Here's another reason to eat whole grains: it will help put an end to the dreaded belly bloat. Eating too many refined grains like white rice, enriched pasta, or white bread slows down your digestive tract, which causes that bloated feeling. I don't know about you, but I hate getting dressed when my belly is full of air.
For the next few weeks, swap out any refined grains in your diet with whole grains, and see if you notice a difference. Whole grains are full of fiber, which helps keep us "regular" and our digestive tract moving along at a normal pace. By doing this, you should find that you'll have much more energy during the day since your body won't be working overtime to digest food.
I know that eating whole wheat pasta may not sound delicious to some of you, but there are a lot of easy and tasty swaps you can make instead. Choose whole wheat bread over white, and eat a whole grain cereal like Kashi or muesli. I also love the taste of quinoa, which is a hearty grain filled with fiber. Why not try this curried quinoa salad for dinner tonight?
Although some people may think all pasta dishes are loaded with carbs and cheese, this recipe proves them wrong. It's chock full of mushrooms and kale, and combines whole wheat pasta with a rich sauce made from hazelnuts. Most grocery stores carry whole wheat pasta these days; you can find it in the regular pasta aisle. There's no meat, but the mushrooms and nutty gravy give this dish a complex heartiness. To check out this vegetarian-friendly, cheese-free pasta recipe, 
