What Does "Whole Grain" Really Mean?

By Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N.

WHAT'S THE SCOOP ON WHOLE GRAINS?

Research has suggested whole grains may help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and may also help with weight maintenance.

Whole grains and foods made from them consist of the entire grain seed, which is usually called the kernel. The kernel is made of three components - bran, germ and endosperm. If the kernel has been cracked, crushed or flaked in some way, it must retain most of the same properties of the three components in order for the grain to be called whole grain .

In the grain refining process, most of the bran and some of the germ has been removed. As a result, there is a loss of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, lignans, phytoestrogens, phenolic compounds and phytic acid. However, some manufacturers add bran to their grain products to increase the dietary content.

In most cases, refined grains are actually enriched with folic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and iron, but not extra fiber. Because most whole grains are naturally low in folic acid, some manufacturers now fortify their whole-grain products with folic acid. An adequate folic acid intake helps prevent birth defects such as neural tube defects. A number of whole-grain ready-to-eat breakfast cereals are also fortified with folic acid.

WHAT'S FIBER GOT TO DO WITH WHOLE GRAINS?

While refined flour does not contain fiber, a slice of most whole-wheat breads generally contains about two grams of fiber unless the manufacturer adds fiber. The National Academy of Sciences recommends a fiber intake of 25 grams per day for women under 50; 21 grams a day for women over 50; 38 grams per day for men under 50; and 30 grams per day for men over 50. Some of the newer multigrain breads currently on the market contain four to five grams of fiber per slice. However, these breads may have extra oat, wheat fiber, cottonseed or cellulose added to achieve a higher fiber content. If these foods are added to increase the fiber content, they may be effective for preventing diverticulosis and constipation, but they don't contain important nutrients and phytochemicals suggested as helpful in preventing heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Some manufacturers add nutrients such as vitamin D, calcium and folic acid to increase the nutrient content somewhat, but can enhance information on the bread wrapper so you will think you are getting a nutritional bargain.

MAKING THE SWITCH

Switching from enriched white flour products to eating whole grains may take a little time. In most cases, the texture of whole-grain bread is completely different from white bread. In fact, if you teach your children from the start to eat whole grains you won't have to persuade them later. My sons only wanted to eat white bread when they were growing up. However, as adults they have embraced eating whole grains. My daughter-in-law, Brandi, only buys whole-grain bread so their children have already learned to eat whole-grain foods. The whole-grain cereal choices were not a problem for my sons when they were growing up, however. They ate Cheerios, Wheaties, shredded wheat and oatmeal.

WHOLE-GRAIN SHOPPING LIST

Choosing whole-grain foods can be tricky because whole grains cannot be necessarily be identified by the color of the bread. Consumers must read the product ingredient label to determine if the food contains "whole wheat" or "whole grains." The whole grain should be the first ingredient listed. Some ingredients to look for include: whole wheat, whole barley, whole oats, cracked wheat, graham flour, and whole cornmeal. Wheat flour, enriched flour or degerminated cornmeal are not whole grains. In addition, looking at how many grams of fiber are in each serving is another way to determine if the product contains whole grains.

All whole-grain foods contain more fiber than a product which contains enriched flour (see Table 1. Whole Grains Available in the United States ). In fact, reading the ingredient list as well as the food label to determine how much fiber is in each slice may be the best way to determine which bread is the best to use. In addition, the name of the bread can be misleading. For example, Baker's Inn® Hearty Potato with Grain bread contains zero fiber - but it sounds like a good bread to eat.

The Food and Drug Administration requires foods with the whole-grain health claim on the package to contain at least 51 percent or more whole-grain ingredients by weight per reference amount, and they must also be low in saturated fat and trans fat.

ARE LIGHT AND LOWER-CARB BREADS A SMART WHOLE-GRAIN CHOICE?

Most light breads are lower in calories due to thinner slices and contain mostly white flour. The exception is Arnold (or Brownberry) Bakery Light 100% Whole-Wheat Bread which contains 40 calories and 3 grams of fiber per slice. In addition, some of the lower-carb breads contain fewer calories, but many actually contain more whole grains. For example, Home Pride Carb Action Wheat contains 60 calories per slice and 3 grams of fiber and Pepperidge Farm Carb Style 7 Grain contains 60 calories and 3 grams of fiber.

Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N., is the publisher and nutrition editor of KHF. She is the former sports nutrition consultant to the University of Louisville Athletic Department and the United States Navy SEALs. Barbara is also the author of Fast Facts on Fast Food For Fast People (ISBN 0-9631538-6-2) and High Energy Eating Sports Nutrition Workbook for Active People (ISBN 0-9631538-5-4). In addition, Barbara has a private practice specializing in sports nutrition, has a weekly health & fitness radio show on WKJK 1080 AM . Barbara serves on the board of the Louisville Youth Training Center/Heuser Clinic, Mission Me and the Mayor's Healthy Hometown Movement Advisory Committee. She is a member of Fit Louisville , PE4Life and Coalition for a Healthy and Active America . She is a runner, cyclist and hiker.