You may have heard whole grains are good for you or make half of your grains whole grains but did anyone tell you why?
In commemoration of September being Whole grain awareness month I would gladly discuss this with you.
What is a whole grain ?
Yes it's true that it is recommended that half of your grains be whole grain. First,
let's first break it down. Grains are seeds of grass-like plants, rice, barley, wheat, oats, and corn are grains. What makes these grain whole is that it...has the WHOLE grain, I know jaw-dropping.
A whole grain has all three parts intact - the germ, endosperm, and bran. A whole grain contains all the nutrients found naturally in these foods. Once these grains are stripped away of the bran and germ and processed to make white flour, white rice, and white bread so are the nutrients. These refined products are enriched - meaning once they are processed and lose many of its vitamins and minerals, nutrients are added back into the food. Yet it does not amount up to the its original form.
To ensure you are actually and confidently, eating whole grains make sure to read the ingredients as the first ingredient as it should read whole grain (wheat, rye, etc.) NOT refined, unbleached. Don't be fooled by the packaging or the color and read the ingredients and look for the whole grain badge . Checkout this quick reel I made on how to decipher whole grain foods.
Whole grain nutrition
Whole grain foods are packed with fiber, protein, B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid), and minerals like selenium, iron, and magnesium. Basically whole grains are great for our metabolism, digestion, immune system, and heart health.
Additional benefits of adding whole grains to your diet is that they:
- provide you energy ⚡️
- regulate nervous system
- Reduce inflammation
Whole grain amount and options
The recommendation for the average person is about 6 ounces of grains a day. Therefore 3 ounces of whole grains a day is recommended to consume. The Myplate website breaks down the serving sizes for each whole grain beautifully. So remember it is recommended that ONLY half of your grains be whole grain, not all. Variety and your taste preference is essential to enjoying your food, so pick the whole grains you like or are willing to explore and rock with those.
Some examples of whole grains are:
- Oats - Corn - Quinoa
-Farro - Buckwheat - Brown rice
- Barley - Fonio - Sorghum
- Whole wheat flour (bread, crackers, tortilllas, bagel)
Ways I personally increase my whole grain intake is by having breakfast and snacks. I find breakfast tends to be easier to have whole grains from cereals, breads, pancakes, and waffles it's also nice to check it off early on in the day. Snacks are great way to have whole grains for a satisfying and nutritious snack like popcorn, whole wheat crackers, bars, or cereals. Also taking stock of how many whole grains you are eating, every so often is helpful.
I hope this encourages you to increase your whole grain intake and variety if you do not already. Comment below which whole grains you eat already. Make sure to share this with someone you care about!
More resources on whole grain:
