Kasia the Expert

   Whole grains and fiber, seems like they go hand in hand - but are they interchangeable? Interestingly, benefits of whole grains go beyond fiber. Whole grains, when compared to refined grains, offer more vitamins, minerals and some hard-to-get nutrients such as magnesium and potassium, as well as, unique phytochemicals and antioxidants. In fact, the fiber content of different whole-grain foods can vary a lot -- between less than 2 grams all the way up to 12 grams--depending on the grain (based on a 100 gram data).

That said, fiber is a key component of whole grains. Fiber has all kinds of healthy benefits. It's great for digestive health and some types of fiber may even help with weight management. Regardless of the fantastic health benefits of fiber most Americans eat only about 15 grams of fiber a day but to make the most of fiber, women need about 25 grams and men need about 38 grams.

While many whole grains are an important source of fiber, to get the fiber you need, why not include it from various sources, including whole grains, fruits and vegetables. A good example would be to select a whole grain cereal topped with bananas and berries. Add a side of veggies, such as, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, sliced cucumbers, green peppers or snow pea pods to your favorite sandwich made with 100% whole wheat bread. For a snack, choose low-fat popcorn.

     By now, you've heard you should be eating more whole grains.  However, research shows that most Americans currently consume less than a single serving of whole grains per day.  Dietary Guidelines 2005 recommends three servings a day, which equates to 48 grams whole grain.  (For more info, please see previous blog entitled "Whole Grains, Where Art Thou?")  Oatmeal and popcorn are two common examples of whole grain foods.  But, here's where it gets even more interesting--whole grains don't just contain a fiber benefit--they are a bundle of nutrients, explains Joanne Slavin, a professor of nutrition specializing in whole grain foods at the University of Minnesota: "In addition to providing fiber, whole grains provide vitamins, minerals, literally hundreds of phytonutrients.  The individual components of whole grains have an additive and synergistic effect.  It's the combination and interaction between components that we believe provide the protection against disease."  With that said, still looking for pointers on incorporating more whole grains into your diet?  Here are some I've found to be useful:

• Overall, start by looking for products that state "contains whole grain" on the package, such as Healthy Choice meals and entrees, which contain up to 30 grams of whole grain per serving.
• Pop up some 94% Fat Free popcorn and enjoy one serving of whole grain in each three cup portion.
• Enjoy baked corn tortilla chips as a snack.
• Try substituting whole wheat flour for one-fourth to one-half of the enriched white flour called for in recipes. 

      When it comes to buying groceries, having choices is wonderful. However, being faced with many choices when pressed for time can be overwhelming. For me, this is particularly true when I look for cereals, breads or other foods made with whole grains. There are many phrases that describe products made with grains and reading them all to determine if they contain whole grain just takes too much time. Let me share my mental checklist I use to quickly determine if a food contains whole grain or not.

Stone Ground means the grain is coarsely ground between two slowly moving stones; it refers to a texture of a product rather than the presence of whole grain. I check the ingredient statement to look for whole grain ingredients, such as, whole cracked wheat.

Pumpernickel refers to a course, dark bread made wiht rye and wheat flours. It may not contain mostly whole grain flours. I check the label, including ingredient list to further clarify if there is whole grain in the product, such as, whole wheat flour.

100% Wheat means the product contains one type of grain - wheat, but not necessary whole wheat. I like to look for "100% Whole Wheat".

Multigrain, does not guarantee whole grain, for example, a combination of refined grains, such as, wheat flour and white rice can be referred to as multigrain because the product contains more than one kind of grain. Check the ingredient statement to see what grains make up multigrain and if they are whole. For example, look for whole wheat, rye, barley or oats.

Couscous is a pasta product, generally refined, although whole grain forms are available. Look for "whole grain couscous" in the ingredient statement.

While there might not be one universal way across all products to know if they contain whole grain, the first step is to look for "whole" in front of a grain description on the ingredient list of your favorite product.

Visit the other blogs about whole grains to learn and discover new ways to enjoy this nutritious ingredient!