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The Whole Truth about Whole Grains
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What you need to know to make whole grains a healthy part of your diet
By Hema Zbogar
Finding a grain of truth
Choosing whole grain products can be challenging for consumers. “Labels can be misleading”, says Frank. So she offers these label-reading tips for guidance:
• Whole grain foods have the word ‘whole’ or ‘whole grain’ followed by the name of the grain as one of the first ingredients, for example, ‘whole grain whole wheat flour’ or ‘whole rye.’
• Products that say ‘100% whole grains’ mean that they contain only whole grains, and no refined ones.
• A ‘good’ source of whole grain is defined as containing at least 8 grams of whole grain per serving; an ‘excellent’ source of whole grain contains at least 16 grams.
• Products labelled ‘multigrain’ may include different grains but not necessarily whole grains, and products ‘made with whole grains’ may really be refined grain with a little whole grain added.
• Whole grain foods aren’t necessarily high in fibre, since the fibre content of different whole grains varies. To be considered a ‘source’ of fibre, a food must contain 2 grams or more of fibre per serving. A ‘high-fibre’ food must contain 4 grams or more of fibre per serving.
• Eating whole grains and higher-fibre grain foods is a healthy move, but also scan the label to avoid excess fat, sodium, sugar, and calories.
It has become common knowledge lately that ‘whole grains’ are good for you. Many of us, though, find it challenging to eat enough of them to reap the health benefits. And part of it has to do with the fact that most of us don’t even know what whole grains are, what they do, or where to find them. Well, here’s what you need to know for starters.
Whole grains consist of all three parts of a grain, including the fibre-rich outer bran, the central endosperm, and the nutrient-packed inner germ. The outer bran and inner germ are removed from refined grains (i.e. white bread), leaving behind the less nutritious endosperm. Translation? Products that don’t include the whole grain have less nutritional value and health benefit than products that do. Whole grains include whole grain bread, whole oats/oatmeal, whole-grain corn, brown and wild rice, whole rye, whole-grain barley, bulgur, triticale, buckwheat, millet, popcorn and quinoa.
Benefits beyond fibre
So what are the health benefits that have made ‘whole grains’ such a nutritional buzz term? “The health benefits of whole grains come from the whole grain package, not just from the fibre or individual nutrients,” says Gina Sunderland, a registered dietitian in Winnipeg, Manitoba. “Whole grain foods contain naturally occurring antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, fibre and protein, making them a key component of a healthy diet.” And that’s why Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide now recommends that half of your grain products per day should be whole grains.
“Whole grains enhance the body’s natural line of defenses against certain diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and some cancers,” says Elizabeth Frank, a registered dietitian in Lunenberg, Nova Scotia. Here’s how:
Diabetes: Whole grains are digested less rapidly, which slows down insulin secretion, lowering the risk of diabetes. Fibre plays a role, but nutrients in whole grains, such as magnesium, may also matter. “Magnesium is thought to improve the sensitivity to insulin and helps to lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” explains Frank, “although more research is needed here.”
Heart disease: Whole grains are chock-full of antioxidants, which may slow the damage that oxygen wreaks on cholesterol by making it more likely to clog arteries and cause coronary heart disease. Whole grains, such as oats, have been shown to lower LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol.
Cancer: Studies have found that diets high in wheat bran or other sources of fibre may prevent colon cancer. Some evidence exists that the phytoestrogens and lignans in whole grains may also lower the risk of breast cancer.
Healthy gut: Bran plays a role in preventing constipation and diverticulosis (an inflammation of the large intestine), because its fibre increases bulking and reduces transit time and pressure in the colon.
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