Food and Nutrition
Make Mine Whole Grain
By
May 28, 2007 - 12:03:14 AM

Make Mine Whole Grain


(HealthNewsDigest.com) - One simple change in your diet can reap some pretty big results. Eating whole grains every day reduces your risk for diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and will keep you slimmer. Impressed? You should be because this is one of the easiest food switches you can make. It’s hard to get people to eat more fruits and vegetables. Some refuse to give up their favorite fatty foods or desserts, but switching from white bread to whole wheat bread isn’t that big of a step and it will yield impressive health benefits. (Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN, Food and Nutrition Columnist - HealthNewsDigest.com)

So, exactly what is a whole grain you’re thinking? In the past health messages have focused on eating more fiber, but fiber is only part of what comes wrapped in whole grain. A whole grain is the entire grain seed, called a kernel, made up of 3 parts: bran, germ and endosperm. All parts of the whole grain kernel offer valuable nutrients.

The germ is the embryo of the kernel which can sprout into a new plant. The endosperm is the largest part of the kernel made up of protein and carbohydrate. It provides food for the germ to grow. The bran is the outer protective layer of the kernel made up mostly of fiber.

Eating bran provides fiber and minerals. Eating the endosperm gives you protein and carbohydrates. Eating the germ gives you vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. Eating the entire grain gives you the full benefit of all three. White bread is made from flour from just the endosperm of the kernel. Whole wheat bread is made from flour from the entire wheat kernel.

We know from survey data that only 8% of American adults eat 3 or more servings of whole grain each day, and 42% eat none. Other recent research has demonstrated that eating whole grains daily can cut your risk of heart disease and colon cancer by over 20%. Adding just 1 serving a day improves your health.

Did you know that eating popcorn in front of the TV counts? Popcorn, oatmeal, brown rice, barley, wheatberries, and whole wheat bread, cereal and pasta are all excellent whole grain sources. It isn’t hard to get 3 servings a day. One serving equals: 1 slice whole grain bread, 1 cup whole grain cereal, ½ cup whole grain hot cereal, ½ cup whole wheat pasta, ½ cup cooked whole grain (any variety) or 3 cups of popcorn. A dish of pasta at dinner or a bowl of cereal for breakfast can satisfy most of your servings for the day.

Those who eat whole grains regularly weigh less than those who don’t because whole grains provide a feeling of satisfaction and fullness after eating. The fiber in whole grains reduces the absorption of dietary cholesterol and the naturally occurring plant sterols lower bad LDL cholesterol. And, if that isn’t enough, whole grains are rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals which act like bodyguards protecting cells from free-radical damage that can trigger disease and signs of aging. When grains are refined many of these natural health-promoting agents are removed, including fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytosterols and antioxidants.

For the diehard white bread fans there is a whole wheat white flour made from a variety of wheat that is tan or golden in color rather than the darker brown of regular whole wheat. It is very common in Australia and becoming more so in the U.S. It’s 100% whole wheat containing the bran, germ and endosperm, but has a milder flavor and texture than nutty tasting, chewier whole wheat.

Don’t assume that every brown colored cracker, bread or pasta is 100% whole grain. If it is whole grain the label may state 100% Whole (any grain). If it doesn’t, check the ingredient list. All the following terms are whole grains – brown rice, buckwheat, oats, popcorn, sorghum, teff, whole wheat, and wild rice.
Next check the position of the whole grain on the list – is it the first or second ingredient? If not, there is probably little whole grain in a serving. Wheat bread, multigrain cereal, or 7 grain energy bars are not always whole grains. The multigrains can be refined and color can be added.

More and more foods are displaying the Whole Grain Stamp, a whole grain awareness program developed by the Whole Grain Council. The stamp identifies foods in two ways. The Whole Grain stamp is used on foods providing at least 8 grams of whole grain, which equals a half serving of whole grain. The 100% Whole Grain stamp is used on products providing at least 16 grams of whole grain, equaling 1 serving. Companies can individualize the value to reflect the exact grams of whole grain in a specific food. These symbols will make it easier to find whole grain sources.
Bottom line: Aim for 3 whole grains a day.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.

Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of the nutrition counter series for Pocket Books with12 current titles and sales in excess of 5 million books. Look for The Calorie Counter, 4th ed., Pocket Books.

For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to www.TheNutritionExperts.com.

Today, Jo-Ann’s main focus is publishing a nutrition counter series for Pocket Books. The books are widely available at your local or on-line bookseller. Current titles include:
The Diabetes Carbohydrate and Calorie Counter, 3rd Ed., 2007
The Calorie Counter, 4th Ed., 2007
The Most Compete Food Counter, 2nd Ed., 2006 -- trade paperback
The Complete Food Counter, 2nd Ed., 2006
Coming in 2008 –
The Cholesterol Counter, 8th Ed.
The Healthy Wholefoods Counter

www.HealthNewsDigest.com



© Copyright by HealthNewsDigest.com