Whole grains are cereal grains that contain cereal germ, endosperm, and bran, in contrast to refined grains, which retain only the endosperm. Common whole grains include: Wheat Oat Barley - Hulled and Dehulled (not Pearl) Maize Brown rice Farro Spelt Emmer Einkorn Kamut Rye Millet Quinoa Amaranth Triticale Teff Sprouted Grains Buckwheat Common whole grain products include: Whole wheat flour Whole wheat Bread Whole wheat Pasta Rolled oats or oat groats Triticale flour Popcorn Teff flour Common refined non-whole grain products include: White rice White flour White bread Hominy Pasta (non-whole wheat varieties) Identifying whole-grain products Whole-grain products can be identified by the ingredients list. Typically, if the ingredient lists "whole wheat," "whole meal," or "whole corn" as the first ingredient, the product is a whole-grain food item. "Wheat flour" (as opposed to "whole-grain wheat flour" or "whole-wheat flour") as the first ingredient is not a clear indicator of the product's whole-grain content. If two ingredients are listed as grain products but only the second is listed as whole grain, the entire product may contain between 1% and 49% whole grain. Many breads are colored brown (often with molasses or caramel color) and made to look like whole grain when they are not. In addition, some food manufacturers make foods with whole-grain ingredients, but, because whole-grain ingredients are not the dominant ingredient, they are not whole-grain products. Contrary to popular belief, fiber is not indicative of whole grains. The amount of fiber varies from grain to grain, and some products may have things like bran, peas, or other foods added to boost the fiber content. In Canada, it is legal to advertise any food product as "whole wheat" with up to 70% of the germ removed. While the resulting product will contain the benefit of fiber in the nutritional information, it lacks the more recently discovered health benefits of antioxidants found in the wheat germ. Canadian consumers can be assured of whole-grain products by a label stating 100% whole-grain whole wheat. Similar to the distinction between whole and refined grains is that between whole pulses (peas, beans, and other related vegetables) and refined dal (a preparation of pulses or the thick stew prepared from these). From AACC (American Association of Cereal Chemists) definition: "Whole grains shall consist of the intact, ground, cracked or flaked caryopsis, whose principal anatomical components - the starchy endosperm, germ and bran - are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact caryopsis." U.S. standards of identity The following names indicate whole-grain products, in accordance with the federal government: "Whole wheat bread" "Whole millet" "Whole wheat buns" "Whole wheat macaroni" "Whole wheat spaghetti" "Whole wheat vermicelli" "Cracked wheat" (as an ingredient, not part of a name, as in "cracked wheat bread") "Crushed wheat" "Whole wheat flour" "Graham flour" (as an ingredient, not as part of a name as in "graham crackers") "Entire wheat flour" "Bromated whole wheat flour" "Whole durum flour" "Bulgur (cracked wheat)" (note that "bulgur" by itself may or may not indicate whole grain) Canadian standards of identity There are multiple grains such as cereal grains (e.g. wheat, rice, oats, barley, corn, wild rice, and rye) as well as pseudocereals (e.g. quinoa and buckwheat) that may be labeled whole grains. When wheat is milled to make flour, the parts of the grain are usually separated and then are recombined to make specific types of flour, such as whole wheat, whole grain, white cake and pastry flour, and all-purpose white flour. If all parts of the kernel are used in the same relative proportions as they exist in the original kernel, then the flour is considered whole grain. Under the Food and Drug Regulations, up to 5% of the kernel can be removed to help reduce rancidity a Image source and copyright details: http://wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wheat-kernel_nutrition.svg Original article available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_grain

• published: 07 Apr 2013
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