What is considered a whole grain?

A whole grain is whole when it has all three parts of the grain. The bran, the wheat germ, and the endosperm. Contrast to refined grains which are only made up of the endosperm (the starchy insides that have little to no vitamins and fiber).

The three parts have many beneficial vitamins that are helpful for your body and health. The bran has much of the fiber. While the germ has much of the protein and nutrients. If both of these are removed from the grain then it really leaves you with not much substance and you're left with basically empty calories.

Here are a few common whole grains:

Oatmeal (whole oats)
Barley
Popcorn
Brown rice
Wild rice
Buckwheat
Whole-wheat bread, pasta or crackers

All others like white rice, white bread, and enriched pastas are just like glue to your colon...and that's not even mentioning the chemicals and preservatives put into the stuff.

Whole grains aren't that hard to eat. They may not "taste" as good as the other refined versions, but they sure are better for you and will help you in the long run. Why not "taste" more of a good healthly life instead? Try eating a few from that list. :)

My passion is to help others learn more about grains and nutrition. So I hope this information and the things to come will be helpful to you and your family! Thanks for reading, happy eating, and God bless you!

Technorati Tags: Whole Grain, Bran, Wheat Germ, Endosperm