Home » Your Guide to Proper Nutrition » How Whole Grains Contribute to a Healthy Lifestyle » Farro’s Unique Nutritional Benefits
How Farro Contributes to a Healthy Diet
Nutrient Content
Vitamins
Excellent Source of:
- Niacin- 20%
Minerals
Good Source of:
- Magnesium – 15%
- Zinc- 15%
Also a Source of:
- Iron – 4%
Other
Excellent Source of:
- Fiber – 20%
Also a Source of:
- Antioxidants – Carotenoids, flavonoids
*All nutritional Info From (1)
Farro is an ancient grain that is no longer used as regularly as other mainstream grains like wheat, but offers superior benefits to wheat.
How Farro Prevents Chronic Disease
Farro’s superior nutritional profile makes it a better option for preventing and managing chronic diseases.
How Farro Prevents Cancer
In general, whole grains are recommended for the prevention of cancer due to their high fiber, anti-inflammatory properties, and antioxidant properties (2).
- Cancer is often caused by damage from free radicals that attack your cells and DNA. The damage leads to irregular growth and the eventual spread of the cancer to other organs. The threat of free radicals is neutralized by compounds called antioxidants.
- A study on the differences between bread incorporating farro and bread using more mainstream grains showed that farro had higher levels of antioxidants and an enhanced ability to neutralize free radicals (3).
How Farro Prevents Cardiovascular Disease
- One serving (1/4 cup) of farro contains 20% of your daily recommended intake of fiber.
- Fiber consumption is linked to reduced risk of stroke and heart attack, as it reduces blood lipid, blood sugar, and blood pressure levels (4).
- Farro also contains 15% of your daily recommended magnesium. Magnesium is involved in the control of blood pressure and combats, specifically, increases in blood pressure (5).
How Farro Prevent Diabetes
- Fiber is a great resource for the prevention of type 2 diabetes, as it delays the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream to prevent blood sugar spikes (6).
- One study showed that ancient grains like farro were far superior to mainstream wheats in the regulation of genes that control blood sugar, helping to delay or prevent the development of type 2 diabetes (7).
Farro Promotes a Number of Health Benefits
How Farro Promote Digestion/Gut Health
As mentioned above, farro is an excellent source of fiber. Fiber adds bulk to your stool to help promote regular bowel movements.
Farro contains both soluble and insoluble fibers. Soluble fiber serves as food for the healthy bacteria in your gut. When these bacteria are able to thrive with a consistent food source, they keep your gut environment healthy and promote proper absorption of nutrients.
How Farro Promote Immune Function
Your immune system is vital for the function and repair of all areas of you body. It helps fight off foreign invaders, repair damaged cells, and rid the body of cancers. Zinc is a vital nutrient to support these functions. As an excellent source of zinc, farro can help support immune function.
Gut health is more than just digestion, it impacts the functions of your whole body. Supporting gut health reduces inflammation in the body to help reduce strain on the immune system, allowing it to work efficiently to attack foreign invaders and ward off infection.