With so many products on the market, a trip to the grocery store can get confusing. Switching from white flours to whole grains is a commonly recommended move to a healthier diet, but it's hard to know what labels mean and which is the healthiest choice of all the options. Knowing the difference between whole grain wheat and multi-grain can make your decision easier.
Whole Wheat Flour
When wheat is described as "whole" wheat in an ingredient list, it means the entire grain kernel is used: the germ, the endosperm and the bran.
Multi-Grain Flour
Multi-grain flour is made of one or more grains, rather than just wheat. This could include wheat, barely, oats, cornmeal or any combination of cereal grains. Grains are either whole or refined. If a grain is refined it means that it has been milled, and therefore the bran and the germ have been removed. This is done to increase the shelf life of the grain and give the flour a smoother texture.
Benefits of Whole Grains
When a grain is refined it loses fiber, many B vitamins and iron. Whole grains provide many health benefits that refined grains do not. The fiber content of whole grains helps to provide regularity and lowers the risk of coronary heart disease. There also is evidence that eating at least 3 oz. of whole grains a day helps with maintaining a healthy weight and lowering the risk of several chronic diseases. As an example, a slice of whole wheat bread is equal to a 1 oz. serving of whole grains.
Whole Grain Sources
When trying to add whole grains to the diet, skip the marketing and go right to the ingredient list. Some readily available whole grains to try are whole wheat, whole grain corn, oatmeal, whole barely, whole oats, wild rice, brown rice, graham flour, whole rye and popcorn. One or more of these should be listed in the ingredient list, with the word "whole" included before the grain in the case of wheat, corn, barely oats and rye, in order for a food to be considered a source of whole grains. Switching pastas, breads and cereals to whole grain alternatives can be a good start.
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