September 8, 2005

Prairie Fare: Can You Spot a Whole Grain?

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

Recently, I was perusing the bread section at the grocery store and observing some fellow shoppers in the process. I looked at several of the bread choices. Some loaves were labeled “stone ground.” Others were labeled “12-grain,” “cracked wheat” or “multigrain.”

Some people quickly grabbed a loaf of bread and went on with shopping. They probably had a favorite brand and recognized the package.

Others picked up a couple of loaves and looked at them closely before making a selection. I heard one couple discussing what type of bread was “whole-grain.” I was pleased to hear that.

The health benefits of eating more whole-grain foods are becoming well-known. Spotting a whole-grain food among all the choices can be challenging. “Brown bread” or “brown cereal” isn’t necessarily whole-grain. Breads can be brown because of added molasses or other colored ingredients, such as bran.

Breads labeled “cracked wheat,” “stone ground” and “multigrain” aren’t necessarily whole-grain, either. Whole-grain foods contain all parts of the grain kernel: the germ, endosperm and bran.

To distinguish whole-grain from refined, read the ingredient label on food products. Look for whole wheat, whole grain, oatmeal or whole oats as the first item on the list. Some foods containing whole-grains can carry a health claim if they meet other standards set by the Food and Drug Administration.

The new food pyramid called “MyPyramid” promotes making “half your grains whole.” The amount of grain recommended for you depends on your age, gender and physical activity.

Three ounces of whole-grain foods daily are a good starting point for people ages 9 and older. Eating more whole-grain foods is linked with lower risk of heart disease and certain kinds of cancer. Whole grains also can help with weight management because the fiber content tends to fill you up.

Visit www.MyPyramid.gov to learn your specific recommendation. Here are some tips from the Web site to help incorporate more whole grains in your diet:

• Substitute a whole-grain product for a refined product – such as eating whole-wheat bread instead of white bread or brown rice instead of white rice. It’s important to substitute the whole-grain product for the refined one, rather than adding the whole-grain product.
• For a change, try brown rice or whole-wheat pasta. Try brown rice stuffing in baked green peppers or tomatoes and whole-wheat macaroni in macaroni and cheese.
• Use whole grains in mixed dishes, such as barley in vegetable soup or stews and bulgur wheat in casseroles or stir-fries.
• Experiment by substituting whole-wheat or oat flour for up to half of the flour in pancake, waffle, muffin or other flour-based recipes. They may need a bit more leavening.
• Use whole-grain bread or cracker crumbs in meatloaf.

Here’s a recipe from the Wheat Foods Council’s Web site: www.wheatfoods.org Enjoy with milk or 100 percent fruit juice at breakfast or as an after-school snack.

100 Percent Whole-wheat Muffins

1/2 c. margarine or butter
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. light brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 c. low-fat milk
2 c. whole-wheat flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Have ingredients at room temperature. Line the muffin tin using paper baking cups or use cooking spray to coat the bottom of the muffin tin. Cream the margarine, granulated sugar, brown sugar and baking soda together using an electric mixer and scrape the bowl with a spatula. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and vanilla with a fork and add to creamed mixture. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the milk to the creamed mixture. Gradually add the whole-wheat flour and lightly stir the ingredients together so dry ingredients are barely moistened. Overmixing will make the muffins tough with tunnels. Fill the muffin tins two-thirds full and bake 15 to 17 minutes or until browned and done. Remove from muffin tin and cool on wire rack.

Makes 12 muffins. Each muffin has 231 calories, 9 grams of fat, 34 grams of carbohydrate and 3 grams of fiber.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu

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