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Re: [RC] Oats - Lif StrandAt 05:09 PM 3/18/2006, Diane Trefethen wrote:I am not sure that the enzymes IN grains is as important to their "nutritional delivery" as the enzymes IN the horse's fore gut. Nevertheless, even if grains have been "killed", I do not believe that their deaths (gad this sounds so morbid and almost "alien") degrade the nutritional value of the grain MORE than the dry processing improves that It is my understanding that although the body does produce metabolic enzymes, enzymes that come from food are necessary too. At least that's what I've been reading about enzymes. I have not disagreed with your premise because I simply don't know whether killing enzymes in grains influences their nutritive values or whether any such enzymes ARE killed or even if they exist. Do a google on enzymes! From what I read, living cells can't even function without one kind of enzyme or another! If you are right, then the question is to what degree are "killed" grains degraded. Flour, oatmeal, Wheaties, 6-grain breads, all of these foods are composed of grains that have been "killed". Does this mean we should eat whole beards of wheat and unhusked oats instead or is the nutritional value of these foods more than adequate, not to mention digestible and palatable, for our needs? Of course I'm not suggesting eating whole beards of wheat - if you're going to eat wheat you have to do something to it to make it digestible (sprout it, grind it, cook it). However, when you process foods, nutritional degradation begins, some nutrients being lost faster than others. Consistent consumption of processed foods will mean that those more delicate nutrients will always be lost and eventually the lack is going to cause problems, since these happen to be important nutrients for survival. So the effort should be to eat (or feed horses) the freshest foods possible, unprocessed if possible, and if processed, then as recently processed as possible to make sure the highest levels of nutrition will be available. ------------------------ Lif Strand, Research Associate Southwest Center for Resource Analysis Western New Mexico University (505) 773-4897 (505) 212-0108 FAX
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