Beauty's Pizza Cambridge Free Delivery Beauty's Whole Wheat FAQ

"Released in early January, 2005, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 [document on which MyPyramid is based] continues to reflect the tense interplay of science and the powerful food industry. Several of the new recommendations represent important steps in the right direction."

"The guidelines suggest that it is fine to consume half of our grains as refined starch [non whole grains]. That's a shame, since refined starches behave like sugar. They add empty calories, have adverse metabolic effects, and increase the risks of diabetes and heart disease."

"The body needs carbohydrates mainly for energy. The best sources of carbohydrates are whole grains such as oatmeal, whole-wheat bread, and brown rice. They deliver the outer (bran) and inner (germ) layers along with energy-rich starch. The body can't digest whole grains as quickly as it can highly processed carbohydrates such as white flour. This keeps blood sugar and insulin levels from rising, then falling, too quickly. Better control of blood sugar and insulin can keep hunger at bay and may prevent the development of type 2 diabetes."

What is the Healthy Eating Pyramid?

The Healthy Eating Pyramid is an alternative food guide created by the Nutrition Department at the Harvard School of Public Health. The pyramid can be found at The Nutrition Source, a Harvard web site. The pyramid "is based on the best available scientific evidence about the links between diet and health. This new pyramid fixes fundamental flaws in the USDA pyramid and offers sound information to help people make better choices about what to eat."

The Healthy Eating Pyramid strongly advises eating whole grain foods. "The body needs carbohydrates mainly for energy. The best sources of carbohydrates are whole grains such as oatmeal, whole-wheat bread, and brown rice. They deliver the outer (bran) and inner (germ) layers along with energy-rich starch. The body can't digest whole grains as quickly as it can highly processed carbohydrates such as white flour. This keeps blood sugar and insulin levels from rising, then falling, too quickly. Better control of blood sugar and insulin can keep hunger at bay..."

Can whole grain help me lose weight?

There are many credible sources you can draw on to decide what type of food and exercise are appropriate for you if your goal is to lose weight. If you are on a diet and would like to order from Beauty's, we do suggest ordering our whole wheat pizza and salads rather than our regular pizza. In addition to the many nutritional benefits of whole wheat described on this page, our whole wheat pizzas have a thinner crust than our regular pizza.

You may also find the following guidance from the MIT e-Well Tips newsletter interesting.

"If you're trying to find a healthy way to lose weight, increasing the amount of whole grains in your diet might be your answer! Whole grains fall under the category of "complex carbohydrates." Complex carborhydrates take the body a longer amount of time to digest and absorb than refined grains (such as pasta, white bread and white rice). Because of this, there is only a moderate rise in blood sugar and insulin in the body. The end result is not only a "full" feeling, but a more consistent level of energy (unlike the drastic highs and lows that refined grains produce). Feeling fuller longer often leads to eating less total calories each day, and having a more steady energy level may help bring you success in reaching your weekly fitness plan goals!"

Why is whole grain healthy?

Grains are and have always been a critical part of our diet. Whole grain provides significantly more nutrients and health benefits than refined grain.

See "Why is it important to eat grains, especially whole grains?" on the MyPyramid.gov web site for basic overview of the importance of eating whole grain.

For a more scientific explanation, see the Carbohydrates and Fiber sections of The Nutrition Source from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Some snippets from The Nutrition Source:

"Although the fine points of the glycemic index and glycemic load may seem complicated, the basic message is simple: Whenever possible, replace highly processed grains, cereals, and sugars with minimally processed whole-grain products."

"Some tips for increasing fiber intake...Replace white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice and whole-grain products."

How did Beauty's get interested in whole wheat?

In April 2005 we called one our first time customers to make sure she enjoyed her salad and had a good experience with our delivery service. Melanie was very pleased with both but didn't seem too interested in trying our gourmet pizza! She said that she was avoiding pizza for nutritional reasons but would love to try a whole wheat pizza.

That sounded interesting so we emailed some of our customers to gauge interest in whole wheat. The response was overwhelmingly positive. We started experimenting and made dozens of small batches of dough using different types and amounts of flour and other ingredients. From the moment our first "experiment" came out of the oven we fell in love with the taste and texture. When our staff came to the shop at 5 PM that Sunday we had them sample the pizza and they were also incredibly enthusiastic.

Over the next few weeks we involved our customers in taste testing and tweaking our recipe. You can read some of the feedback we received above. By Memorial Day weekend we felt ready and added our whole wheat pizza to the menu. We hope you enjoy our whole wheat pizza as much as we do!