My Health n Fitness

Recently we have been hearing about the numerous benefits of eating “whole grains”. Whole grains are loaded with vital nutrients and they are an important part of a healthy diet. But label confusion is high when it comes to grains. Many product labels lead the average consumer to believe that the products are whole grain, such as multi-grain, cracked wheat or unbleached wheat flour, yet many of these products are made with refined grains not whole grains. There is even a white bread out there now that is claiming to be whole grain. Heres a clue, if the product is really made of whole grains, its not “white” (that bread does have a small amount of whole grains but its main ingredient is enriched flour).
Whole grains are just what they say-the whole grain. It includes the entire grain package, which includes the starchy center, called the ‘endosperm’, the ‘germ’ (think wheat germ) which is loaded with nutrients and phytochemicals and the outer covering called the ‘bran’, which has alot of fiber. Whole grains are rich in fiber, vitamin E, magnesium and health-promoting phytonutrients such as lignans, flavonoids and more.
When looking for whole grains, read the label carefully. In order to be a good source of whole grains the first ingredient needs to start with the word “whole”. Anything that starts with the word “enriched” refers to a refined product. These products are enriched because the natural nutrients have been removed (the endosperm, the germ, the bran) and because the nutritive value is now gone, the products have been “enriched” with vitamins to make up for that (What comes from nature is always healthier than what comes from man).
Recently though the Whole Grains Council has come up with a solution to the labeling confusion. Many products will now sport a stamp that will indicate whether the product is a “good source” with at least one half of a serving of whole grains, or “excellent source” with a full serving or more, or the best of all “100 percent excellent source” which is reserved for products that contain only whole grains. Since whole grains are now showing up on everything from tortillas to pretzels, the stamps will simplify the task of choosing whole grain foods for our families to enjoy.