Make half your grains whole
1

Alice Henneman, MS, RD
University of Nebraska –Lincoln Extension http://lancaster.unl.edu/food
Bev Benes, PhD, RD
Nebraska Department of Education http://www.nde.state.ne.us/NS
Roxanna Campbell, Dietetics Student

Helps with weight management

Let’s learn about ...
 MyPyramid grain recommendations
 Whole grain vs. refined grain
 Label reading

Let’s learn about ...

 Whole grain vs. refined grain
 Label reading

Eat six “1 ounceequivalents” of grain products daily
(for a 2,000 calorie diet)

1 cup
“ready to eat” cereal
½ cup cooked
(pasta, rice or cereal)
1 slice bread
1 “mini bagel”
English muffin
1 ounceequivalents
1 small
(2-
½ ” diameter) muffin
1 small (6”) flour or corn tortilla
3 cups popcorn

Find how many “1 ounce-equivalents” you need at www.MyPyramid.gov
.

Let’s learn about ...
 MyPyramid recommendations

 Label reading

• If the kernel has been cracked, crushed or flaked …
• … it must retain nearly the same relative proportions of bran, germ & endosperm …
• … as the original grain to be called whole grain.

The enriching process adds back:
Certain B Vitamins
(thiamin, riboflavin, niacin & folic acid)
Iron

Whole grain
Refined grain
Bran: fiber &
B vitamins
Germ: vitamin E,
B vitamins & antioxidants
Endosperm: energy, carbohydrates
& protein
X X X
X

1/2
Whole grains
1/2
Whole or enriched grains
½
Daily grain recommendation

• Whole wheat
• Whole oats/oatmeal
• Whole grain corn
• Popcorn
• Brown & wild rice
• Whole rye
• Whole grain barley
• Buckwheat
• Triticale
• Bulgur
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Sorghum

Let’s learn about ...
 MyPyramid recommendations
 Whole grain vs. refined grain


Read the labels

… in descending order of weight with the heaviest ingredient listed first

A
Ingredients: wheat flour, water, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, wheat, bran…
B
Ingredients: whole wheat flour, water, brown sugar…

A
Ingredients: wheat flour, water, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, wheat, bran…
B
Ingredients: whole wheat flour, water, brown sugar…

Note: % Daily Value = % DV

3 g fiber
2 g fiber

3 g fiber
A grain that is higher in fiber is likely higher in whole grains too!
2 g fiber

BROWN color not always WHOLE grain
Grains can be
BROWN in color from MOLASSES or other ADDED ingredients

Ingredients:
Wheat flour , water, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, wheat bran …

Foods are USUALLY NOT whole grain products if labeled with these words:
• Multi-grain
• Stone-ground
• 100% wheat
• Cracked wheat
• Seven-grain
• Bran

Bran
• Provides fiber important for health; however…
• … products with added bran or bran alone are not necessarily whole grain products

 MyPyramid recommendations:
 Make ½ your grains whole
 Learn your personal MyPyramid grain recommendations at MyPyramid.gov
 Whole grain vs. refined grain
 WHOLE grains provide some nutrients not found in refined grains
 Label reading
 FIRST ingredient should be a WHOLE grain
 Choose grains higher in FIBER

THE
END