Why Whole Grains Will Change Your Life

What Are Whole Grains?

WHOLE GRAINS are food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or cereal grain, that contain the entire grain kernel. 

REFINED GRAINS are food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or cereal grain, that have been milled, a process that removes parts of the grain.

When grains are refined they lose beneficial nutrients
​like dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins

Most refined grains enriched, meaning some vitamins are added back in.  
Dietary fiber does not usually get added back. 

Dietary fiber from whole grains can....

• Help reduce blood cholesterol levels
• Lower risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes
• Help proper bowel function
• Reduce constipation and diverticulitis
• Help regulate blood sugar levels

Fiber packed foods make you feel of fuller longer 
with fewer calories

Shopping For Whole Grains

Whole grains:
Brown rice
Buckwheat
Millet
Oatmeal
Quinoa
Rolled Oats
Whole-grain/ hulled barley
Whole-grain corn
Whole Oats
Whole Rye
Whole wheat
Farro
​Kamut

• Use the nutrition facts label, and choose whole-grain products with a higher % Daily Value for fiber (%DV)
• Choose foods that name whole-grain ingredients first on the ingredient list
• If you see the words "multi-grain," "stone-ground," "100% wheat," "cracked wheat," "seven-grain," or "bran" they are usually not whole-grain products!
• Brown does not mean it is a whole grain​​. Some brown breads have molasses or other coloring in them to look like whole wheat.  Read the ingredient list to see if it is a whole grain.  

Making The Switch to Whole Grain

Making whole grains part of your diet should be a switch, not an addition. You should try to replace refined grains with whole grains, instead of simply adding whole grains.

• Whole grain bread instead of white bread
• Brown rice instead of white rice
• Whole grain pasta instead of plain pasta

If you don't like it at first, try a half & half mix:

• Half brown rice, half white rice
• Half whole grain pasta, half plain pasta

​Did You Know?

At least half of all the grains you eat should be whole grains.

Quick Tip: You can use rolled oats or a crushed, unsweetened whole grain cereal as breading for baked chicken or fish!

---

---

Try These Whole Grain Recipes

Simple Italian Pasta

Whole Grain Strawberry Pancakes

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal

Spanish Rice

Healthy Vegetable Fried Quinoa

Colorful Farro Salad