Whole Grain in Food

If you walk down any grocery aisle, you will notice that several products tout that they contain or made of X% of whole grain. In 2005, The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, an organization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, released guidelines recommending 3 ounces (48 grams) of whole grain daily. Manufacturers began adding whole grains to their products, but just because a product contains whole grain does not mean it is a good or healthy food choice.

According to the Department of Agriculture (Inside the Pyramid) any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain is a grain product. Bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits are examples of grain products.

So what's so great about whole grain? Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel -- the bran (outer layer) which is the main source of fiber, germ where most of the nutrients are found, and endosperm (tissue) where have few nutrients. Examples of whole grains include:

• whole-wheat flour
• bulgur (cracked wheat)
• oatmeal
• whole cornmeal
• brown rice

Grains are divided into 2 subgroups, whole grains, as described above, and refined grains. Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life, but it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. Some examples of refined grain products are:

• white flour
• degermed cornmeal
• white bread
• white rice

Most refined grains are enriched. This means certain B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid) and iron are added back after processing. Fiber is not added back to enriched grains. Check the ingredient list on refined grain products to make sure that the word “enriched” is included in the grain name. Some food products are made from mixtures of whole grains and refined grains.

The amount of whole grains placed into foods does not mean a healthier product. If a product contains only a small amount of whole grain, it is likely that the fiber content will be low. Choose products that are low in sugar, sodium and saturated trans-fat.