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Great Grains

They used to call it "roughage" but in today's vernacular, you will more often hear it referred to as "grains". (In between Grandma's time and today, we talked about fiber.) No matter what you call it, it is an important nutrient for good health.

There is a national movement underway to increase the amount of whole grains (as opposed to refined grains) in the daily diet. The food pyramid has always has always recommended eating large quantities of grains every day, but it did not specify the types of grains. Some nutrition experts speculate that as we looked to eat less fat and consume more grains, we may have unwittingly contributed to an increase in obesity in this country by choosing refined grains made with simple carbohydrates.

Whole grains are preferred because whole grains are broken down more slowly than refined grains; are generally associated with less "sugary" foods; are higher in fiber; and have other vitamins and minerals. (Sometimes these are replaced in the refining process, but the fiber in not.) Refined grains eliminate the nutrient-rich germ and leave the more starchy (less nutritious) part of the grain.

As the whole grain movement has progressed, food manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon to push their products. Words will be used that imply a nutrition promise. But be wary and wise: If cereal X (we'll call it Happy Clovers), marketed to kids changes its changes its recipe to include whole grains, does this make it a healthy breakfast choice, simply by the addition of whole grains? The answer: it may be better than before, but that does not mean that it is a good choice. Cereal makers are marketing their "not so great" food products with the "whole grain" proclamation proudly displayed. Cookies-makers, bread-bakers and other food manufacturers have followed closely behind! Just like the "carb craze" and the "low fat frenzy", you have seen similar trends with whole grains.

Educate yourself about whole grains. You can't always tell by looking at the nutrition label. You need to use the list of ingredients. You want to choose products that list a whole grain as the first ingredient. Don't be fooled by the products packaging. For example, "multigrain" has very little meaning, and certainly does not mean "whole grain." Furthermore, a food need only be 51 % whole grain by weight of the food to be allowed to legally make a nutrition claim. You do not eat by weight of a food product. You eat by nutritional content of a food.

Ingredient labeling that indicates whole grains are: Brown rice, Barley, Millet, Buckwheat, Sorghum, Popcorn, Graham flour, Quinoa, Triticale, Cracked wheat (also called bulgur), Whole or whole-grain barley, Whole cornmeal, Whole-grain corn, Whole oats/oatmeal, Whole rye, Whole wheat, Whole grains, and Wild rice.

Term in the Middle of the Road (These do not have as much fiber as those listed above.): Enriched wheat, Bran, Unbromated wheat, Unbleached wheat, Stoneground wheat.

Some Misleading terms (not whole grains): Wheat flour, Enriched flour, degerminated cornmeal (or cornmeal), Multigrain, Wheat berry, Hearty wheat, Nutri-grain, Honey wheat. (It is hard to keep up with all the variations used!)

It is good idea to try to increase whole grains in the diet. But that doesn't mean that every grain you eat needs to be a whole grain. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (over age 2) recommend that half of your daily grains should come from whole grains. Some enriched grains provided nutrients that are not as easily obtained from whole grains. So a combination is acceptable for healthy eating.

For free written information on grains and fiber, District residents (Hamden, North Haven and Woodbridge) can call QVHD, 203.248.4528. Or you can request information online or through email, dculligan@qvhd.org

Quinnipiack Valley Health District
1151 Hartford Turnpike
North Haven, CT 06473

Phone. (203)248-4528
Fax. (203)248-6671
E-Mail. info@qvhd.org