{"id":4,"date":"2013-01-01T12:42:43","date_gmt":"2013-01-01T20:42:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/moore\/?p=4"},"modified":"2024-04-12T11:53:01","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T18:53:01","slug":"whole-grains-the-whole-package","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/moore\/whole-grains-the-whole-package\/","title":{"rendered":"Whole Grains: The Whole Package"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whole grains are the only way to go. They are, well, good for you. Maybe, you have heard that processed grains are unhealthy and should be banned. That sounds right\u2026 Or does it??<\/p>\n

Well, there is much more to the story, and I will tell that story here. At the risk of losing all credibility, I will venture to say that processed grains <\/em>are good<\/em>. Yes, I know that sounds a bit blasphemous, but you can\u2019t go away now. Please, I beg of you, don\u2019t leave yet. Hear me out.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A Grain is\u2026<\/h3>\n

It all starts with the little grain. What is a grain anyway? If you ask Merriam-Webster<\/a> they will tell you that it is \u201ca seed or fruit of a cereal grass.\u201d1<\/sup> Great. We have a definition. But that didn\u2019t really clarify anything, did it? Hmmm, to simplify it further, a grain is a plant\u2019s seed that we eat. Some examples are wheat, rice, corn, rye, barley, sorghum, millet, amaranth, quinoa, and buckwheat. Ok, now it is clear-er what a grain is, but what is a whole grain?<\/p>\n

What is a whole grain?<\/h3>\n

\"grainTo talk about a whole grain, you must first understand the not-so-mystifying anatomy of a grain. Refer to this picture as I continue. The outermost portion is called the bran. The bran layer contains fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins.2<\/sup> Then you have the germ that contains fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals.2<\/sup> And finally you have the endosperm \u2013 which is what makes up regular flour \u2013 that contains carbohydrate, protein, vitamins, and minerals.2<\/sup><\/p>\n

A \u201cwhole grain<\/em><\/strong>\u201d is a grain that still has all of its parts, in the original proportions<\/em> that you find in nature. A whole grain can be processed<\/em> in different ways, and still remain a whole grain. Whole, cracked, split, flaked, and ground are some words that manufacturers use to describe this processing.<\/p>\n

Processing is good!<\/h3>\n

Processing grains can make them easier to cook \u2013 think whole oat groats versus rolled oats. It can make them easier to eat and digest. And it allows you to use them in more ways \u2013 could you imagine making a pie crust out of whole wheat berries instead of flour? Go ahead and give it a try, then get back to me on that. <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cProcess\u201d vs. \u201cRefine\u201d<\/h3>\n

Processing is good, so why does it have such a bad reputation? When people hear the word \u201cprocessing\u201d they are probably thinking of what is actually referred to as refining.<\/em> This is when the whole grain is broken up and the bran and germ portions are stripped away.3<\/sup> The result is your run-of- the-mill, (pun intended), flour. You lose some important nutrients like fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants when this happens.<\/p>\n

Identifying whole grains<\/h3>\n

So how do you know if a product contains whole grain? Can\u2019t you tell by looking at the fiber on the label? No. Fiber can be added to products, so high fiber does not equal whole grain. And keep in mind that fiber from natural sources, such as a whole grain, is probably better for you than a boat-load of added isolated (or \u201cfree-standing\u201d ) fiber ingredients. Remember, whole grains offer vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants along with their fiber.<\/p>\n

To identify whole grains look carefully for one of these things:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Look at the ingredients<\/em> list on the package. If you see any of these terms listed, you know that the listed grain is whole grain: Whole grain_(grain name)<\/span>_, whole wheat, whole_(grain name)<\/span>_, stone-ground whole_(grain name)<\/span>_, brown rice, oats, oatmeal (including instant oatmeal), wheat berries. 2<\/sup><\/li>\n
  2. Manufacturers may print on the package \u201c100% whole _(grain name)<\/span>_\u201d or the number of grams of whole grains that the product contains. 2<\/sup><\/li>\n
  3. \"wholeA package may contain one of these Whole Grain Stamp labels from the Whole Grains Council, indicating how much whole grain is in the product.2<\/sup> Read these stamps carefully<\/em> to find out how much whole grain is in each serving. As you see, there is more than one version of this label, and each version tells you something different!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Quiz time! <\/strong><\/h3>\n

    If you are looking for a whole-grain loaf of bread, which of these do you choose? <\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Dave\u2019s Killer Bread\u2019s \u201c21 Whole Grains\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n