Volantino

With the other players define a time limit (e.g. 30 seconds). Each player must retrieve as many grains as possible from the bowls, placing them one at a time on his/her board in the corresponding boxes. The winner is the one who retrieves the most grains and completes the entire grid in the set amount of time (e.g. 30 seconds). In case of a tie, the winner is whoever placed the most grains. GRAINS & HEALTH Nutritional recommendations suggest consuming whole grain products because their higher fibre content has positive effects on health. In fact, including whole grain food in your diet helps to better control blood sugar levels, reduce blood lipids and, by increasing the volume of faeces, reduce transit time in the intestine and the risk of constipation. Replacing refined grains with whole grains can help to prevent cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Additionally, some scientific studies suggest that consuming one to three portions of whole grain food per day reduces the risk of colorectal cancer. So, does eating refined grains pose a health hazard? Scientific evidence shows the beneficial effects of consuming whole grain products, but there is no evidence that including refined grain-based food in a balanced diet has any adverse health effects. Refined grain-based food generally has a medium/low satiating power and, therefore, does not help to decrease the sense of hunger. Additionally, products such as white bread and white rice normally have a high glycemic index and for this reason research suggests moderate consumption, especially in people who need to reduce the post-prandial glycemic response, that is, the rise in blood sugar following a meal. According to the Mediterranean pyramid, the portions of grain-based food should be four or five per day, and of this, at least half should be whole grain, semi-wholegrain or otherwise rich in fibre grains. For people with coeliac disease or with other conditions for which a doctor has prescribed a gluten-free diet, the consumption of grains and derivatives can represent a danger. Coeliac disease is a disease caused by the consumption of gluten in genetically predisposed individuals that affects about 1% of the world population. Gluten-free grains and, therefore, allowed for those suffering from coeliac disease are, for example, rice, corn, sorghum, millet and all pseudo-grains. For more information on products suitable for people with coeliac disease, consult the handbook of the Italian Coeliac Disease THE HAPPY UNIVERSE OF GRAINS LET’S EAT WELL 77