First and foremost I must get something off my chest. Just because a box of something at the grocery store or even a bagel at the bakery says “multi-grain” does not mean it is a healthy alternative. Multi-grain simply means the food is made with more than one grain and has absolutely nothing to do with whether any of those grains are actually the whole grain or not, which is what is really important.
Awhile back I did an in-depth post on understanding whole-wheat and what should be in your sandwich bread. What you know about wheat can easily be applied to many other grains as well. In summary, the wheat berry has three parts (the germ, bran, and endosperm) and whole-wheat flour includes all three of these parts. When highly processed (a.k.a. refined) white flour is made the nutritious bran and germ are removed and only the endosperm is left, which is basically high in calories and low in nutrients. I don’t know about you, but this reminds me a little too much of sugar. This “white” flour is still made from the “wheat” plant, but it is considered to be highly processed. Here are a few other popular grains and how this same thought process can be applied…
Corn
I know corn easily gets a bad rap because it is so highly subsidized by the government and included in countless additives that you will find in most highly processed foods, but straight-up whole corn by itself is actually a decent food. Not only is corn considered to be a whole-grain, but it is also sometimes considered to be a vegetable (that according to the Whole Grains Council “has the highest level of antioxidants of any grain or vegetable.”). Just like wheat though, you want to make sure you only buy the most nutritious whole-grain corn products that include all the parts of the kernel (the germ, bran, and endosperm). Here’s what to look for:
Whole Grain = Whole grain corn, whole grain cornmeal, whole grain flour (also called masa harina), and even popcorn
Refined = Corn meal, enriched corn meal, corn flour, degerminated corn, grits, and corn starch
Oats
I think that oats are one of the most fabulous grains solely because it is so easy to ensure you are purchasing the whole grain. According to the Whole Grains Council “oats almost never have their bran and germ removed in processing. So if you see oats or oat flour on the label, relax: you’re virtually guaranteed to be getting whole grain.” This rule of thumb applies to rolled oats, instant oats, quick cooking oats, steel cut oats, you name it. Whew! That certainly makes things easy and in summary…
Whole Grain = All oats
Rice
Rice is thankfully almost as easy to understand as oats. There are just two simple things to know…
Whole Grain = Brown and colored rice (like black or purple)
Refined = White rice or just “rice” when listed as an ingredient (since the germ and bran are removed)
Once again this applies to all brown/colored rice whether it is quick cooking, parboiled, brown rice flour, etc.
Wheat
Back to something that often seems as complex and tricky as corn, but let’s try to simplify it…
Whole Grain = Whole-wheat, whole-grain wheat, whole durum wheat (it MUST say the word “whole”)
Refined = White flour, wheat, wheat flour, enriched flour, semolina
One of the reasons this one can be tricky is that a lot of products simply say “wheat,” which means it has been refined. For some reason our society has nicknamed “whole-wheat” products as “wheat” and they are actually two very different things. If you are after the whole-grain it must (and will) say something like whole-wheat or whole-grain wheat if it truly is the whole grain.
One last important note on the subject of grains – I love the Whole Grains Council. You may have heard of them or at least 
recognize their stamp (pictured) on some packaged foods. They are what I consider to be the experts when it comes to understanding grains. I call them frequently, and they are always so friendly and knowledgeable when answering my questions. I have one tip though when it comes to looking for the Whole Grains stamp… there is both a basic stamp and a 100% stamp. The basic stamp tells you how many grams of whole grains per serving are contained in that product (and usually indicates the product also contains some refined grains). The 100% stamp means the product contains only 100% whole grains and therefore contains no refined grains at all. So the next time you are shopping at the supermarket, don’t be misled by some of the “whole-grains” health claims on the front of the package. Instead, do a little investigating yourself to ensure you are buying products that contain 100% whole grains (although consuming any amount of whole grains would certainly be better than none!).
This is one of your MOST VALUABLE posts!! I’ve referred friends to it and linked it on my blog ~ THANK YOU!!
This was a very good explanation and/or summary of grains. I do get a little confused looking at labels for wheat products, trying to figure out if they have whole grains or not. Thanks for this clear and easy to understand post.
Outstanding post and since I just bought the wheat mill you recommended, I value this post all the more. Won’t need to look for the tag now, it will all be “milled by us” so of course it will be 100% all grain!
Thanks for the great info! you have us hooked on the great harvest bread. one question. another blog i read says that no boxed cereal can be good, incl ezekial sprouted grain (which also has soy as a last ingrediant), because of the packaging. do you have any intel on this? i’d love your thoughts! thanks again.
You know we’ve got to be a little skeptical of anything factory-made even if it is only a handful of wholesome ingredients. We are addicted to our homemade granola cereal so we barely ever buy store-bought cereal (which is usually shredded wheat or puffed whole corn cereal when we do). So the boxed stuff is a non-issue for use although almost anything in moderation is okay!
I caution people, at least those living in Canada. Here, whole wheat does not mean whole grain. For example, for whole wheat flour the wheat is milled and the bran and germ are removed then a portion of the bran is added back. You need to look for whole grain whole wheat to ensure that it is whole grain.
I’m in Canada where I recently noticed our cereal has the General Mills “whole grain” symbol but the cereal contains zero grams of fibre. How can whole grain cereal not contain any fibre? I’m going to email the company and ask them that question! Thanks for the information to confirm this seems unreasonable.
Great post.
I agree with you about corn. Corn gets a bad rap by just about everyone, yet I think it is a wonderful food overall. HOWEVER, the biggest problem with corn is not that it is refined with the kernel or outer layer removed. The issue is that if it is not labeled as organic, chances are that your corn is genetically modified. I just pass if it is not labeled as organic.
FYI for anyone who has searched, masa harina cannot be labeled as organic because the step of soaking in lime water does not conform to organic standards. However Bob’s Red Mill makes a wonderful whole grain masa that I use for homemade tortillas. They only use non-GMO grains.
Yeah, my father told me to look at the ingredients on the breads that I might buy. The first ingredient should be 100% stone ground wheat. However, lately my supermarket changed their recipe….
I guess I’ll buy a bread machine and make my own.
It’s worth noting, there is a bit of an oddity with whole grains marking in the USA. IIRC, technically, one can use the “whole grain” stamp when wheat is fully processed (aka made into white flour) and the germ and bran are added back in later… some argue this is not a good thing… (and is part of why General Mills can use the whole grain stamp on sugary cereals…)… not sure which side of the fence I stand on… other than I vastly prefer breads that subscribe to Pollan’s “five ingredient or less” rule… generally they do use fresh ground whole grain flour…
Jenna, this is part of the answer to your quesion…
I am staying away from grains and only consuming on rare occassion, due to this:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/definitive-guide-grains/
Good luck! It looks like that blogger/author has found much success, but I must admit I find it a little odd that he talks so much about living the way our ancestors lived for centuries (which I agree with), but then he also sells supplements? Not sure how those two add up!?! Just my two cents!
For some people, such as myself, consuming whole grain/whole wheat products is actually bad for their health. I am one of the million Americans that suffer from Ulcerative Colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease. Eating these products causes me massive pain, diarrhea, and other digestive problems. I’m trying to eat as healthy as I can, but the only grains I can eat are refined ones. When I read posts from people about how whole grains are “the way to go”, it actually hurts me a bit because it makes me feel like I eat a very poor diet, and yet, this is the only way I can eat. I fully support the people that want to help better the lives of others by eating healthier, but I wish that they would also keep in mind those who are unable to eat those products and the alternatives they can have so that they can also eat healthier and live a better lifestyle with food choices.
Have you tried drinking aloe vera juice? My best friend swears that it has cured her ulcerative colitis.
Hi EMD,
For you and the many others in your place too, have you tried the GAPS diet. If u Google it, you will find an amazing alternative to living in such pain. Yes, we should limit the intake of grains anyway, but this diet will help heal your gut. It’s fantastic for so many other allergies too. If you suffer from allergies then check it out.
Hi, I’m Kennedy Todosichuk the reigning Miss Teen Eastern Saskatchewan Canada-World. I am inspired with your way of life and personally love my organic OJ and fresh fruit! I would love for you to send me some of your tips for a ‘busy teenager’ on how to incorprate healthy eating into our busy lifestlyes to add to my own blog at http://www.missteeneasternsaskatchewan.com and also link your blog to mine!
Merci!
Kennedy
xoxo
i always got confused about that, so thanks but i do have a question that hopefully you can answer. Say you’re at someone’s house and the wheat bread they have is not whole grain and they also have white bread. which would be best, the white or the wheat?
Any amount of whole wheat would be better than none at all. So if their whole-wheat bread if just half white flour and half whole-wheat flour that would be a better option over bread made with all white flour.
As a Momma to a Celiac I take great care in label reading and grain watching. I love this post, it’s very informative =) I would like to add how easy it is to grind the grain down yourself. I often buy whole grain (mostly brown rice, corn and whole oats)to use as my own flours. Its cheaper, heartier and healthier.
Thanks again, I’ll be sharing your site
To be fair, whole grains also contain way more anti-nutrients than refined grains. NEITHER are good for you. Some FERMENTED grains have their anti-nutrients broken down to the point that they are edible, but as a “real food”, grains really don’t cut it. I recommend Paleo and Primal resources like Mark’s Daily Apple for more info on why grains don’t constitute “real food”, in any form.
Also, your information about oats is completely false. Steel-cut oats are the only ones that have not had the bran completely discarded.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/are-oats-healthy/
“The “whole grain†form of an oat is called a groat and is rarely sold as-is, except maybe as horse feed. Instead, they’re sold either as steel-cut, rolled, or instant oats.
Steel-cut oats are whole groats chopped into several pieces. Some of the bran flakes off, but some is retained. Steel-cut oats take longer to cook, contain the most nutrients (and antinutrients like phytic acid), and taste nuttier than conventional oats.
Rolled oats are steamed groats that have literally been rolled out and flattened, with the bran discarded. When most people think of “oats,†they’re thinking of rolled oats.
Instant oats are rolled, steamed, and precooked oats. They’re essentially the same as rolled oats, only often accompanied by sugary flavorings and rendered immediately edible by the addition of hot liquid.”
My source is the whole-grains council…I think they probably know what they are talking about. The website you recommend Mark’s Daily Apple is a little contradicting because he talks about going back to the way people ate centuries ago (which I agree with), but then he also recommends supplements – which were definitely not around for cave men. Just wanted to point that out!
I made all our bread until the bread maker died. While I save for another one (my oven is unreliable on temps) my husband and I laugh about the longevity of the store-bought products. SOME won’t get any mold for many weeks. Real bread needs to be eaten within about 3 days. Another rule of thumb might be, “If it doesn’t rot, it isn’t food” LOL
Thank you so much for clarifying all this! Great job!
Thanks so much for this lesson on grains…I had no idea how things were done. Now I am more informed when I go to the store.
Honestly, I am sooooo sick and tired of the fraud and deceptive labeling in our food!
One thing to remember – nearly all wheat and corn grown and available in the US is genetically modified. If that’s not a concern for you, well then, don’t worry about it. But if it is a concern, look for products that indicate it’s made from non-gmo ingredients. Whole Foods carries many of these. Corn and wheat products and derivatives find their way into many, many products.
Your choice to make. :-)
This is a great post! Very informative, although I think it might be slightly misleading in the way you mentioned the white flour is high in calories. It is a carbohydrate, and therefore 4 calories/gram, just like the whole grain is still a carbohydrate and is 4 calories/gram (just like protein too). So while it might not be as nutrient dense as whole grains, it has the same amount of calories.
What I mean is that it is high in calories when considering the ratio of calories to nutrients. You are right it is not more calorie dense than whole grain flour. Thanks for bringing that up.
Monsanto has pretty much screwed up our grains. If they are genetically modified, they are not what God made for us to eat. They now have a corn that creates it’s own roundup. If you don’t think that ends up in the kernels, you are wrong. If you don’t pay more and eat organic, you are eating poison.
First of all I wanted to say I understand your concern about GMO grains, but you have your facts wrong…round up is a chemical that blocks photosynthesis and round up ready plants have a gene in them that are immune to that chemical (roundup). They do not contain nor do they produce roundup.
Christi, you also have your facts a little in accurate. GM corn does not make its own Roundup but because it is so much more resistant to its effects it can used more liberally around the GM crop. Then more of it gets into the plant. Not killing the plant but passing on the residue… to us!
New studies over the full life cycle of rats have shown a 10 fold increase of tumours when fed a diet of GM corn
All the wheat grown in the United States were Genetically Modified many years ago even before Monsanto started the GMO food. According to Doctor David Smith, Author of the book “Wheat Belly”, the wheat we eat nowadays are dramatically different than what our grand parents ate. This modern wheat actually creates “Opiate” in the brain that makes people eat more. That’s why we have these super sized hamburgers etc. When people quit eating any kind of wheat products, their weight drop exponentially.
Also, we have high fructose corn syrup in most drinks and food, which also makes people eat or drink more. My husband used to drink 3 cans of coke before and once he switch to Coke from Mexico that are made from real sugar, his craving for Coke drops. Now he only drinks 1 bottle per day (Mexican Coke come in glass bottle only).
This explains why we as Americans are so obese compared to the rest of the folks in Europe and Asia.
I’m not saying that you are wrong, but personally, I don’t think wheat suffered from true genetic modification in terms of laboratory changes, but it was selectively bred for decades, resulting in similar changes to what they might do in a lab.
If you want something closer to what our ancestors ate, try spelt or kamut.
Today I cam across some bakery bread that listed its first ingredient as organic patent flour. Do you know if patent flour is good for you? Is it something that would be ok to eat during the 10 day pledge?
It doesn’t sound whole-grain or whole-wheat to me. I would call the company and ask to be sure.
I was wondering what the difference is between the 100% whole wheat flour and the unbleached white whole wheat flour. I bought the 100% whole wheat first because it was cheaper, but you recommend the other in so many of your recipes that I spent the extra 69 cents and tried the unbleached white WW and it was SO MUCH better. Can you explain the difference?
They are both whole-wheat they are just made from different varieties of wheat…that’s all really! I find the “white whole wheat” to have a more mild flavor.
After doing some reading on durum semolina I’m not so sure my Whole-Wheat dried pasta that I’m getting at the grocery store is an unprocessed food. I understand you make your own whole wheat pasta but do you ever buy whole wheat pasta from the store?
Yes, I do also buy it from the store and what we get usually only has 1 or 2 ingredients “Organic whole durum wheat flour and water” …the important thing is that it says “whole” for the flour. Here’s an example of one type in our pantry right now: http://www.amazon.com/bionaturae-Organic-Whole-Spaghetti-16-Ounce/dp/B001IZM7QQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337266415&sr=8-1
Do you know why the King Arthur white whole wheat flour does not have the 100% whole grains stamp?
Megan – The stamp is not automatic, they have to opt-in somehow so just because they don’t have the stamp doesn’t mean the product isn’t whole grain.
Hello-I am totally new to the sceen of whole foods and trying to learn. It all makes sense, I love this site. Taking a litte in at a time. Even after all this information, I’m still confused on the different between whole wheat and whole grain? And why some white bread would be better than brown?
A good rule of thumb is to look for things that say “100% whole wheat”. Whole grain may contain whole wheat, but, it’s probably only a “part’ of what’s included. So, again, I just look for things to say 100% whole wheat and then look to the ingredients to decide. Hope that helps. Jill
Lisa,
Thanks for reposting this recently. The first time I read it I must not have caught that semolina is processed. I’ve been buying the Barilla Plus thinking I was getting a whole food with added protein from legumes. It is so frustrating trying to feed my family good wholesome food when the food industry makes it so difficult to do so. Thank you so much for all your hard work informing us on better choices we can make.
What is the difference between whole wheat and whole wheat flour?
Hi Sarah. If I understand your question correctly, the whole wheat flour has already been milled (ground) whereas the whole wheat has not. Jill
All grains are processed. We would do well to limit grains in our diets.
I agree with the comment about Monsanto. I think it’s an extremely important point to note that corn is actually very far from healthy, if not organic. Also, arsenic in rice makes it something to, unfortunately, limit as well. If you haven’t heard about it, look it up. Just wanted to throw that out there for the people coming to this site trying to get healthy. :)
What can you tell me about genetically altered wheat ? Do Harvest Bakery use it ? Thanks!
Hi Brenda. I am not certain on the Great Harvest wheat…I know some others have reported that each store can vary a little bit on certain things. Here is some information I found on their site about their wheat. http://www.greatharvest.com/bread/wheat.html. Jill
I hastily bought flour today that is organic sprouted spelt from whole foods. It doesn’t say whole though. Would that be whole grain? It looks like whole wheat flour but I am not sure. Any insight would be appreciated!! Thanks!
Hi Katie. Yes, the sprouted spelt flour is whole grain. Jill
I thought after reading ,”Wheat Belly”, Dr.Davis. There is Not any type of wheat/ grain to eat?
I see here allot of you are eating Grain!!
I have been using to bake,Organic Coconut Flour, and Almond Flour..
I got off the web a Banana bread, that I use Coconut flour. We think it is very good, and healthy.
There is No Sugar in this bread.Only a few healthy ingr. you throw into one bowl, beat & bake..
If anyone wants the recipe, let me know?
There is a bakery called, Julian Bakery that sells:
Paleo Bread –
Almond bread is Gluten Free, Grain Free, Yeast Free, Soy Free, GMO Free, High Protein, Low Carb and best of all delicious.
Paleo Bread -Almond loaf contains six simple ingredients: Purified Water, Blanched Almonds, Egg Whites, Psyllium, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, and a pinch of Baking Soda.
Here is there website:http://www.julianbakery.com
I Live in California , it is sold in many Health Food stores, and Whole Foods.
Take Care,
Annie
Hi Annie. Yes, there is a lot of discussion about wheat…we choose to eat everything in moderation and only avoid foods if we have a specific reason to do so (i.e. allergy). Jill
I am so confused about wheat. I just saw another video that talks about foods to eliminate from diet to lose weight and that are unhealthy (artificial sweetners, orange juice, soda and wheat.)
I mainly want to be healthy but trying to lose the remaining baby weight that is hanging on me. :)
You obviously eat a lot of wheat so I’m just really confused if I should eat it or not. So much information out there.
On another note, I love your blog!
Holly
Hi Holly,
You will not be healthy eating, or lose weight eating Artificial sweeteners. They set you up to eat more sweets, and also cause stomach cancer etc..
Orange juice, is a processed food and not healthy unless you juice it your self. Its also has allot of sugar calories.
Sugar free soda, or regular soda, is a weight gainer, without any nutritional value, and also sets you up to want to eat more soda, and sugary starchy foods. Soda is also a diuretic ,which robs your bones of calcium as soda does also.
I had a women that worked for me. She had a stomach By-pass surgery. After that she never brought soda into her house. 3 months after her husband lost 60 pounds, from just not drinking diet soda. He drank water, and lemon water.
Lemon water Alkaline food. Not acid. It is healthy to drink all day..
Be careful with wheat. It is a Acid food..Our body are suppose to be 80% Alkaline & 20% acid.
You can wrap your sandwiches in romaine leaves..Yumm
Take Care,
Annie
Hate to burst your bubble, but lemon juice is acidic. This is why it’s added to many canning recipes to lower the pH to make it safe to can in a water bath (as opposed to pressure canning). All citrus is acidic to some extent. That’s also why they started creating “low acid” orange juice.
Hi Holly. We believe in eating everything in moderation and only eliminating a specific food group if there is a reason to do so. Ultimately, you’ll need to make the call in terms of what is right for you. Jill
Hi! So I am not sure if anyone can answer this but I read this article and then went to buy pasta today. The brand I normally buy lists “whole wheat semolina”…so I am really confused because based on the article saying whole wheat would be good, but the semolina makes it bad…so it is bad or good?
Hi Jen. It can be confusing. There is also 100% whole durum wheat semolina which I believe is considered a whole grain pasta. ~Amy
This is a fantastic blog! It is what I live for. My family has already cut out food additives, preservatives and dyes. We have also cut out wheat, rye, barley, spelt, and malt – completely. There is a fantastic book called Healthier Without Wheat by Dr. Stephen Wagen that is a must read for any family suffering with symptoms that the Drs. can’t diagnose or, when they do, they just give you a drug to manage it. It is unbelievable the symptoms that Americans have that are related to eating wheat! I encourage you to check it out!
I am having a hard time finding an organic masa harina (or at least one that is non-GMO). Is there such a brand out there?
Hi Stephanie. I have read in several places that masa harina technically cannot be sold as organic because of the way it is processed. I am not certain but I think that Bob’s Red Mill is non GMO and I found this one: http://www.purcellmountainfarms.com/Masa%20Harina.htm. Hope that helps. ~Amy
I was wondering why you choose to use an organic white whole wheat flour as opposed to a whole grain that you have ground at a mill or grind yourself? It seems to me that the white whole wheat would be far more processed and less nutrient rich than the actual whole grain that is ground the same week it is used.
Hi Leslie. Lisa does often grind her own wheat. For many of our recipes, however, we do consider that most people don’t have their own mill or the inclination to grind their own grain. We agree that freshly ground grain is a wonderful thing! ~Amy
I would like to eliminate wheat from my diet. I do not need gluten free, just want to stop wheat. My question is “Is it okay to eat products with ‘whole grain corn flour’ or ‘whole grain oat flour’ or ‘barley malt’? Thanks
Hi EllaPorelle. As long as your grains are 100% whole, you are doing well. Curious as to what you are using the barely malt for? Sweetener? ~Amy
Hi Lisa,
I have recently found an organic farmer near me that grows ancient red fife heritage wheat. Have you heard of it? Apparently gluten sensitive people can consume it without problems because it is the grain of our ancestors from before they started messing with the protein/gluten content of wheat.
I’m going to purchase some and if you don’t already have infomation on it, I could send it to you.
Kristel
Hi Kristel. Thanks for the information. I did a quick search and found plenty of information on that wheat variety. Is your grower in the US or Canada? Just curious. Seems somewhat hard to come by here. ~Amy
I was wondering your thoughts on the information in a book called Curing Tooth Decay? It mainly speaks of how grains containing phylatic acid is casuing devastating on our teeth. It says that if you are to eat grains they should be soaked, and eaten minimally. Our grains and wheat today are nothing like our ancestors so. I am curious since your family eats little meat and lots of whole wheat and grains how your oral health is. I am trying to decide if it there is truth behind those who say the grains are causing cavities. We eat grains 3 times a week and meat about 4 times per week. We also take vitamin D and charcoal capsule plus fermented cod liver oil/butter oil for our teeth. Any thoughts on these items? Thanks so much.
Hi Bekah. That is not a book with which we are familiar. The Leake’s consume whole wheat and grains regularly. I do not believe that tooth decay has been a problem. ~Amy
Hello! I’m new to this site and really enjoying all of the great information. I stumbled upon this page while doing some research on grains. I’ve now read so much conflicting information my head is spinning. I read this, http://wellnessmama.com/575/how-grains-are-killing-you-slowly/ and felt pretty convinced, but now I’m having second thoughts. How can science point us in so many different directions on one topic? Is it mostly bias? I’m curious to get anyone else’s take on this. Thank you!
Hi Alicia. The Leakes believe that whole grains are an important part of a healthy diet. They also realize that some people have allergies and sensitivities that preclude their consumption of whole grains. They are planning to do a post on the wheat controversy in the near future so stay tuned. ~Amy
Hello! I’m also curious about this question. Just wondering if there is now a post on the wheat controversy and if so, could you direct me to it? I haven’t been able to find it through a search. Love the site! Thanks!
Hello Lee. Nope, but it is in the pipeline. ~Amy
So excited to finally understand what the “whole grain” means. I purchased King Arthur premium 100% whole wheat flour to make some of the wonderful recipes on the site and have a question. It has the whole grain stamp but not 100% only 30g or more per serving. It seems like many of the recipes use this brand (although usually white wheat), but it’s not 100% whole grain? Sorry, a little confused.
Hi Amber. It can be a bit confusing. This should help clarify: http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grain-stamp. ~Amy
What is the benefit of steel cut oats then, compared to quick oats? Any nutritional difference?
Hi Beth. Here is a cool infographic that can answer that question: http://www.prevention.com/whats-healthier-steel-cut-oats-or-rolled-oats. ~Amy
yes thanks so much!
My pasta says for ingredients: whole durum wheat flour as it’s only ingredient. I can’t tell if this is a whole food or not. Can you assist?
Hi Leah. Do you see “100% whole” on the packaging?
Hi Leah. Do you see 100% whole on the package anywhere?
Hi there! I’m new to the site and am desperately trying to learn all I can before actually starting to make the switch. I went to the Whole Grain Counsel website and looked at only those breads with the 100% stamp. The thing I’m curious about though is when I look up the ingredient lists for the breads with the 100% stamp, they still seem to have a crazy number of ingredients listed! So… if it has the 100% stamp, it’s better for me, right? Is it a better solution if I don’t feel up to baking my own bread and there isn’t a dependable bakery around here? Or should I keep looking?
Hi Caitlin. A 100% whole grain bread is better than one that is not, for sure. It is, however, very difficult to find a low ingredient bread at a conventional grocery store and even at health food stores. One brand that you can usually find in the frozen section is Ezekial which is a low ingredient sprouted whole grain bread. Typically, we get our breads from a local bakery or bake it ourselves. I have found a lower ingredient organic whole grain at Trader Joes, too, but it does not technically fit within the pledge parameters. :) ~Amy
Hello –
Some bread recipes I have call for adding wheat gluten. Is this considered a whole food – or something I should try to avoid?
Thanks!
Hi Jen. It is often added to whole grain breads to help them rise. Lisa does not use it but it is difficult to avoid it in store bought whole grain loaves. ~Amy
I have been following your blog since the spring and it has inspired me to slowly make the switch over to eating real food! It is still a work in progress! One question that I have is about buying certified organic wheat flour…. do you recommend buying “organic” whole wheat flour or is regular whole wheat okay? I have been buying Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat flour and recently found a store in my area that sells the certified organic version but it is double the price… I have not found a lot of information when trying to research this so I wanted your opinion…. Thanks!
Hi Kelly. We do try to buy organic when we can but we know it is not always feasible. You might find ordering online to be more budget friendly. This is the brand Lisa typically buys: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/flours/organic-flours. This article might be helpful, too; http://www.prevention.com/food/smart-shopping/organic-wheat-worth-extra-dough. ~Amy
Hi, I am sorry if I am asking something that has already been answered, but what about using wheat germ in recipes? Would that be ok? Thanks!
Hi Flavia. Sure, you can add wheat germ. :)
Good article. I would just add that the levels of pesticides on wheat are very high. So if you go with whole wheat, you should really go organic. A recent study shows that gluten intolerance is likely linked to pesticides instead of the grain itself.
What about spelt flour – I found an organic very low ingredient sourdough spelt bread at my health food store and was hoping it meets the real food criteria.
Hi Victoria. Spelt is great.
My local grocery store doesn’t sell a single brand of whole grain cornmeal. (At least not where I looked for it near the regular corn meal.) Any suggestion what I could use besides cornmeal in recipes (like cornbread) or am I going to have to find a different store? :)
Hi Rachel. You can order it online, too. Amazon is a good resource. :)
I may have missed this in other comments, but what is the difference in whole wheat and white whole wheat. I use King Arthur’s white whole wheat (after seeing it on this website), but I honestly don’t know what the difference is.
They are just from different types of wheat. The whole white wheat is a milder variety and the taste is more like traditional white flour (but not exactly). It tastes less “hearty” than the traditional whole wheat, making it better for pastries, etc.
Hello,
Are grains such as quinoa, couscous, polenta, and farrow allowed?
Hi there. Yes, absolutely! Just be sure you are getting 100% whole grains.
Sorry if this has already been answered, but what are the thoughts on Ezekiel bread? I know it has more than 5 ingredients but also appears to be just organic sprouted grains, yeast, and salt at the end? Thanks!
Hi there. Ezekial is a really good choice for a store bought bread.
Thanks for asking that! I was wondering the same thing. I started eating healthier a while back but just recently found this site and it’s helped me a lot become more aware of ingredients!
Wondering if you have a list of whole grain options (or brands that you choose) when it comes to flour, breads, pasta, crackers etc… ?
Hello Jaimi. Lisa uses King Arthur flour, makes her own or buys Great Harvest bread (Ezekial is a good store bought option), pastas vary, and she buys whole wheat matzo crackers or Ak Mak and occasionally Crunch Master brand. :)
I’m actually stunned that you’re not aware that grains are the cause of digestive disorders, food allergies and diseases such as Type 1 Diabetes.
Grain proteins are, as far as digestion is concerned, indestructible. If they find their way into the bloodstream the body creates antibodies to attack them (just like bacteria and viruses).
Food allergies are caused by the immune system mistaking other food proteins for the grain proteins; and even worse it can mistake proteins that are a part of us. For example, if it attacks the pancreas and damages it or destroys it this leads to Type 1 Diabetes.
We’re not designed to eat grains. They don’t want to be eaten and so have defenses which are toxic not nutritious! The demise of the human race began with Agriculture no matter what the Whole (profit) Grains (money) Council tells us.
Some cultures have traditionally lived off grains such as rice, almost entirely. Those same cultures have very low incidence of disease an allergies compared to our modern, Anerican diet. What evidence supports your claim?
Val – read Wheat Belly.
[also] Other countries don’t have GM grains in their diets. I buy whole grains from foreign sources.
So you should have said from the beginning that the problem is GM foods, not grains in particular. But you’re right that the grain culture (processed cereals) was introduced by corporations to the masses, to control/tame/kill them gradually.
food allergies seem to be caused by toxins/chemicals that we were never meant to ingest or inject. That is what has weakened our immune system…
Taking my clients through your program, wish me luck!
Hi Lisa; I’m enjoying the posts but I disagree with the statement that whole wheat products have all 3 parts of the grain. In order to be shelf stable, the germ must be removed because that’s where the life is. If you want whole wheat flour, you need to either grind your own or buy “whole wheat” flour and a jar of wheat germ and mix them together; I believe the ratio is 1/4 cup germ to one cup flour. The wheat germ should be kept either in the fridge or the freezer.
What happens when a package of spaghetti lists its only ingredient as “100% whole durum wheat semolina”? Is this pasta safe to eat if avoiding processed grains because it says whole wheat, or not okay because it includes the word semolina as noted in your list?
Hi there. This might help: http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/identifying-whole-grain-products.