Wholegrains are seeds of cereal plants which can be found in; wheat, oats, barley, rice, quinoa and maize.
The grain is made of thee constituent parts:
- Endosperm which is a key source of starch.
- Bran which is a rich source of dietary fibre, B vitamins and phytochemicals
- Germ which is a concentrated source of protein, healthy fat, vitamins B and C.
Some studies have demonstrated that a healthy approach to eating which incorporates wholegrain can reduce the risk of:
- Heart disease.
- Certain cancers.
Inclusion of wholegrain foods can be better for managing blood glucose levels, as they often have a lower Glycaemic Index. However, as wholegrains contain carbohydrates they will affect blood glucose, so it is important to consider portion sizes.
It is recommended to eat at least 3 servings of wholegrains each day, with 1 serving including the following:
- 25g porridge oats.
- 1 bowl muesli (34g).
- 1 bowl wheat based breakfast cereal (30g).
- 1 large slice multigrain bread.
- 1 slice rye bread.
- 3 oatcakes.
- 23 g uncooked brown rice or whole wheat pasta.
For a food to be classified as wholegrain, it must contain 51% or more wholegrain ingredients.
When looking at labels, be cautious of terms such as; whole wheat, granary and multigrain as they offer no guarantee the products is made from wholegrains. To be certain, look out for the term wholegrain.