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You probably already know you need to eat less fat, sugar and salt, and eat more fruit and vegetables but did you know you should also be eating more wholegrain foods?

What are wholegrains?

Grains like wheat, barley, rye and oats, are made up of three parts:

1. The bran: a rich source of dietary fibre, B vitamins and phytochemicals
2.  
3. The endosperm: makes up 80% of the grain and contains carbohydrates and protein. It is the section of the grain that is kept during the refining process
4.  
5. The wheat germ: a pocket of nutrients such as vitamin E, zinc, good fats and B vitamins.

As the name suggests, wholegrain products are those which contain all three parts of the grain. They can either be eaten as a food on their own, such as oats or brown rice, or they can be made into food products such as wholemeal bread.

When the grain is refined, usually to create ‘white’ products like white flour and white rice, only the endosperm layer is used. The bran and germ are removed and used elsewhere. 

Why eat wholegrains?

Wholegrains contain a source of dietary fibre and there is evidence that diets-rich in dietary fibre may reduce risk of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes and improve weight maintenance.¹

How much to eat?

Experts recommend that you eat 48g of wholegrain each day². One easy way to meet this target is by eating two slices of Hovis wholemeal bread, 1 ½ cups cooked brown rice or 1 ½ cups cooked wholegrain pasta.

Surveys show that 95% of adults don't eat enough wholegrains and nearly one

in three of us get none at all³.

References

¹Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for carbohydrates and dietary fibre  http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/1462.htm

² U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture (2005). Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. 6th Edition, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office (www.mypyramid.gov)

³ The British Dietetic Association, Wholegrains – The Way To Go. Found at:www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts