Whole grains and their related food products are nutrition powerhouses. Unfortunately, many of the grain foods we eat have been processed in a way that removes vital nutrients.
What’s the difference, and how can you tell whether you’re buying a whole grain? The original grain has three main components—the bran, endosperm, and germ. Food processors often remove the bran and the germ, so that the resulting product may be deficient in the nutrients concentrated in those parts of the grain.
Refined grains tend to be lower in fiber, B vitamins, and some minerals than their whole-grain counterparts.
To determine whether you are purchasing a whole-grain bread, cereal, bagel, pasta, or other product, look at the ingredient list for the word “whole”—it should appear early in the list (preferably first). Words such as “cracked,” “enriched,” “nine grain,” “wheat,” and others often appear on bread and cracker labels, but don’t necessarily indicate a true whole grain.