We've talked a lot about whole grains over the years. Most recently, it was in our Building Blocks of Health series, but we've also covered recent studies about the impact of whole grains on health, how to do a whole grain cooking demonstration, and more practical matters like which whole grains cook quickly,ways to replace refined grains with whole grains, how to shop for whole grains (and not get tricked by sneaky product packaging and misleading claims), and even which whole grains are gluten free.But we've never published a comprehensive list of whole grain and refined grain foods... until now.Both the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate recommend eating whole grains instead of refined grains when possible. Remember, whole grains contain the entire grain kernel –- the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. These are full of nutrients, phytochemicals, and fiber. Refinedgrains, on the other hand, have been milled. This processing removes one or more of the three key parts (bran, germ, or endosperm) of the grain. It also removes dietary fiber, iron, and B vitamins.So, here's a list of common whole grain foods:
Amaranth*
Barley
Brown rice*
Buckwheat*
Buckwheat groats (aka kasha)*
Bulgur (aka cracked wheat)
Farro
Millet*
Oat groats**
Oatmeal**
Popcorn*
Rye flour
Sorghum*
Steel cut oats**
Wheat berries
Whole grain cornmeal*
Whole grain crackers
Whole wheat bread products
Whole wheat flours
Whole wheat pasta
Wild rice
Here's a list of common refined grain foods:
Bagels
Corn grits*
Cream of wheat
Polenta*
Pretzels
Flour tortillas
Refined grain cereals
Refined grain crackers
Traditional pastas
White rice*
White bread products
White flours
* Gluten-free** Naturally gluten-free but may be processed with other foods that contain gluten.And for even more whole grain fun, check out this quick review of whole grains by Cheryle Jones Syracuse, MS, Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State University.What did we miss? Contact us and let us know!
Stephanie Ronco has been editing for Food and Health Communications since 2011. She graduated from Colorado College magna cum laude with distinction in Comparative Literature. She was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa in 2008.
Whole Grains vs. Refined Grains
We've talked a lot about whole grains over the years. Most recently, it was in our Building Blocks of Health series, but we've also covered recent studies about the impact of whole grains on health, how to do a whole grain cooking demonstration, and more practical matters like which whole grains cook quickly, ways to replace refined grains with whole grains, how to shop for whole grains (and not get tricked by sneaky product packaging and misleading claims), and even which whole grains are gluten free.But we've never published a comprehensive list of whole grain and refined grain foods... until now.
Both the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate recommend eating whole grains instead of refined grains when possible. Remember, whole grains contain the entire grain kernel –- the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. These are full of nutrients, phytochemicals, and fiber. Refined grains, on the other hand, have been milled. This processing removes one or more of the three key parts (bran, germ, or endosperm) of the grain. It also removes dietary fiber, iron, and B vitamins.So, here's a list of common whole grain foods:
Here's a list of common refined grain foods:
* Gluten-free** Naturally gluten-free but may be processed with other foods that contain gluten.And for even more whole grain fun, check out this quick review of whole grains by Cheryle Jones Syracuse, MS, Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State University.What did we miss? Contact us and let us know!
Stephanie Ronco has been editing for Food and Health Communications since 2011. She graduated from Colorado College magna cum laude with distinction in Comparative Literature. She was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa in 2008.
Fun Fruit Trivia: Persimmons
Healthy on a budget