century to the discovery of the vitamins whose deficiencies cause them Today, even though most people in Asia eat refined rice, and polenta and grits are still not cooked in alkaline water, more balanced diets have made these deficiency diseases far less common Valuable Phytochemicals From Seeds Toward the end of the 20th century, we came to realize that seeds have more to offer us than the basic machinery of life Epidemiological studies have found a general association between the consumption of whole grains, legumes, and nuts and a reduced risk of various cancers, heart disease, and diabetes What do these foods provide that refined grains do not? Hundreds or even thousands of chemicals that are concentrated in the outer protective and active layers of the seeds, and that are not found in inner storage tissues, which are mainly depots of starch and protein Among the chemicals that have been identified and seem likely to be helpful are a variety of vitamins, including antioxidant vitamin E and its chemical relatives the tocotrienols soluble fiber: soluble but undigestible carbohydrates that slow digestion, moderate blood insulin and blood sugar levels, and reduce cholesterol levels, and provide energy for beneficial intestinal bacteria, which alter their chemical environment, suppress the growth of harmful bacteria, and influence the health of intestinal cells insoluble fiber, which speeds passage of food through the digestive system and reduces our absorption of carcinogens and other undesirable molecules a variety of phenolic and other defensive compounds, some of which are effective ... environment, suppress the growth of harmful bacteria, and influence the health of intestinal cells insoluble fiber, which speeds passage of food through the digestive system and reduces our absorption of carcinogens and other undesirable molecules... which are mainly depots of starch and protein Among the chemicals that have been identified and seem likely to be helpful are a variety of vitamins, including antioxidant vitamin E and its chemical relatives the tocotrienols... carbohydrates that slow digestion, moderate blood insulin and blood sugar levels, and reduce cholesterol levels, and provide energy for beneficial intestinal bacteria, which alter their chemical environment, suppress the growth of