Whole grains are good for you and your little one, very good in fact – but here’s the catch – it depends on:

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• When you introduce them,
• Which grains you eat, and
• How you prepare them,

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Eating unprepared grains, introducing them too soon, or eating gluten-containing grains can have negative health effects.

When to introduce grains

Many traditional cultures have fed their babies grains before their first birthday – as their first food even – but they were all fermented first.

For the reasons mentioned in my “Rice cereal is (not) the best first food for baby” blog post, it is best to wait until your little one is a year old before introducing grains. At this age, he/she will have more of the amalyse digestive enzyme that is needed to digest grains.

According to The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby & Childcare by Sally Fallon Morell and Thomas S. Cowan, if there is a history of celiac disease or gluten intolerance in the family, it is best to wait until your little one’s third year before introducing grains.

Which grains to choose

Properly prepared grains are nutritious – they are important sources of many nutrients, including protein, fibre, B vitamins and minerals (iron, magnesium and selenium).

In order to avoid gluten, you need to avoid:

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• wheat,
• barley,
• rye,
• spelt and,
• oats (unless the oats are certified gluten-free).

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See the chapter “Why Not Gluten, Dairy and Sugar?” in my book Mila’s Meals: The Beginning & The Basics for more on this.

There are many naturally gluten-free grains to choose from including:

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• rice,
• quinoa,
• millet,
• buckwheat,
• sorghum and,
• amaranth.

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These grains are nutrient-dense, act as antioxidants and, help the body make serotonin, which improves mood while providing a calming, soothing effect on the nervous system.

Preparation

Whole grains are the hardest food for the human body to digest, and all grains contain anti-nutrients that must be neutralized before cooking. They all have phytic acid that can block the absorption of calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc as well as enzyme inhibitors that block the digestive enzymes needed to digest it.

In order to unlock a grain’s nutritional potential, it is necessary to prepare them in a way that makes them more digestible – such as soaking them for 24 hours, fermenting or sprouting them before cooking.

Preparing grains with a dollop of healthy fat (such as ghee or coconut oil) will help the absorption of calcium, phosphorus, iron, B vitamins and the many other vitamins that whole grains provide.

I go into this in more detail in the “Feeding with Awareness” chapter of Mila’s Meals: The Beginning & The Basics…

Enzymes, Nutrients and Anti-nutrients

Digestive enzymes are primarily produced in the pancreas and small intestine. They break down our food into nutrients so that our bodies can absorb them.

A nutrient is a substance that provides nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life.

So what then are anti-nutrients?

Anti-Nutrients

As scientific research methods develop, new information on nutrition comes to light that challenges what we have previously held to be true about our food. One of these new pieces of information is that of ‘anti-nutrients’.

Anti-nutrients interfere with the absorption of nutrients and digestion and, irritate the intestinal tract. Whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes are all high in anti-nutrients.

But these foods are meant to be good for you – right?

Well yes – if they are correctly prepared, in a way that reduces the anti-nutrients.

Anti-nutrients are part of a seed’s natural system of preservation. Nature has ensured that seeds won’t sprout until the perfect growing conditions exist. Two of these anti-nutrients worth mentioning are Phytic Acid and Enzyme Inhibitors.

Phytic Acid

Phytic Acid is the storage form of phosphorous – that is, seeds store phosphorus as phytic acid. Grains, nuts and legumes are all seeds and have high levels of phytic acid. So do other edible seeds such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

When phytic acid is bound to a mineral in the seed, it’s known as phytate.

Phytic acid is an anti-nutrient because it binds to essential minerals (such as calcium, copper, iron, zinc, and magnesium) in the digestive tract, making them less available to our bodies. Phytates also reduce the digestibility of starches, proteins, and fats.

Enzyme Inhibitors

Enzyme inhibitors are present in seeds to prevent them from developing (sprouting) until there are suitable growing conditions. Unfortunately eating seeds with enzyme inhibitors negatively affects our digestive and metabolic enzymes.

It is not necessary to avoid foods containing phytic acid or enzyme inhibitors, but it is important to prepare them correctly – as our ancestors did. Correct preparation reduces the phytic acid, neutralises the enzyme inhibitors and increases the bio-availability of the nutrients.

Grain preparation

Soaking nuts, grains, seeds and legumes

Soaking and fermenting nuts, grains, seeds and legumes is something our grannies (or granny’s granny) did and for good reason. It mimics nature’s ‘perfect sprouting’ conditions by providing moisture, warmth, time and slight acidity. As the seed begins to germinate while soaking, phytic acid is reduced, enzyme inhibitors are neutralised and the production of numerous beneficial enzymes begins. The action of these enzymes increases the amount of vitamins, especially B vitamins. Difficult-to-digest proteins are partially broken down into simpler components that are more readily available for absorption.

How to soak grains and legumes.

Cover with warm water and add one of the following acids: lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, buttermilk, yoghurt, kefir or whey. The ratio of grain to acid should be 2 tablespoons of acid for every 1 cup of grains. Soak for 7 to 24 hours in a warm place. Drain, rinse and cook as usual. Cooking time will be reduced due to the soaking.

How to soak nuts and seeds.

Cover the nuts or seeds with warm water and add sea salt. The ratio of nuts or seeds to salt should be a ½ tablespoon salt for every 2 cups of nuts or seeds. Soak for six to eight hours (or overnight), then drain, rinse and dehydrate or roast.

Dehydrate by placing in a warm oven (no warmer than 65°C/150°F) or dehydrator for 12- 24 hours.

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