The Whole Grains Council defines whole grain foods or foods made from whole grains as "the entire grain and all naturally occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed." By retaining all parts of the grain through processing, whole grains tend to be higher in fiber, vitamins and minerals than their refined counterparts. For this reason, the USDA recommends that at least half the grain-based foods people consume each day contain whole grains.
Whole Grains
Both whole and refined grains are excellent sources of carbohydrates. However, whole grains contain the bran, germ and endosperm and are bought in their complete seed form. Refined grain products only contain the endosperm, which provides carbohydrates, but lacks other nutrients and fiber. Examples of commonly consumed whole grains are brown rice, corn and barley. Lesser-known whole grains include amaranth, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, red rice, rye, triticale, sorghum, teff and wild rice. Although amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa are "pseudo-grains" because they are in a different botanical family than other grains, they have similar preparation, use and nutritional composition.
Processed Whole Grains
Processed whole grains have undergone some type of treatment, such as cracking, rolling or crushing, prior to purchase. As long as the entire grain seed is used, processed whole grains should provide similar nutritional benefits to other whole grains, says the Whole Grains Council. Cracked wheat or bulgur, rolled oats or oatmeal, popcorn, whole cornmeal, polenta and whole grain flours, such as whole wheat flour, are types of processed whole grains.
Foods Made With Whole Grains
Foods made with whole grains, such as bread, can be more challenging to identify than simply choosing the whole grains themselves. For example, a product labeled "made with whole grains" may actually only contain a small amount in the food product. The Mayo Clinic recommends checking the ingredient list to verify that the word "whole," as in "whole wheat flour" or "whole grains," appears among the first ingredients of the ingredient list. Choosing foods with at least 3 grams of fiber per serving also helps, although foods high in fiber are not necessarily made with whole grains. Examples of foods containing whole grains include muesli, whole-wheat bread, brown rice cakes and whole-wheat pasta.
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