Making Sense of Whole Grain Labels
By Maggie Davis, MS, RD, LDN, FADA, CDE

Whole grains now come labeled with a Whole Grain Stamp on the front of the package for easy identification. But how should you use the information in choosing grains?

You can see that there are 2 types of Whole Grain stamps on food products. The 100% Stamp indicates that all of the grain ingredients are whole grains - a full serving is considered at least 16 grams. The Basic Stamp indicates that the product contains at least 8 grams (or ½ serving) of whole grains but it might also contain some more refined grains or added fiber (bran) or added germ that is not part of the whole grain ingredients. A Whole Grain is an intact grain that contains all 3 parts – Bran, Germ, and Endosperm.

Each Stamp also shows a number, telling you how many grams of whole grain ingredients are in a serving of the product. So it’s easier to tell if you are getting 3 servings of whole grains per day (a total of 48 grams) even if you eat several foods that add up to the 48 grams. Some products that have the Basic Stamp simply state “Good Source” so you can assume that a serving provides you with 8 grams of whole grain.

We see the advice to “Make Half Your Grains Whole”. But is 48 grams (or 3 servings) really enough if you eat a diet that contains more than 2000 calories per day? If you do a lot of physical work or exercise and you’re consuming 8 or 10 grains per day, then ideally you should make half of them (4-5) whole grains. And if you are on a low carbohydrate diet and eat only 3 servings of grain or starch per day should they all be Whole Grains? The answer ideally is yes. So the bottom line advice is to consume as many whole grains as possible, but at least 3 a day, as part of a healthy diet.

For more information go to www.WholeGrainsCouncil.org