| by: News Canada
(NC)—A research poll recently revealed that only seven percent
of Canadians understand the important distinction between a
complete whole grain product and a grain product*. Even though
Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating recommends five to twelve
servings from the grain group each day - clearly emphasizing whole
grains - most of us aren't making the wisest of food choices! To
help you boost your intake, registered dietitian Rosie Schwartz
offers the following whole grain information and advice.
Whole grains consist of all three parts of a grain, including:
the fibre-rich outer coating of bran; the middle layer of the
grain called the endosperm; and, the nutrient-packed inner germ.
During the milling or refining process, both the bran and germ are
removed from refined grains leaving only the endosperm, the least
nutritious part of the grain. Therefore, these refined products do
not provide as much nutritional value and health benefits as whole
grain products.
Recent research links whole grains to a number of
disease-fighting benefits. It suggests that antioxidants contained
in whole grains may work with other compounds, including fibre, to
reduce cholesterol and overall risk for heart disease. Research
has also shown that whole grains appear to play an important role
in reducing the risk of certain cancers and type 2 diabetes. For
most of us, the fibre in whole grains has always been identified
as a benefit to overall bowel health. It helps remove waste
products, supports the growth of healthy bacteria and promotes
regularity.
Incorporating whole grains into your diet is easy and starts at
the grocery store. Lots of great whole grain product options are
available in everyday foods such as bread, cereal and pasta. Here
are tips that Rosie Schwartz offers to identify these products:
• Scan the ingredient list: whole grain foods will list a whole
grain – such as wheat, oats, corn or rice – as the first
ingredient. Look for words "whole" or "whole grain" before the
name of the grain.
• Don't be fooled by products that claim to be made with whole
grain flour. You need to see whole grain flour listed as the first
ingredient in order to achieve the greatest benefit.
• Read labels – opt for "whole wheat" over just "wheat," "brown
rice" over "enriched white rice" and "whole rye" over "rye."
For more information on incorporating whole grains into your
diet, visit www.wholegrainsbureau.ca.
* Findings of a Légér Marketing poll conducted in August, 2003
on behalf of the Whole Grains Bureau. The poll is based on a
random sample of 1,100 adult English Canadians.
- News Canada |
