| Nutrition for Families on the Go |
Whole grain, why nothing else will do
by Wendy Composto, RD
by Wendy Composto, RD
You may have noticed a burst of familiar products at the grocery store coming out with “whole grain” versions. What is the big deal with
whole grains? They are good for you! The health benefits of consuming “whole grains” are: a decrease risk of obesity, heart disease,
cancer, diabetes and stroke.
The definition of a “whole grain” product is: Whole grains or foods made from them contain all the essential parts and naturally
occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed. If the grain has been processed (e.g., cracked, crushed, rolled, extruded, and/or cooked),
the food product should deliver approximately the same rich balance of nutrients that are found in the original grain seed. The following is
a list of grains most commonly consumed: wheat, corn, rice, oats, barley, quinoa, sorghum, spelt and rye.
What to look for on the nutrition label when buying whole grains are the words whole grain (and name of grain) or whole wheat or brown
rice or oats or oatmeal. What to watch out for is, wheat flour, organic flour, semolina, durum wheat or multigrain.
The Whole Grains Council has some great ideas for adding whole grains to your diet here are a few:
Wendy Composto is a Registered Dietitian with a degree in Nutrition from the University of Minnesota. She has experience as a clinical
dietitian and has been a stay-at-home mom for the past 7 years.
whole grains? They are good for you! The health benefits of consuming “whole grains” are: a decrease risk of obesity, heart disease,
cancer, diabetes and stroke.
The definition of a “whole grain” product is: Whole grains or foods made from them contain all the essential parts and naturally
occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed. If the grain has been processed (e.g., cracked, crushed, rolled, extruded, and/or cooked),
the food product should deliver approximately the same rich balance of nutrients that are found in the original grain seed. The following is
a list of grains most commonly consumed: wheat, corn, rice, oats, barley, quinoa, sorghum, spelt and rye.
What to look for on the nutrition label when buying whole grains are the words whole grain (and name of grain) or whole wheat or brown
rice or oats or oatmeal. What to watch out for is, wheat flour, organic flour, semolina, durum wheat or multigrain.
The Whole Grains Council has some great ideas for adding whole grains to your diet here are a few:
- Substitute half the white flour with whole-wheat flour in your regular recipes for cookies, muffins, quick breads and pancakes. Or
be bold and add up to 20% of another whole grain flour such as sorghum. - Replace one third of the flour in a recipe with quick oats or old-fashioned oats.
- Add half a cup of cooked bulgur, wild rice, or barley to bread stuffing.
- Add half a cup of cooked wheat or rye berries, wild rice, brown rice, sorghum or barley to your favorite canned or homemade soup.
- Use whole corn meal for corn cakes, corn breads and corn muffins.
- Make risottos, pilafs and other rice-like dishes with whole grains such as barley, brown rice, bulgur, millet, quinoa or sorghum.
- Add three-quarters of a cup of uncooked oats for each pound of oatmeal when you make burgers or meatloaf.
- Enjoy whole grain salads like tabbouleh.
- Try whole grain breads. Kids especially like whole grain pita bread.
- Buy whole grain pasta, or one of the blends that’s part whole-grain, part white.
- Stir a handful of oats in your yogurt, for quick crunch with no cooking necessary.
- Look for cereals made with grains like kamut, kasha (buckwheat) or spelt.
Wendy Composto is a Registered Dietitian with a degree in Nutrition from the University of Minnesota. She has experience as a clinical
dietitian and has been a stay-at-home mom for the past 7 years.
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