As the popularity of low-carb and gluten-free diets has soared, grains and foods made from grains have gotten a bad rap. Not all grain-based foods are equal. Whats important is knowing how to cut through the confusion and choose the grains that are best for you.
Many folks who are trying to eat healthfully believe they need to cut back on foods like bread, pasta, rice and tortillas. This is evident by the craze for trendy food products like cauliflower pizza crust, zucchini noodles and vegetable rice. Luckily, we dont have to swap out all of our grains for vegetables to be healthy.
Choosing whole grains instead of refined processed grains more often will help improve the overall quality of your eating plan. When we consume whole grains we are getting all parts of the grain including the bran, germ and endosperm. Flour used to make foods like white pasta and bread go through a refining process, which removes the bran and germ, stripping the flour of essential nutrients and fiber.
In fact, over 40 percent of Americans daily calories come from low-quality carbohydrates. Having the ability to easily decipher healthier whole grain products can help us benefit from more nutritious energy sources.
Whole grains contain fiber, B vitamins, iron, selenium and potassium among other nutrients. Beta glucan is a form of soluble dietary fiber found in oats, wheat and barley thats highly linked to improved cholesterol levels and heart health. Most people can benefit from eating whole grains. Those who must avoid gluten can choose gluten-free whole grains like quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice, millet and amaranth.
So how do we choose foods that contain whole grains? A recent study published in Public Health Nutrition found that consumers have difficulty using whole grains labels and Nutrition Facts labels to identify healthier whole-grain options. In fact, food manufacturers use marketing terms like multigrain, honey wheat and contains whole grains that can be misleading and even deceptive. These labels can make grain foods appear more nutritious than they truly are.
Choose 100% Whole Grains
If a product is labeled 100% whole grain on the front of the package, you can count on it being a whole grain food and, thus, a good choice. Many other terms are used on food packaging to describe grains that do not include the word whole such as wheat, seven-grain and sprouted grain. These terms often make the item sound healthy without offering a whole-grain product.
Look at the Ingredients List
A product that is labeled made with whole grains may contain a refined processed flour as the primary ingredient, therefore the whole grain ingredient would not be significant enough to boost the nutritional value of the product. Check out the ingredients list and look for a whole grain like whole wheat, whole oats or brown rice as the first ingredient. Beware of products that list enriched wheat flour as one of the top three ingredients as this is another term for refined, processed white flour.
Seek Out Fiber on the Nutrition Facts Label
In addition to the front of package labels and the ingredients list, the nutrition facts label on food packaging is another tool to help choose better grain products. Fiber content is a required line item on the nutrition facts food label and can be an indicator of whole grains. While whole grains contain fiber, processed and refined grains are typically not a good source of fiber. Choosing foods made with whole-grain flour can help you meet your daily fiber needs of 25 to 30 grams.
Look for products that are a good fiber source with 3 grams of fiber per serving. Products that are excellent sources of fiber contain 5 grams of fiber or more per serving. Breads, pastas, cereals, tortillas and other grain-based foods that contain less than 3 grams of fiber per serving are likely not whole grain products.
LeeAnn Weintraub, MPH, RD is a registered dietitian, providingnutritioncounseling and consulting to individuals, families and organizations. She can be reached by email atRD@halfacup.com.
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Why choosing whole grains instead of processed ones can make a big difference in your diet - LA Daily News
