1. Whole Grains at Every Meal Why Whole Grains Matter, and How to Get Them
Cynthia Harriman
Director of Food & Nutrition Strategies
Oldways & the Whole Grains Council
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2. Why Do We Need Whole Grains?

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4. Health Benefits of Whole Grains
Controls Weight. Women and men who ate more whole grains consistently gained less weight over an 8-12 year period, in Harvard studies.
Curbs Colon Cancer. Women who ate more than 4 1/2 daily servings of whole grains were one-third less apt to develop colon cancer than those who ate less than 1 1/2 servings a day, a new Swedish study finds.
Defeats Diabetes. People who eat the most whole grains, especially high-fiber cereals, are 20% to 30% less likely to develop insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes, according to research from Tufts, Harvard and U. MN.
USA Today, June 19, 2005
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5. Health Benefits of Whole Grains
Stops Heart Disease. Harvard investigators found that men who ate a bowl of whole-grain cereal every day cut their risk of dying of cardiovascular disease by 20%.
Drops Blood Pressure. Eating a whole-grain oat cereal, such as oatmeal, every day for three months enabled 73% of those with high blood pressure to reduce or eliminate their need for medication, University of Minnesota investigators reported.
Saves Lives. Older women in Iowa who ate whole grains containing 4.7g of fiber daily were 17% less like to die of any cause in an 11-year period than were women who ate refined grains, says a University of Minnesota study.
USA Today, June 19, 2005
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6. New WG Health-Benefit Studies
Reduces Gum Disease. Periodontitis, a gum inflamation that is the major cause of tooth loss in adults, may be reduced by eating 3-4 servings of whole grains daily, according to a 14-year McMaster University study.
Benefits Children Quickly. Overweight children, age 9-15, spent two weeks on an all-you-can-eat diet of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and lean protein, while exercising 2.5 hours a day. UCLA researchers reported that the children's cholesterol levels dropped an average of 21%, while insulin levels fell 30%.
Cuts Triglycerides. A USDA team gave women a whole grain diet for three days, then the same foods but with refined grains in place of whole grains. Refined grains caused a significant increase in triglycerides and a worrisome protein called ”APO CIII," both of which have been associated with increased risk of heart disease.
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7. 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Recommends…
“ Consume 3 or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products per day, with the rest of the recommended grains coming from enriched or whole-grain products. In general, at least half the grains should come from whole grains.”
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8. What Exactly IS a Whole Grain?

9. A Whole Grain Includes Everything
Whole grains or foods made from them contain all the essential parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed.  
If the grain has been processed (e.g., cracked, crushed, rolled, extruded, lightly pearled and/or cooked), the food product should deliver approximately the same rich balance of nutrients that are found in the original grain seed.
Graphic courtesy Bob’s Red Mill
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10. A Whole Grain Includes Everything
© 2004 Oldways/The Whole Grains Council. All values from USDA Nutrient Database, SR 17, 2004.
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11. List of Whole Grains
The following, when consumed in a form including the endosperm bran, and germ, are examples* of generally accepted whole grain foods and flours:
• Amaranth • Barley
• Buckwheat • Corn, including whole cornmeal & popcorn
• Millet • Oats, including oatmeal
• Quinoa • Rice, both brown rice and colored rice
• Rye • Sorghum (also called milo)
• Teff • Triticale (a wheat/rye hybrid)
• Wild rice • Wheat, including varieties such as spelt, emmer, farro, einkorn, Kamut®, durum and forms such as bulgur, cracked wheat and wheatberries
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12. So How Do We Find Whole Grains?

13. In Stores: Trust the Stamp
An easy-to-spot symbol on foods with a half serving or more of whole grain

14. The Whole Grain Stamp Check the website for more Info on whole
Grams of
whole grain
per labeled
serving
The “Basic” Stamp
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15. The Whole Grain Stamp 100% mark added, if all the grain
Is whole grain;
there is NO
refined grain
The “100%” Stamp
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16. The Whole Grain Stamp Compare the gram number to the minimum you need
every day.
on all Stamps
EAT 48g OR MORE OF
WHOLE GRAINS DAILY
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17. The Whole Grain Stamp Different Numbers on Every Product
EAT 48g OR MORE OF
WHOLE GRAINS DAILY
EAT 48g OR MORE OF
WHOLE GRAINS DAILY
Basic Stamp
at least 8g (1/2 serving) of WG
100% Stamp
NO refined grain AND
at least 16g (1 serving) of WG
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18. Stamps on All Kinds of Foods
• breads
• cereals
• crackers
• cookies
• grains
• flour
• waffles
• muffins
• chips
• tortillas
• baking mixes
• English muffins
• beverages
• snack bars
• popcorn
• pasta
• pretzels
• cakes

19. In Restaurants: Just Ask!
“May I have brown rice instead?”
“A bowl of oatmeal, please.”
“How about whole grain pizza crust?”
“Turkey on a whole grain bun for me.”
“I’ll have your bulgur pilaf, thanks.”
“One whole grain bagel, to go.”
“Whole grain pasta for me, please.”
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20. Who’s Doing What…
Premium Chicken Sandwiches have a bun with 8g of whole grain.
Whole grain linguini available as an option in any pasta dish.
“Smart Eating Menu” includes brown rice pilaf, whole grain tortillas.
Whole grain baguette, whole grain loaf and whole grain miche offered.

21. Who’s Doing What…
Brown rice offered as an option with all meals, also at Pei Wei’s.
Whole grain penne available as an option in any pasta dish.
HealthMex burritos are served on whole grain tortillas.
Brown rice, whole wheat wraps and soba noodles available.

22. In Restaurants Restaurant List
The Whole Grains Council maintains a list of major restaurants offering whole grain options. Check the list at
Healthy Dining Finder Website
Another website, helps find healthy choices at restaurants across the country, too.
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23. Every Little Bit Helps Try some of these ideas today!
Buy three different loaves of whole-grain bread and taste all of them.
Try some whole-wheat pasta.
Have popcorn or whole wheat crackers as a snack.
Serve bulgur instead of potatoes one night this month.
On the weekend, try cooking steel-cut oatmeal.
Make pizza with whole wheat pita as the crust.
Bake your favorite cookies with whole wheat flour.
Serve hamburgers with whole wheat buns.

24. The Whole Grains Council
Helping Americans make half (or more!) of their grains whole.