quesadillas is how we are going to use a 2 lb. package of chicken.

I’m not sure if we were extra hungry or not, but we finished the whole skillet at one dinner. We made 3 quesadillas and had left over, I’m thinking you could get 6 to 8, depending how you fill them.

you will use the following ingredients in both recipes

  • yellow onion
  • garlic
  • red bell pepper
  • yellow bell pepper
  • chicken
  • corn
  • black beans
  • cheese

Chicken Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchilada Skillet

Ingredients

  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1/2 lb. chicken (breast or thigh), shredded
  • 1/2 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2” chunks
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn
  • 1/2 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup + 1/3 cup freshly grated cheese
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350℉. 
  2. Boil chicken for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through.
  3. Heat a large cast iron or oven safe skillet to medium-high heat. Add avocado oil or olive oil. Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until onions are translucent and peppers are tender. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  4. Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, the sweet potato, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and chicken broth and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  5. Add shredded chicken, cook 5 additional minutes
  6. Remove from heat and add corn, black beans, ½ cup grated cheese. Stir to combine.
  7. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup shredded cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly and sweet potato is cooked through.
  8. Let sit for a few minutes to cool. Optional to top with Greek yogurt or sour cream, cilantro, scallions, and lime wedges!

Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients

  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1/2 lb. chicken, shredded
  • 1/2 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 
  • 1/2 cup corn kernels 
  • 1/2 tsp each onion powder, dried oregano, salt
  • 1 tsp each cumin powder, paprika
  • a pinch each black pepper, cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 cup grated cheese
  • 3-4 flour tortillas

Instructions

  • Saute all ingredients (except cheese and tortillas) for 5 to 10 minutes until cooked through.
  • Spray tortilla with avocado oil, place tortilla on work surface, and rub around to evenly coat. Sprinkle bottom half of unoiled side with a bit of cheese, filling, more cheese, fold in half.
  • I prefer to use a panini press or George foreman grill, they take about 2 minutes inside.
  • You can also preheat non stick skillet over medium low heat (no oil, if pan is not non-stick use 2 tsp oil).
  • Place quesadilla in skillet, press down lightly, cover with lid. Cook for 3 minutes until underside is super golden brown and crispy.
  • Carefully flip over the folded edge. Press down lightly. Cook for 3 minutes until crispy (no lid).
  • Transfer to cutting board, cut in slices. Serve immediately!
  • Dipping Sauce options: Sour cream, salsa, Avocado Sauce 

Enjoy!

Week 52

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Wow. We made it y’all. The last week of 2020! I’m sure no one remembers, but I actually started doing a healthy snack a week as a New Years Resolution in hopes to lose the baby weight I still hadn’t managed to shed.

At the beginning of 2020, I was still 170 lbs, 4 months post-partum. A combination of eating healthier and hiking with my little one enabled me to hit my pre-pregnancy weight of 140 by mid-summer, even getting down to 135, because hiking with a baby is hardwork, haha!

I’m also going to add that this is the first time in my 32 years of living that I have actually kept a new years resolution all the way to the end of the year! And I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to check out my lovely creations each week. If it wasn’t for the random “I love your videos” private messages from a lot of you, I may have given up. So thank you!

I would love to hear what you are writing on your resolutions list for 2021! I think as a whole we will all be looking forward to it for many reasons 🙃

So for week 52, the last and final week of healthy snacks of 2020 I give you Mediterranean Bites and Parfait Bites. I devoured all 15 I made while I was editing the video….They’re even better than I thought they would be!

Mediterranean Bites

  • 30 Athens mini fillo shells 2 boxes, defrosted
  • 3/4 cup + 3 tablespoons hummus
  • 1/2 cup diced English cucumber
  • 1 roasted red pepper 2 halves, diced
  • 1 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1/4 cup hempseed
  • 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

  • Fill each mini fillo shell with 1 ½ teaspoon hummus.
  • Divide the cucumber, roasted red pepper, feta cheese, hempseed, and parsley evenly between the fillo shells. Serve.

Parfait Bites

  • 30 Athens mini fillo shells 2 boxes, defrosted
  • 3/4 cup + 3 tablespoons greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup strawberries
  • 1/4 cup hempseed
  • 1/4 cup toasted coconut

Instructions

  • Fill each mini fillo shell with 1 ½ teaspoon greek yogurt.
  • Divide the blueberry, strawberry, hempseed, and toasted coconut evenly between the fillo shells. Serve.

And for those reading this blog, if you want to see any of the food videos they are on my Instagram at @indigocrystal11 🙃 not every week has one, but a majority of them do because they’re fun!

Week 44

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Hope you enjoyed your weekend! Halloween and Dia de Los Muertos give us plenty to celebrate. Since we touched on Halloween last week, I wanted to share a healthy snack we made for Dia de Los Muertos.

I turned to Chris, while sipping our morning coffee, and asked him what he wanted to add to the celebration alter for Sunday. A soft smile came across his face as he told me about his dear friend, Mathew Kennen, and how much he liked the Buffalo Cauliflower at Zokas, one of the best restaurants ever in Pine, CO. So week 44, in remembrance of our dear friend Mat, is Buffalo Cauliflower ❤ NFA

Buffalo Cauliflower

  • 1 to 1.5 head cauliflower, cut into florets (you’ll need about 4 to 5 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 3 tablespoons dried parsley
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Lawry’s Seasoning Salt

Instructions 

  1. Place cauliflower florets in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
  2. Melt butter; stir in olive oil and hot sauce until thoroughly combined.
  3. Pour the hot sauce mixture over the cauliflower; mix around until all cauliflower florets are coated.
  4. In a separate bowl whisk together almond flour, dried parsley, garlic powder, and seasoning salt.
  5. Sprinkle about a handful at a time of almond flour mixture over the cauliflower; gently mix until everything is coated.
  6. Transfer half of the prepared cauliflower to the air fryer.
  7. Air fry at 350˚F for 14 minutes, shaking a couple times during the cooking process. Cauliflower is done when the florets are a bit browned, but not mushy.
  8. Remove cauliflower from the Air Fryer; set aside and keep covered.
  9. Repeat the same process with the remaining cauliflower florets.
  10. Serve with celery or carrot sticks and your favorite ranch dressing.

Dia de Los Muertos is an ancient tradition celebrated in Mexico and other places around the world. During this holiday, people take time to remember and celebrate family and friends who have passed away. Although it’s called “day of the dead”, the celebration lasts for several days! Dia de Los Muertos is for celebrating the beauty of life and death rather than mourn it, it reminds us to enjoy life all year round and to honor our loved ones, this way they stay in our hearts forever.

Popcorn for my Grandma, buffalo cauliflower plus dip for Mat, breakfast essentials for my ride or die Sean, string cheese (and the peacock cloth) for my dear friend Jamie, a Cigar for Chris’s Papi, and dog treats for our furry family. We love you 🖤

We also made Atole to continue our celebration this morning. Atole (ah-toe-lay) is a drink made with masa, finely ground corn flour. When chocolate is added, it becomes champurrado (cham-poor-ah-doe). The word “atole” is derived from Nahuatl, the still-living language of the Aztecs, who were defeated by Hernan Cortez in 1521 in what is now Mexico City. Atole was popular long before Cortez surprised Montezuma with a visit, so the people of Mexico have been drinking atole for many centuries, probably millennia. That’s really no surprise as atole is, in fact, probably the easiest way imaginable to consume corn, a crop first cultivated in the Americas. Just add water to ground corn, and voila: atole.

Atole is like very thin porridge. Served warm, it’s an excellent way to take the chill off a cold morning. Relatively quick and easy to prepare, atole is frequently consumed at breakfast or after dinner, but can be enjoyed any time of day.

ATOLE

  • 3 cups water
  • 9 Tbsp. Turbinado sugar or brown sugar cane
  • 1 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 10 Tbsp. corn flour
  • A pinch of salt
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • Nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

  1. Add water, brown sugar cane and cinnamon sticks to large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Bring water to boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar.
  2. Meanwhile, in medium bowl using whisk, whisk together masarica, salt and milk until completely smooth. Pour masarica mixture into pot with sugar mixture and bring liquid to boil, whisking occasionally; reduce heat to low. Stir in vanilla extract and continue cooking, whisking occasionally, until mixture is smooth and thick, about 10 minutes more. The atole is ready when the drink coats the back of wooden spoon.
  3. Remove pot from heat. Divide atole evenly among serving mugs. Sprinkle with nutmeg if that sounds nice.. Serve warm.

Week 43

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Halloween is in 5 days! Which means… festivities? Things look a lot different this year with COVID. I am anti-social myself, however, if you’re into holiday parties, this weeks snack is one of those delights you don’t have to feel bad about snacking on!

Bat Bites!

  • 4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup cottage cheese
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • black seeds or black sesame seeds for a more mild flavor
  • blue corn tortilla chips
  • black olives
  • pimentos
  1. Place the goat cheese, cottage cheese, salt and pepper in your food processor and pulse 6-8 times until combined.
  2. Scoop out the cheese and form into golf ball sized balls (about 1 1/2 and 2 ounces or 3 balls).
  3. Roll the balls in black seeds until they are completely covered.
  4. Slice some olives for the eyes and place on the cheese balls, insert pieces of pimentos in the center of the eyes. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight to firm up.
  5. Before serving, insert 2 tortilla chips on each side for bat wings.

I opted for some garlic and herb goat cheese, and I do not regret that decision. Goat’s milk has more medium-chain fatty acids than cow’s milk; these types of fat are rapidly absorbed in your body and less likely to be stored as fat. It may be easier for some people to digest than cheese made from cow’s milk, this may be because goat’s milk is lower in lactose and contains different proteins. In particular, goat cheese contains A2 casein, which may be less inflammatory and less likely to cause digestive discomfort than the A1 casein found in cow’s milk.

Cottage cheese is much higher in protein than other cheeses. Several studies indicate that eating high-protein foods like cottage cheese can increase feelings of fullness and help decrease overall calorie intake, which in turn may lead to weight loss

Black seeds, also known as black cumin, nigella or by its scientific name Nigella sativa. It grows up to 12 inches tall and produces a fruit with seeds that are used as a flavorful spice in many cuisines. In addition to its culinary use, it has been used for headache, toothache, nasal congestion, asthma, arthritis, and intestinal worms. It has also been used for pink eye, pockets of infection, and parasites. Today, black seed is most commonly used for asthma, diabetes, hypertension, weight loss, and  digestive tract conditions.

The black seeds taste like a combination of onions, black pepper, and oregano. They have a pungent, bitter taste and smell. They were incredibly more flavorful than I expected them to be, so I would probably use less seeds than pictured or make them bigger in size to sweeten the ratios, I prepared six balls from the recipe originally. There is some scientific evidence to suggest that black seed might help boost the immune system, fight cancer, reduce swelling, and lessen allergic reactions by acting as an antihistamine.

Week 42

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Time to see what’s left in the garden! On my peruse through I decided to gather some carrots and a zucchini. With a little bit of everything that reminds me of fall, I bring you Harvest Muffins! I put my adjustments for altitude in parenthesis 🥰 enjoy!

  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (add 2 tbsp)
  • 1 cup sugar (subtract 2 tbsp.)
  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda (subtract 1/2 tsp.)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 medium (2 cups) apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1 cup carrots, grated
  • 1/2 cup zucchini, grated
  • 3/4 cups dried cherries and raisins, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped pumpkin seeds and almonds
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (add 3 tbsp)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla 

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cups into muffin pan cups or grease muffin pan cups; set aside.
  2. Combine flour, sugar, oats, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in bowl.
  3. Whisk eggs in bowl. Stir in melted butter, applesauce and vanilla. Add flour mixture to egg mixture; stir until just moistened. Add apples, carrots, dried cherries and nuts; stir until well mixed.
  4. Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin pan cups.
  5. Bake 18-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Perfect weather here for warm muffins and a cup of tea 🍵

Week 37

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Week 37 inspired by my Dole Plantation visit last year when we were living in Hawaii,

Virgin Piña Coladas!

  • 3/4 cup pineapple juice
  • 3/4 cup cream of coconut
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract or rum extract
  • 3 cups of ice

Blend all ingredient; garnish with pineapple wedges or maraschino cherries.

Pineapple is the only edible fruit of its kind, the bromeliads, and produces one fruit at a time. They are all hand planted and picked, and grow in bushes pretty low to the ground. Pineapples contain fiber, vitamin c, manganese, vitamin b6, copper, thiamin, folate, potassium, magnesium, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, and iron.

Coconut Milk and Coconut Cream are essentially the same; milk just has a higher water to coconut ratio compared to the cream. Because coconut cream is higher in fat than coconut milk, it’s important to use it in moderation. Though the fatty acids in coconut milk are medium-chain triglycerides that have been shown to have some health benefits, too much fat from coconuts or other sources will cause weight gain.

Coconut cream has a relatively high fiber content in a small serving size, and it’s also a rich source of B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E and the essential minerals iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.

I opted to use vanilla extract…I’ve never actually tried rum extract before, but as someone in recovery I decided I wasn’t super in to trying it either. However! If you don’t have any issues with alcohol, that is potentially a better option than vanilla for a more traditional flavor? Just my guess 🙂

EnjoY!

I spy somewhere in this picture a pineapple plant!

Week 36

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With snow in the forecast for Tuesday, this may be the last zucchini recipe for awhile. Don’t rush to your tissue box yet, these brownies will leave you smiling, I promise!

Zucchini Brownies

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 1/3 cups coconut sugar
  • 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 3 cups finely shredded zucchini DO NOT DRAIN
  • 1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks (optional, i omitted and opted to be naughty on half with peanut butter chips)
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F and prepare a 9×13 pan with butter or line with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl combine oil, sugar, and vanilla until fully incorporated.
  3. Add flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Mix until combined. Batter will be very dry.
  4. Fold in zucchini by hand. Allow batter to rest for 5 minutes.
  5. Optional: Add in chocolate chunks and stir again. Batter should appear more wet. (if not, let it rest for 5 more minutes and stir again)
  6. Spread brownie mixture into the pan and bake for 25-35 minutes. Brownies are done with an inserted toothpick is removed with crumbs. There should not be wet batter on the toothpick.

What makes whole wheat better?

Wheat has three parts to it—the bran which is packed with fiber, the endosperm—the largest part of the seed and made up of mostly starch, and the germ—the nutrient-rich embryo of the seed. It is downright delicious but unfortunately white flour is made up of only the endosperm portion of the wheat, eliminating many of the grain’s nutrients. Whole wheat flour includes the bran, endosperm, and germ of the wheat grain, which gives it a slightly darker color and makes it more nutritious.

Why are whole grains important in preventing type 2 diabetes?

The exact reasons why whole grains are an important mechanism to prevent type 2 diabetes aren’t crystal-clear, but there are several theories:1

  • Whole grains improve insulin sensitivity, which means that the body uses blood sugar more effectively and efficiently.
  • Whole grains are digested more slowly which leads to a far slower increase in blood sugar levels after eating.
  • The nutrients in whole grains plus the fiber content help to lower our body’s level of inflammation which is strongly associated with type 2 diabetes.
  • The fiber in whole grains is incompletely digested in the gastrointestinal tract which produces short-chain fatty acids which decrease insulin sensitivity.

Are certain types of whole grains more effective in preventing type 2 diabetes?

Recent research with 55,000 participants over 15 years from the Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, and the Danish Cancer Society Research Center confirms decades of previous research findings on the importance of whole grains for prevention of type 2 diabetes. In this study, any type of whole grain provided similar benefits.1

How many servings of whole grains per day are necessary?

In the Swedish and Danish study, each serving of whole grain was associated with an 11% lower risk of type 2 diabetes for men and a 7% lower risk for women.1 A large meta-analysis of 16 studies recommends consuming 2-3 servings of whole grains per day to decrease risk of developing type 2 diabetes.2

References

  1. Cecilie Kyrø, Anne Tjønneland, Kim Overvad, Anja Olsen, Rikard Landberg; Higher Whole-Grain Intake Is Associated with Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes among Middle-Aged Men and Women: The Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health Cohort, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 148, Issue 9, 1 September 2018, Pages 1434–1444. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxy112
  2. Aune D, Norat T, Romundstad P, Vatten LJ. Whole grain and refined grain consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes:  a systematic review and dose-response meta-analaysis of cohort studies. Eur J Epidemiol. 2013 Nov;28(11):845-58. doi: 10.1007/s10654-013-9852-5. Epub 2013 Oct 25.