We all try to provide our children with nutritionally sound food choices.  When making choices, one of the first ideas that comes to mind is switching from white bread to whole wheat bread. But when you get in front of the bread aisle, there are so many choices. What's the best choice?

So here is a lesson...

What is whole grain?

According to the Whole Grains Council, a whole grain food must contain all three original parts of the kernel, and the naturally-occurring nutrients within those parts, even after the whole grain has been harvested and processed. The three essential components of a whole grain kernel are the bran, germ and endosperm.

The bran is the tough outer layer that protects the whole grain kernel from disease, chemicals and insects. It contains a number of B vitamins, antioxidants and fiber, which is highly sought after because it helps with digestion.

The germ contains B vitamins, protein, minerals and healthy fats.

The endosperm is the largest part of the whole grain kernel and works as a food store, providing the kernel food and water.

This all sounds good BUT...

Many grains go though a refining process that strips the whole grain of the bran and the germ, leaving only the endosperm. Many food manufacturers add vitamins and minerals and label it “enriched.” They claim their products contain whole grain even though all the good stuff has been eliminated

How do you know if something is truly whole grain?

As adults, we must learn how to read food labels. Here is the simple fact you need to know:

The first ingredient listed must use the word “whole” – whole grain, whole wheat, stone-ground whole, whole oats, etc.

Unless the word “whole” appears in the first ingredient, it’s not a true whole grain product. so the following items, that all sound healthy are not  whole grain products:

• Multigrain
• Stone-ground wheat
• 100 percent wheat
• Cracked what
• Seven-grain
• Bran

So read the label and get the WHOLE truth from manufacturers.

 

Read the original on: Time for Dinner