Add some whole grains to your day

Are you eating whole grains?  Can you name 3 whole grain cereals, name 3 whole grain crackers?  In the class I teach, it is amazing how few students eat whole grains until they learn how very important whole grains are to their health.  How can you add more whole grains to your day and why are whole grains so important to good health? 

        
 1.  What are whole grains?
     

The Whole Grains Council provides excellent guidance on whole grains and even have a tutorial,  Whole Grains 101.  We are all familiar with grains – wheat, corn, oats, barley, quinoa, spelt, rye, rice.  It is interesting that all grains start out as “Whole Grains”.  It is only in refining that parts of the grain are removed, the healthiest parts.  When a grain is refined, it is no longer a “whole grain”.  Whole Grains include ALL 3 Parts of the grain – the bran (rich in fiber, antioxidants and B vitamins), the germ (rich in B vitamins, some protein and many minerals, some healthy fat) and the endosperm (rich in starch, some vitamins and minerals). 

  2.   What are refined grains?

Refined Grains in white bread, white rice, white flour- contain the endosperm but not the bran and wheat germ.  Refined grains are so depleted in nutrients that the government mandates some nutrients are added back.  If you read the ingredients of white bread, many cereals and many crackers, you will see the word “enriched”.  Following “enriched” you will see a listing of the few vitamins and one mineral added back including B-1, B-2, niacin, folate and the mineral iron.  Refining a grain removes about a quarter of the protein in a grain, and half to two thirds or more of a score of nutrients, leaving the grain a mere shadow of its original self.  Enriched grains are low in fiber as the bran has been removed and fiber is not usually added back to enriched grains. 

3.  What foods are considered “whole grain”?

Whole grains – whole grain bread, whole grain crackers, whole grain cereals:  Look at the ingredients and you should see the word “whole” such as whole wheat, whole corn, whole rye. This means the food contains all 3 parts of the grain. 

•  Whole Grain Cereal:  All General Mills cereals are whole grain so look for the big “G”.  Cheerios are often a favorite.  Not only are they whole grain but the oats are a heart healthy grain.  Let the kids enjoy the Honey Nut Cheerios or one of the many General Mills cereals including Rice Chex, Corn Chex, Wheat Chex, Total, Wheaties.  Yes, some cereals have added sugar but you and the kids are getting a good serving of whole grains.  Oatmeal is an excellent choice – a super healthy cereal.  If you like the instant oatmeal, fine.  Even if it has some added sugar, oatmeal is a heart healthy choice.   One daughter doesn’t like whole grains – especially whole grain bread. But she will eat Kellogg’s Mini Wheats.   Kellogg’s Mini Wheats are whole grain.  Yes, they have some added sugar but she is still getting the nutritional benefits of whole grains.   But skip the Pop-tarts as the first ingredient is often sugar.  For a kid's snack bring some Honey Nut Cheerios in a baggie.

• Whole Grain Crackers – so many to choose from.  Look for Triscuits, Wheat Thins, Special K Quinoa Crackers (not 100% whole grain, but mostly whole grain), Ritz Whole Wheat crackers (enriched 1^st ingredient but it does have some whole grain).  Multi-Grain Crackers by Crunchmaster are 100% whole grain.  For kids there are Whole Grain Goldfish crackers.  Breton has a multigrain cracker that provides 15 grains and 8 grams of whole grains.  These crackers would be a good way to get different whole grains into you.   

Whole Grain Goldfish

• Most crackers are not whole grain.  Switching to whole grain crackers is a great way to add some whole grains to a snack.  The daughter who hates whole grain bread also doesn’t like whole grain crackers.  But she will eat some Ritz Whole Wheat.  These crackers aren’t 100% whole wheat but they do add some whole grains to her day. 

Breton Whole Grain Crackers

• Rice and Quinoa

 Going to Chipotle?  Order the brown rice for better nutrition.  Brown rice is whole grain while white rice is refined grain.  Quinoa is whole grain.  I like the Quinoa and Brown Rice mix by Seeds of Change.  A packet heats up in the microwave in 90 seconds.

      4.  How many whole grain servings do you need each day? 

MyPlate and the Whole Grain Council recommend we “eat at least half our grains as whole grains”.  Adults should have 6-8 grain servings a day so 3-4 of these servings should be whole grain.  School age kids should have 5-8 servings per day depending on age so 3-4 servings of whole grains a day.  Most Americans need to up their intake of whole grains as WebMD states that most Americans are not even eating one serving of whole grains a day. 

      5.   Why are whole grains so healthy?

The health benefits of whole grains are very significant.  Not only do whole grains provide needed vitamins and minerals, and fiber but also those good phytochemicals that help your body stay healthy.  Eat more whole grains and reduce your risk of stroke, reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, reduce your risk of heart disease.  People who eat whole grains are better able to maintain their weight as the fiber in whole grains helps to fill you up.  WebMD notes that whole grains can “reduce your risk of death from all causes.. by 15%”. 

What works for you?  How can you add some whole grains to your day?  If not cereal, try some whole grain crackers or brown rice.  Next week we’ll look at what chips and snacks are whole grain. 

Sources:  Whole Grains 101, fiber, General Mills, Kellogg’s Mini Wheats, Triscuits, Wheat Thins, , Special K Quinoa Crackers, Ritz Whole Wheat, Multi-Grain Crackers, Goldfish, Breton, Whole Grain Council, health benefits, notes  Image Sources:  whole grain stamp, Goldfish, Breton