Whole Grain
Whole Grain the Whole Story
Whole grains are an important part of a healthy balanced diet.[1] And it’s not just hype or a fad. So what is whole grain exactly? Well, the clue is in the name…Whole grains are the complete grain, with all its nutrients. Unlike refined grains, nothing has been taken away.
What about white?
When grains are refined to make ‘white’ products, like white bread, and white rice and pasta, the outer parts of the grain are thrown away and only the middle section is used. It’s fine to eat refined foods – don’t panic! – they’re good for you too, they just don't contain as many nutrients as their whole grain sibling.
Bran: The fibre-rich outer layer contains protein, B vitamins and antioxidants
Endosperm: The starchy bit in the middle includes protein and carbohydrates for energy, and some B vitamins
Germ: Packed with nutrients, the inner part contains B vitamins and vitamin E plus minerals like magnesium, and omega-6 fatty acids.
Did you
know?
Wheat almighty!
Wheat is the most widely grown cereal grain. It’s grown on over 17 per cent of the total cultivated land in the world, and is the staple food for 35 per cent of the world’s population. It provides more calories and protein in the world’s diet than any other crop.
Pop goes the kernel!
Popcorn is simply a puffed-up whole grain. It’s made from a special type of corn called ‘zea mays everta’ – the only type of corn that can ‘pop’. Try popping your own corn at home with the kids – great fun!
Whole grain or not whole grain?
Grains are everywhere! Drive out into the countryside in summertime, and you’ll see fields of wheat, oats, barley and corn (for rice, which is grown in waterlogged paddy fields, you might have to travel a bit further….).
But when you’re back in town, staring at the supermarket shelves, how can you tell the whole from the not-so-whole? You may be surprised that some of the foods you’d imagine to be whole grain, actually aren’t.
These are whole grains
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These aren't whole grains
- Bran
- Corn meal
- Polenta
- Corn grits
- Pearled barley
- White rice
- popcorn
Go whole grain!
So whole grains are an important part of a varied, balanced diet for your whole family – and they taste great too! Go whole grain!
Footnotes
1. Whole Grain Goodness: http://www.wholegraingoodness.com/wholegrain-health-benefits/
Also Interesting
Footnotes
- ^ Whole Grain Goodness: http://www.wholegraingoodness.com/wholegrain-health-benefits/
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Two things to remember: • Look for food labels where the word 'whole' appears in front of the name of the grain, like “whole wheat” or “wholemeal bread”. • For foods with more than one ingredient, make sure whole grain is listed towards the top of the ingredients list. The further up the list it is, the more whole grain has been used in the recipe. And look out for the percentage of whole grain. You should find this in the ingredients list too.
A ‘whole’ grain has more nutrients than a ‘refined’ grain, because all parts of the grain are retained – kernel, bran, endosperm and germ – along with their fibre, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. But most of the bran and germ are removed when producing refined grains. Whole grains therefore contain more nutrients than refined grains.
The general name for proteins found in cereal grains such as wheat. It holds the food together, like a ‘glue’, and gives dough its elasticity.
Keep it simple: make grains the base of your diet and choose whole grains over refined grains wherever possible. U.S Dietary Guidelines recommend eating 3 servings (48g) a day. So, whenever you look for breakfast cereals, bread, pasta, rice or flour to cook at home, look for the word “whole”, ideally among the first ingredients in the list.
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