The significance of , and in the Nordic diet and traditions

Prof. Kaisa Poutanen VTT Technical Research Centre of & University of Eastern Finland [email protected]

New Nordic Food Helsinki 11 October 2011

11/10/2011 2

Grains are our major energy, carbohydrate and dietary fibre source, and a good source of minerals and vitamins

Wheat Oats

Rye Barley 11/10/2011 3

Annual consumption of different grains as food in the

Wheat 76-103 kg/person Rye 7-17 kg/person Oats 2-8 kg/person Barley 0-6 kg/person 11/10/2011 4

Consumption of grains as food in Finland (kg/person/year)

250 Rye Wheat Barley Rice

200

150

100

50

0 1900 1925 1950 1975 2001 2007

Finnish Information 11/10/2011 5

The welfare market - new challenges for nutrition - new roles for old foods

. In the past we ate what we got

. Now we get what we eat

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In the past in the Nordic countries…

. Availability of grains was not self-evident

. Barley was the first cultivated crop

. For long, rye was the most common bread grain

. Grains, bread and cereal foods were respected

. Bread was a symbol of welfare 11/10/2011 7

Now in the Nordic countries…

. We are surrounded by delicacy foods

. We are eating too much refined foods, such as sugar

. There are all kinds of diets aiming at loosing weight

. Some groups doom bread and cereal foods not suitable for human health!? 11/10/2011 8

The specialty of rye, oats and barley is their use as whole grain foods

Rye Barley 11/10/2011 9

Cereal grains: A raw material Phyto- estrogens born functional Phenolics Antioxidants Phytochemicals + Dietary fibre Phytic acid Micronutrients complex Enzyme inhibitors = Sterols “Co-passangers" Vitamins

Minerals Undigestible Dietary fibre 10-15 % carbohydrates (+lignin) Fat 2-5 % Protein 10-15 % Macronutrients = Energy Starch 50-60 % 11/10/2011 10

Refined grains: A raw material enriched with energy

Fat 2-5 % Protein 10-15 % Macronutrients = Energy Starch 50-60 % 11/10/2011 11

Intake of whole grain foods is associated with better health maintenance

. de Munter, J.S.L, Hu, F.B, Spiegelman, D., Franz, M., van Dam, R.M.. (2007). Whole grain, bran, and germ intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study and systematic review. PLoS Medicine 4:1385-1395. . Mellen, P.B., Walsh, T.F., Herrington, D.M. Whole grain intake and cardiovascular disease: A meta-analysis. Nutr. Metab. Cardiovasc. Dis. 2008;18:283-90 . Nettleton, J.A., McKeown, N.M., Kanoni, A., Lemaitre, R.N., Hivert, M.-F., Ngwa, J., van Rooij, F.J.A., Sonestedt, E., Wojczynski, M.K., Ye, Z., Tanaka, T., the CHARGE Whole Grain Foods Study Group (2010) Interactions of Dietary Whole-Grain Intake With Fasting Glucose– and Insulin-Related Genetic Loci in Individuals of European Descent. A meta-analysis of 14 cohort studies. Diabetes Care 33 doi: 10.2337/dc10-1150 11/10/2011 12

Grain fibre and associated compounds have effects throughout the digestive tract

Mouth: • Chewing time

Stomach: • Gastric emptying time

Small intestine: • Nutrient digestion and absorption • Hormonal responses (satiety)

Large intestine: • Microbiota dynamics • Metabolites • Immune function

Gastrointestinal function: • Subjective feelings • Frequence and quality of feces 11/10/2011 13

The European rye belt

36

8 35 30 1

41 31 14 43 23 12 24 34 29 17 8 13 39 33 18 44 37 3 27 19 11 2 42 6

26 9 4 7 10 16

32 5 2 25

40 21 38 11/10/2011 14

Rye

. 94% of world rye production is in Europe, ”the rye belt”

. Consumption reduced clearly during the previous century

. Nordic traditional use as whole grain , often produced by sour dough fermentation

. Health effects increasingly demonstrated

. New types of rye breads and ingredients developed for the modern consumer in the Nordic countries

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Rye bread in old days

. Basic (wholegrain) food

. Important energy source

. Rye enpowered both the man and the horse to work hard

. ”Rye in the wrists”= you have strength

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Wholemeal rye today

. IN ADDITION…

. No1 dietary fibre source

. Food for weight management

. Assists to combat type 2 diabetes

. Protects heart

. Improves gut health

. Healthy by scientific evidence 11/10/2011 17

There is a difference…

Dietary Dietary Type of bread fibre / fibre/ portion 6 portions*

White wheat bun (40 g) 1.3 g 7.8 g

Slice of wholegrain (41 g) 4.3 g 25.8 g**

*Recommendation: Eat 6-9 portions of bread daily

** Recommended daily intake 25-35 g

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Sourdough rye breads, loaves, flat breads …

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From traditions to new types of products – milder in tase, easy to use 11/10/2011 20

Rye crisp breads

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Carelian pastry Very thin rye coating filled with mashed or rice filling – in old times barley

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“Kalakukko” “Mämmi” Fish baked inside a rye coating Finnish Easter pudding made of rye malt and rye flour

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Postprandial glucose and insulin responses of rye breads are different from those of wheat based breads, which helps to maintain healthy glucose metabolism

GLUCOSE INSULIN

Wheat-oat basket Wheat-oat basket Rye basket Rye basket 9 100 A * P<0.05 * P<0.05

80 8 B 60 * 7 * * B 40 A * * 6 * * Insulin concentration (mU/L) 20 Glucose concentration(mmol/L) * 5 0 0 15 30 45 60 90 120 150 180 0 15 30 45 60 90 120 150 180 Time (min) Aika (min) 11/10/2011 24

Eat your lunch in the … to buy Really… café, something Three chocklate but remember… healthy ice creams

on rye bread! 11/10/2011 25

Oats

. Important Nordic crop

. Main use is as feed for livestock, only small portion consumed for food

. Rich in dietary fibre, especially the soluble fibre beta- glucan - development of ingredients

. Documented health effects, health claims . cholesterol reduction (oat beta-glucan) . blood glucose levels (oat beta-glucan) . heart disease and weight control (whole grain use)

. Rich in vitamins, minerals, sterols, phenolic compounds such as avenathramides, etc.

. Suitable for coeliac patients when purity guaranteed

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Various oat foods developed

. Flakes -porridge . Flakes with bran . Quick flakes . Flakes in single-use packages . Muesli . Breakfast cereals . Oat milk &cream . Oat ”youghurt” . Rice mixes, rice substitute . . Bread . Biscuits . Frozen pastry

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Barley

. Most cultivated cereal grain in the Nordic countries . Least used for food, large industrial uses as feed and malt . High beta-blucan content offers potential for health food sector

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Various food uses of barley

. Flakes - porridge . Pearled barley . Rice substitute . Muesli . Pancakes . Flat bread, bread loaves

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US Dietary recommendation 2010: Whole grains

. Consume 3 or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products per day, with the rest of the recommended grains coming from enriched or whole-grain products.

. In general, at least half the grains should come from whole grains. Key foods items in healthy Nordic Diet 31 11/10/2011 32 11/10/2011 33

Rye, barley and oats remain

. An important part of the healthy Nordic diet

. An elementary part of the Nordic food culture

. A very good source for new types of foods and ingredients matching the dietary patterns of the future consumer 11/10/2011 34

Thank you! [email protected]