The significance of rye, oats and barley in the Nordic diet and traditions Prof. Kaisa Poutanen VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland & 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 Nordic countries 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 Oat Rice 200 150 100 50 0 1900 1925 1950 1975 2001 2007 Finnish Bread 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 11/10/2011 6 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 breads, 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 11/10/2011 15 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 11/10/2011 16 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 rye bread (41 g) 4.3 g 25.8 g** *Recommendation: Eat 6-9 portions of bread daily ** Recommended daily intake 25-35 g 11/10/2011 18 Sourdough rye breads, loaves, flat breads … 11/10/2011 19 From traditions to new types of products – milder in tase, easy to use 11/10/2011 20 Rye crisp breads 11/10/2011 21 Carelian pastry Very thin rye coating filled with mashed potato or rice filling – in old times barley 11/10/2011 22 “Kalakukko” “Mämmi” Fish baked inside a rye coating Finnish Easter pudding made of rye malt and rye flour 11/10/2011 23 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 11/10/2011 26 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 . Rusks . Bread . Biscuits . Frozen pastry 11/10/2011 27 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 11/10/2011 28 Various food uses of barley . Flakes - porridge . Pearled barley . Rice substitute . Muesli . Pancakes . Flat bread, bread loaves 11/10/2011 29 11/10/2011 30 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] .