THE GOODNESS OF

WHOLEGRAIN

What we eat is the topic of our time as the food we eat directly affects our health and well-being.

Good nutrition through eating a balanced diet is essential for normal growth and development,

maintaining health and helps to reduce the risk of certain diseases and conditions.

What are you made of?

Wholegrains are cereal grains such as wheat and oats that contain literally the whole of the grain. The grain consists of three parts:

Processing refines the grain removing essential parts and naturally-occurring nutrients (like fibre and vitamins). Removing the bran outer layer can result in a significant loss of nutrients and change the amount available. Many food products contain refined grains, with the result that certain useful parts are lost. Wholegrain cereals have the nutritional benefits of all the parts.

Wholegrain Goodness

Bran – fibre containing outer layer

Endosperm – starchy middle layer

Germ – nutrient rich inner layer

Wholegrain includes wheat, oats, corn,

rye barley, spelt, millet, buckwheat, rice

and quinoa.

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Maintain a healthy heart.

1 People with healthy hearts tend to eat more wholegrain foods as part of a low-fat diet and healthy lifestyle.

1 Fibre helps to control cholesterol levels in the blood.

Keep the digestive system healthy.

1 As whole grains contain fibre they can help move food through the digestive system.

Maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

Manage weight.

1 Fibre helps to fill you up.

1 Wholegrains are lower in energy than other foods (kcal/g)

1 A diet rich in wholegrains also tends to be high in fibre and low in fat.

Scientific research has shown wholegrains, particularly cereals, have health benefits. As part of a healthy lifestyle, wholegrains may help to:

The Benefits

As part of a healthy balanced diet, an appropriate serving of wholegrain should be encouraged at mealtimes.

Wholegrains belong to the starchy foods group. These foods provide us with energy, fibre, key vitamins and minerals such as B vitamins and zinc and phytochemicals (plant components). Each meal should be based on these foods.

Scientific evidence shows that wholegrains are a healthy choice – yet more than 90% of adults and children in the UK are not eating enough of them.

Choose wholegrain foods when you shop by looking for the word ‘wholegrain’ on either the ingredients label or the front of the pack.

Examples of wholegrain foods are:

1 Wholegrain breakfast such as wheat biscuits and muesli.

1 Brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oat cakes, wholegrain breads.

Which foods contain Wholegrain?

Plenty of fruit and

vegetables.

Plenty of bread, rice, potatoes,

pasta and other starchy

foods – choose wholegrain

varieties whenever you can.

Some milk and dairy foods.

Some meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-

dairy sources of protein.

Just a small amount of foods and drinks high

in fat and/or sugar.

Public Health England in association with the Welsh Government, the Scottish Government and the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland.

© Crown Copyright 2013

Meal planFollow this example meal plan and see just how easy it is to include whole grain in your diet:

Breakfast1 Bowl of fortified wholegrain

breakfast (such as wheat biscuits and muesli)

1 Fruit (fresh/tinned in juice/dried/frozen)

Mid-morning1 Handful unsalted nuts

1 Water

Lunch1 Flaked salmon, brown rice and

bean salad

1 Green side salad (cereal bowl full of mixed salad leaves)

1 Fruit (fresh/tinned in juice/dried)

1 Water

Mid-afternoon1 Oat cakes

1 Peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese

1 Celery/cucumber/cherry tomatoes/peppers

Evening meal1 Lean, skinless chicken and

vegetable stir-fry with wholegrain noodles

1 Reduced fat Greek yoghurt with sprinkle of seeds and wholegrain cereal

1 Water Evening/bedtime1 Plain popcorn

The Eatwell PlateUse the ‘Eatwell Plate’ to help you get the balance right. It shows how much of what you eat should come from each food group.