Nutrients

Grains are important sources of many nutrients, including dietary fiber, several B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate), and minerals (iron, magnesium, and selenium). Dietary fiber from whole grains or other foods, may help reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Fiber is important for proper bowel function. It helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Fiber-containing foods such as whole grains help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories.



The B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin play a key role in metabolism they help the body release energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrates. B vitamins are also essential for a healthy nervous system. Many refined grains are enriched with these B vitamins.

Folate (folic acid), another B vitamin, helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant should consume adequate folate from foods, and in addition 400 mcg of synthetic folic acid from fortified foods or supplements. This reduces the risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida, and anencephaly during fetal development.

Iron is used to carry oxygen in the blood. Many teenage girls and women in their childbearing years have iron-deficiency anemia. They should eat foods high in heme-iron (meats) or eat other iron containing foods along with foods rich in vitamin C, which can improve absorption of non-heme iron. Whole and enriched refined grain products are major sources of non-heme iron in American diets.

Whole grains are sources of magnesium and selenium. Magnesium is a mineral used in building bones and releasing energy from muscles. Selenium protects cells from oxidation. It is also important for a healthy immune system.

Health benefits

 

Consuming whole grains as part of a healthy diet may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Consuming whole grain foods that contain fiber, as part of an overall healthy diet, can support healthy digestion.
Eating whole grains, as part of an overall healthy diet, may help with weight management.
Eating grain products fortified with folate helps prevent neural tube defects when consumed as part of an overall healthy diet before and during pregnancy.

Tips for Reaping the Benefits of Whole Grains

Eating more whole grains is an easy way to make your diet healthier. Whole grains are packed with nutrients including protein, fiber, B vitamins, antioxidants, and trace minerals (iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium). A diet rich in whole grains has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some forms of cancer. Whole-grain diets can also improve bowel health by helping to maintain regular bowel movements and promote growth of healthy bacteria in the colon.

Yet the average American eats less than one serving per day, and over 40% never eat whole grains at all. Young adults get less than one serving daily.

Why? For one thing, it's not always easy to tell just which foods are whole-grain. Scan the bread, cereal or snack packaging, and virtually every one promotes its whole-grain goodness. But not all of them actually are whole-grain. Terms like "multigrain," "100% wheat," "cracked wheat," "organic," "pumpernickel," "bran," and "stone ground" may sound healthy, but none actually indicates the product is whole-grain.

Also, many people have the perception that whole grains just don't taste good, or that it's difficult to work them into their daily diets.

To help you start reaping the benefits of a diet rich in whole grains, WebMD got the facts on how to tell which foods are made of whole grains, along with suggestions on how to fit the recommended servings into your healthy eating plan.

Know Your Whole Grains

 

A whole grain contains all edible parts of the grain, including the bran, germ, and endosperm. The whole grain may be used intact or recombined, as long as all components are present in natural proportions. To recognize whole grains, keep this list handy when you go to the supermarket and choose any of the following grains:

Whole-grain corn
Whole oats/oatmeal
Popcorn
Brown rice
Whole rye
Whole-grain barley
Wild rice
Buckwheat
Triticale
Bulgur (cracked wheat)
Millet
Quinoa
Sorghum
100% whole wheat flour

But what about when you're buying processed products, such as a loaf of bread? You probably know to avoid products made of "refined" wheat. But did you know that some manufacturers strip the outer layer of bran off the whole kernel of wheat, use the refined wheat flour, add in molasses to color it brown, and call it '100% wheat' bread? That's true -- but it is not a whole grain.

That's why it's important to check the ingredients list for the word "whole" preceding the grain (such as "whole wheat flour"). Ideally, the whole grain will be the first ingredient in the list, indicating that the product contains more whole grain than any other ingredient by weight.

The amount of grains you need daily varies based on your age, sex, and physical activity level, but to keep it simple, the 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines say whole grains should make up half of your grain intake.

More Whole-Grain Products

The good news is that whole grains are not necessarily brown, or multigrain, or only found in adult cereals. You can find them throughout the food supply, including many processed foods.

Recently, there has been an increase in whole-grain options in products ranging from pastas to most cereals. Even many restaurants now offer brown rice and other whole-grain options.

For whole-grain nutrition without the "grainy" taste, there are newly reformulated products that use lighter whole wheats and new processing techniques to make them look and taste more like white flour.

These "white whole-grain" products are a great way to transition into eating more whole grains, particularly if your children are turning their noses up at them or will only eat white bread.

Whole Grains and Fiber

Whole grains can be an excellent source of fiber. But not all whole grains are good sources of fiber. Whole wheat contains among the highest amount of fiber of the whole grains. Brown rice contains the least. For most people, whole grains are their diet's best source of fiber.

Most whole-grain sources yield from 1 to 4 g of fiber per serving, comparable to fruit and vegetables, and just the right amount when spread throughout the day.

Can fiber supplements give you the same benefit? While you get plenty of fiber from these supplements, you'll miss out on all the other nutritional benefits of whole grains.

However, if you know you're not getting at least 25 g of fiber per day, fiber supplements are a great way to help you get there. Women need 25 g per day, while men should get about 38 g per day.

8 Easy Ways to Get More Whole Grains Into Your Diet

Learning to enjoy whole grains is simply a matter of retraining your taste buds to become familiar with the fuller, nuttier flavor of the grain, experts say. Whole grains taste and feel different to the mouth, and therefore it takes time to adjust to these new grains.

Here are eight easy ways to work more whole grains into your daily diet:
Choose whole-grain breads, cereals, bagels, and crackers. Enjoy a sandwich at lunch with two slices of whole meal, granary, wheat germ, multigrain, seeded or mixed grain bread; or a whole wheat pita or wrap, and you're two-thirds of the way towards meeting your goal.

Eat popcorn. What could be easier than eating air-popped or low-fat popcorn as a snack? Just don't choose pre-popped corn smothered in fat, sugar or salt.

Make your snacks whole grain. Snacks account for one-third of whole-grain consumption -- just make sure you choose the right ones. Try rye crackers, whole-grain rice cakes, and oatcakes. Check the label, because even though it is made with a whole grain, it could still be high in fat, calories, and sodium.


Start your day with a bowl of whole-grain cereal. But bear in mind that even when a product is made from whole grain, it's not necessarily healthy. Read the label and select cereal based on the whole-grain and fiber content -- and remember, the less sugar, the better.

Add whole grains to your cakes, pastries and pies. Dietitian Elaine Magee likes to blend half whole-meal flour with all-purpose flour to boost the whole-grain content of her baking. Another baking option to boost whole grains is to replace one-third of the flour with whole-grain oats.

Choose brown rice and whole wheat or blended pasta. Cook a batch of brown rice and freeze in portions or keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. When time is an issue, there are great ready-to-use brown rice products. Try whole-grain pasta or blended pastas made with a mix of whole and refined grains. Don't be put off by the dark color of whole-grain pasta. It becomes much lighter when it is cooked.

Experiment with different grains. Try your hand at some of the less familiar whole grains available. Try risottos, pilafs, whole-grain salads, and other grain dishes made with barley, brown rice, millet, quinoa, or sorghum, Magee suggests. Add barley to canned soup, and then boil to cook the barley. Stir oats into yogurt for crunch and added nutrition. Make a whole-grain medley with quinoa and sauted vegetables for a nutritious side dish.

Help your children eat healthfully: Start off young children with a diet of whole grains. For older children, try the white whole wheat flour, and incorporate whole grains into foods that have other flavors: burgers with whole-grain buns, brown rice medley with vegetables, soups, and whole wheat pitas as crusts for make-your-own individual pizzas.

18 Health Benefits Of Whole Grains

Some popular diet books say you should ditch wheat or gluten to shed pounds. But the USDA recommends eating grains daily, and at least half of those should be whole grains. Unless you have celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity or another reason to cut back, you don't want to miss out on the health benefits of whole grains. "You're getting fiber, a healthy plant-based protein, vitamins, minerals and a variety of phytochemicals that will improve your health," says Lilian Cheung, DSc, RD, a lecturer in nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Whole grains have all of the parts of the original kernel -- bran, germ and endosperm -- in the original proportions, explains Keri Gans, a registered dietician in New York City. In refined grains, the bran and germ are stripped away. (Look for the word "whole" -- either whole grain or whole wheat.) Also make sure the grain is one of the first three ingredients listed on the label, advises Wesley Delbridge, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. A "whole grain" stamp from the Whole Grains Council indicates there's at least half a serving of whole grain inside. And don't be fooled by bread that looks healthy because it's brown. It may just be colored with molasses or brown sugar.

1. Whole grains can contain a lot of fiber

Fiber is one big reason to eat whole grains. Adults need about 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily, and whole grains contain two types -- soluble and insoluble -- which are both beneficial to your health. You'll get 5.8 grams of fiber in two slices of dark rye bread, but only 1.9 grams from the same amount of white bread. And you'll get 5.5 grams of fiber per 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice compared with 2 grams in uncooked white rice (which is not a whole grain), and only 0.7 in a serving of instant rice. Because it digests slowly, fiber also helps you feel fuller longer. And fiber's health benefits are well known -- it can help control blood sugar, lower LDL or "bad" cholesterol and reduce colon cancer risk. Not all whole grains are high in fiber, though. Focus on oats, barley and bulgur, says Delbridge.

2. They help digestion.

Whole grains have other digestive benefits as well. The fiber content keeps bowel movements regular (studies have shown that people who eat more fiber need fewer laxatives). And they help ward off diverticulosis, the condition in which little pouches form in the colon wall, causing inflammation, constipation, diarrhea and pain. Fiber is responsible for much of the benefit, but whole grains also contain lactic acid, which promotes "good bacteria" in the large intestine. These organisms aid digestion, promote better nutrition absorption, and may even beef up the body's immune system.

3. They can help lower cholesterol.

Whole grains not only help prevent your body from absorbing "bad" cholesterol, they may also lower triglycerides, both of which are major contributors to heart disease. In fact, whole grains lower the risk of heart disease overall. One study found that women who ate two to three servings of whole grain products daily were 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack or die from heart disease compared with women who ate less than one serving a week. "Any form of whole grain -- including whole wheat, oats, brown rice, barley, corn, quinoa, rye, buckwheat and millet -- will confer benefits for heart health," says Cheung. "When it comes to oatmeal, steel-cut is better than instant."

4. They lower blood pressure.

The heart benefits of whole grains don't stop with cholesterol and triglycerides. They also lower blood pressure, one of the most important risk factors for heart disease. One study found a 19 percent lower risk of hypertension among men who ate more than seven servings of whole grain breakfast cereal a week compared with those who ate one or less. A study of women also found a benefit. "Eating whole grains instead of refined grains substantially lowers blood cholesterol ... triglycerides, blood pressure and insulin levels," says Cheung. "Any of these changes would be expected to reduce the risk of heart disease."

5. They can help control weight.

feet on scale People who eat a lot of whole grains are more likely to keep their weight in check and less likely to gain weight over time than those who eat refined grains. In one study, women who consumed the most wheat germ, brown rice, dark bread, popcorn and other whole grains had a 49 percent lower risk of "major weight gain" over time compared with women who favored doughnuts and white bread. Over the span of 12 years, middle-aged men and women who ate a diet high in fiber gained 3.35 pounds less than those with who went for refined products.

6. They redistribute fat.

Even if eating whole grains doesn't actually make you lose weight, studies have shown that it can help you cut down on the amount of body fat you have and lead to a healthier distribution of that fat. Specifically, eating whole grains can leave you with less belly fat -- what scientists kindly call "central adiposity" -- which increases your risk of diabetes and other health woes.

7. They make you feel full.

One way whole grains may help you control your weight is by making you feel fuller than refined grains such as cookies or white bread. "Whole grains take longer to digest and have a more satiating effect," says Gans, who is also author of The Small Change Diet. This could also help keep your portions under control. Try rye or protein-packed quinoa to get maximum fullness.

8. They help regulate blood sugar.

One of the main benefits of whole grains is that compared to refined grains, they help keep your blood glucose from spiking, which can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, among other things. Women in one study who ate two to three servings of whole grains a day had a 30 percent lower risk of diabetes than women who ate little or no whole grain products.

One analysis found a 32 percent lower risk of diabetes in people who ate three or more servings a day of whole grains versus a 5 percent risk reduction in those who ate refined grains. Something as simple as swapping one third of a serving of cooked white rice a day (about two ounces) for brown rice was associated with a 16 percent decline in type 2 diabetes risk. "Eating whole grains has been proven to have a protective effect against type 2 diabetes, so they are a smart choice for people with pre-diabetes or high risk of diabetes," says Cheung.

9. Some grains deliver calcium.

teff:
Although whole grains aren't generally an abundant source of calcium, one grain -- a form called teff that is common in Ethiopia -- does provide some calcium. One cup of cooked teff has about 123 milligrams of calcium, similar to a half cup of cooked spinach.

Also look for calcium in broccoli, milk, yogurt and cheese and in fortified juice and cereals. Adult men and women should get 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day, according to the National Institutes of Health. Calcium is important for bone health.

10. Some grains offer vitamin C.

As with calcium, whole grains aren't your first go-to source for vitamin C, but you can get some of your recommended daily allowance from the whole grain known as amaranth. This grain, originating in Mexico and Peru, is also high in other vitamins and minerals including iron and packs a lot of protein, keeping you full longer. As for other sources of vitamin C, load up on cantaloupe, citrus fruits, broccoli and tomatoes.

11. They are a good source of B vitamins.

Whole grains are rich in the B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, all of which are involved with metabolism. Another B vitamin, folate (folic acid), helps the body form red blood cells and is critical for preventing birth defects in babies. Whole grains can help, but women who are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant need to take a multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid a day. Bran is one good source of B vitamins, says Delbridge, who holds an adjunct faculty position at Arizona State University.

12. They deliver essential minerals.

Along with vitamins, whole grains are a great source of the minerals our bodies need to stay healthy. These include iron, which transports oxygen throughout the body and helps prevent anemia, magnesium, which builds bones, and selenium, which protects against oxidation. They also contain zinc, necessary to keep your immune system in fighting shape.

13. They may reduce asthma risk.

Eating whole grains early in life may ward off asthma and other allergic conditions. One study found that children who were introduced to oats as infants were less likely to have asthma or allergic rhinitis by the time they turned five. A Dutch study reported similar findings among children aged 8 to 13. An overall healthy diet with more whole grains, fruits and vegetables and less meat, and refined foods may reduce asthmatic wheezing, says Delbridge.

14. They cut markers of inflammation.

Barley: Asthma is one inflammatory condition that may be eased by consuming whole grains, but there could be others as well. One study found that whole grain barley, brown rice or a combination of the two reduced markers of inflammation in the gut. Whole grains may also cut levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation that has been linked not only with heart disease and type 2 diabetes but also problems in pregnancy such as premature birth, preeclampsia and fertility problems.

15. They may even lower cancer risk.

Evidence is emerging that whole grain consumption may lower the risks of certain cancers, such as colorectal, breast and pancreatic cancer. Although the evidence is mixed at this point, what will definitely lower your risk of cancer, says Delbridge, is eating a diet that includes not only whole grains but lots of fruits and vegetables and not a lot of meat or processed foods.

16. They may protect your teeth and gums.

In a study of almost 35,000 male health professionals aged 40 to 75, participants who consumed the highest amounts of whole grain were 23 percent less likely to get gum disease than those who stayed away from whole grains. This was true even after taking into account other factors like smoking, age and body size. Since gum disease is linked to inflammation and other health conditions like heart disease, this is about more than just a pretty smile.

17. They may help you live longer.

Not only will whole grains help you live better, they may also help you live longer. One study of more than 40,000 postmenopausal women found that women who consumed four to seven servings a week of whole grains had a 31 percent lower risk of dying from causes other than cancer or heart disease when compared with women who had few or no whole grains in their diet. And it worked in men, too, with another study finding that men who consumed one or more servings a day of whole-grain cereal had a 17 percent reduced risk of dying than those who never or hardly ever ate it.

18. They contain resistant starch.

Carbs can be good for you. The trick is to find the right kind of carb and resistant starch is one. It's a carb that acts more like a fiber. Because it's not easily digested, it moves slowly through your digestive system burning more fat, stoking the hormones that make you feel full, maintaining your insulin in good working order and keeping blood sugar and cholesterol levels down. Try for 10 to 15 grams daily. Oatmeal and brown rice are good whole grain sources of resistant starch, which is also found in green bananas and other non-grain foods.