Make half your grains whole 10 tips to help you eat whole grains

                               

Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain is a grain product. Bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits are example. Grains are divided into two subgroups, whole grains and refined grains. Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel - the bran, germ, and endosperm. People who eat whole grains as part of a healthy diet have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases.

1. Make simple switches: to make half your grains whole grains, substitute a whole-grain product for a refined-grain product. for example, eat 100% whole-wheat bread or bagels instead of white bread or bagels, or brown rice instead of white rice.

2. Whole grains can be healthy snacks: Popcorn, a whole grain, can be a healthy snack. Make it with little or no added salt or butter. also, try 100% whole- wheat or rye crackers. 

3. Save some time: cook extra bulgur or barley when you have time freeze half to heat and serve later a quick side dish. 

4. Mix it up with whole grains: Use whole grains in mixed dishes, such as barley in vegetable soups or stews and bulgur wheat in casseroles or stir-fries. Try a quinoa salad or pilaf. 

5. Try whole- wheat versions: 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. 

6. Bake up some whole-grain goodness: Experiment by substituting buckwheat, millet, 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 in order to rise. 

7. Be a good role model for children: Set a good example for children by serving and eating whole grains everyday with meals or as snacks. 

8. Check the labels for fiber: Use the Nutrition Facts Label to check the fiber content of whole-grain foods. Good sources of fiber contain 10% to 19% of the Daily value: excellent source contain 20% or more. 

9. Know what to look for on the ingredient list: Read the ingredients list and choose products that name a whole-grain ingredient first on the list. Look for "whole wheat," "brown rice," " bulgur," "buckwheat," "oatmeal," "whole-grain cornmeal," "whole oats," "whole rye," or "wild rice." 

10. Be a smart shopper: The color of a food is not an indication that it is a whole- grain food. foods labeled as "multi-grain," "stone-ground," or "bran" are usually not 100% whole-grain products, and may not contain any whole grain. 

For more information you can go to http://www.choosemyplate.gov/