Written by: Megan Oemichen, Dietetic Student at Iowa State University
Here is a new goal for you: why not do something different and try out this challenge... Incorporate more whole grains into your diet!
Most people are not consuming the necessary amount of whole grains in a day that our bodies need in order to function to the best of their ability. Dietary guidelines recommend that we consume between three and five servings of whole grains daily.
However, the average person is not even consuming one of these whole grain servings.
So let’s change it! There are many ways to tackle this challenge. Try substituting whole grains for things you already eat, or including them in a recipe that you have always made using refined grains. Here are a few ideas to start...
- Choose whole grain, high fiber cereals for breakfast, such as oatmeal or shredded wheat.
- Consume whole grain products, such as pasta or bread, in place of refined products.
- Make your favorite sandwich on whole wheat bread or rolls instead of white bread.
- Substitute brown rice for white rice in casseroles or soup
Just by making these few substitution in your diet, you can do your body a world of good! Whole grains have more fiber to help control your blood sugars and make you feel full. Whole grains also have more nutrients than white flour products. (Just be sure to keep track of the total carbs you eat). While these changes can be very beneficial, there is one important thing that you should watch out for...
When reading the nutrition label, make sure that the product you are buying is truly whole grain. Many labels may say ‘whole wheat’ or ‘multi-grain’ on the package, but the product is not always whole grain. Don’t get duped!
In order to be sure that your purchase is what you want, look at the ingredients list. If the first word is water, bleached flour, or some type of sugar, then this product is not actually whole grain.
Instead, look for the words ‘whole wheat’ or ‘whole oats.’ If the word ‘whole’ is not in the first ingredient, then you can be sure that this product is not whole grain and you can move on to the next one!
These tips will help to guide you in your search for whole grain foods! Set a specific goal to choose whole grains for your carb choices at least 2 times each day and then build up from there.
Set a big, long term goal to be eating only whole grain choices instead of refined grains. Make this resolution a success and check out this past blog post with more details on whole grain choices!
