Mette Kristensen, PhD from the University of Copenhagen explained that one of the main reasons for all the confusion is that there are huge discrepancies between different countries on what actually counts as a whole grain, and how much we should eat each day.
What makes a grain whole?
According to Institute of Grocery Distribution, a whole grain must include the entire germ, endosperm and bran of the grain- that’s where a lot of the nutrients are and why whole grains are better for us than more processed grains which remove some of these parts. Whole grains can be ground, cracked or flaked providing all three elements remain, although some researchers think that larger in tact grains which may provide greater benefits than those which have been ground.
So, what’s so good about whole grains?
Studies have shown that there’s a significant correlation between the whole grain and weight loss Analysis of 15 trails looking at over 120,000 people found that people who include 3 servings of whole grains per day are more likely to have a lower BMI than those who don’t.
Risk of gastrointestinal cancer is reduced by as much 43% in a person who incorporates whole grain into their daily diet.
People who eat whole grains regularly have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. The fibre found in whole grains also helps to lower homocysteine levels in the body, which is a known link to stroke.
Several population studies have shown that people with a high intake of whole grains are less likely to develop Type II Diabetes.
How much whole grain should we eat?
The UK has no official recommendation regarding the daily values for fibre and whole grain - we simply say, ‘choose whole grain first’. Sue Baic, senior lecturer in Nutrition & Public Health at the University of Bristol, explained this doesn’t help consumers who need to know how much and how often! Sue explained that globally, experts recommend 3 servings of wholegrain foods each day (each serving should give you about 16g of whole grain). Most people in the UK don’t eat any where near this much whole grain so Sue went on the explain how to find wholegrain foods in the supermarket- and how to incorporate more of them into our diets.
When in the supermarket, look for the word ‘whole’ in the name – not just ‘brown’ or ‘wheat’. Also check the nutritional values – the product should have a minimum of 8g of whole grain per serving.
In the UK whole grains include:
Amaranth
Barley
Buckwheat
Maize
Millet
Oats
Quinoa
Rye
Sorghum
Teff
Trticale
Brown and wild ice
Whole wheat and foods made from whole wheat- cereals, breads pasta and crackers
What is not a whole grain?
Pure bran
Pearl barley
Tortilla Chips
Crackers
Seeded Bagels
Cereal bar
Multi-grain bread
Multi-seeded
Wheat germ
Wheat flour
Easy serving Guides to Whole grains:
1 serving:
-1 medium slice of whole meal granary/rye bread
-1 small whole grain bagel
-3 tablespoons whole grain pasta, cooked
-2 tablespoons Brown or wild rice
-Wholegrain breakfast cereal (Branflakes, Cheerios, wholegrain muesli, granola, Fruit & Fibre)
2 servings:
-1 bowl porridge oats
-1 bowl Shreddies
-2 whole wheat biscuits
3 servings:
-2 shredded wheat biscuits
Tips for incorporating Whole Grain into your diet….
1. Substitute ‘whole’ for ‘white’ or ‘brown’ when looking at labels in the supermarket.
2. Start your day off right with a whole grain breakfast – it sets the rest of your day up for healthy choices. Also, don’t skip breakfast!
3. Choose whole grains as a snack during work or a busy day oat cakes, rye crackers and whole grain cereal with low fat milk are all good choices..
4. Replace white flour with whole grain flour in puddings or cakes
5. Add some graound up whole grain cereal to home made smoothies.
6. Whole grain couscous is a great alternative to white rice- try it for a change.
7. Choose products which contain some whole grain like best of both bread or half and half pasta.
8. Use wholegrain breadcrumbs and crushed cereals for coatings to fish cakes or home made chicken nuggets.
9. Try some new whole grain recipes
What about whole grains and children’s diets?
Traditionally we don’t recommend very high fibre diets for young children because they can difficult to digest and fill children up so they struggle to eat other nutrient rich foods. However with whole grains there’s so much more than just fibre so experts around the work are suggesting that children should include some whole grain in their diet. Perhaps mixing different types of breads and cereals throughout the day. A few countries like Singapore are introducing Public health Messages about how much whole grain children should be eating but here in the UK we don’t have such messages. We asked the experts at the meeting and the general consensus was that children should have some whole grains and the sooner after 1 year they start having them, the easier it is to continue their whole grain intake as they get older.
The Grub4life early years nutrition policy recommends nurseries and children’s centres serve a range of breads and cereals- including some whole grain varieties.
