Recently the media has been making a big fuss over getting more whole grains into the diets of Americans. Commercials featuring foods made with whole grains boast that they make people healthier, but what do whole grains actually do for the body? And how much is needed?
The first essential question is: What makes whole grains different? Let’s compare whole grain bread to white bread. According to ScienceDaily.com, whole grain bread contains all the parts of the grain used to make bread: the bran, germ, and endosperm. The bran and germ are parts of the grain that contain the most beneficial parts for people, including vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats. In contrast, white bread goes through a refining process which takes out the bran and germ, leaving behind only the starchy endosperm.
Consuming more whole grains has resulted in health benefits. According to HealthCastle.com, whole grains reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Due to their antioxidants whole grain also reduces the risk of cancer. Television ads push the weight benefits of whole grains, and according to HealthCastle.com, people who eat more whole grains really do have a healthier weight than people who eat less whole grains.
After considering the health benefits of whole grains, what types of foods are considered worthy of the label “whole grain?” The Whole Grain Council says that if you see the words “whole grain,” “whole wheat,” “stoneground whole grain,” “brown rice,” “oatmeal,” or “wheatberries” on packages of food then they contains the benefits of whole grain. Some examples of foods that contain whole grains are cereals, pasta, and sandwich breads.
The Whole Grain Council has also created the Whole Grain Stamp. This is a yellow stamp on approved foods that makes it easier for consumers to spot whole grain products. There are two kinds of stamps: The Basic Stamp and the 100% Stamp. The Basic Stamp contains eight grams of whole grains, half the suggested serving, and the 100% Stamp contains 16 grams, or a whole serving, of whole grains.
The 2010 U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that Americans eat at least three servings of whole grains every day. While incorporating 48 grams of whole grains into a healthy diet seems like a difficult task, it can be as simple as checking the labels of food products for whole grain ingredients or stamps of approval. As mentioned above, many cereals contain whole grain, so you can incorporate your first serving into every morning. Snack on whole grain crackers during the day and try to encourage your parents to buy pastas made with whole grain as well as sandwich breads for school lunches. Who wouldn’t want to make their diet more wholesome with whole grain when it can be so easy?
Stephanie Meadowcroft is a Lifestyle Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.