Whole Wheat or Whole Grain?

Whole Wheat vs Whole Grain - What's the difference and why should you switch?

Gone are the days of white bread. I remember eating white bread as a child. I loved the flavor and texture. It was soft as a cotton ball and absolutely the best when there was a slice of bologna in-between the bread. The sandwich was never complete if it didn't include a thick layer of mayonnaise and a slice of bright yellow rubbery cheese! Hard to imagine something that artificial ever tasting good.

Today, most of us are choosing whole wheat over white bread. Now days you can find just about anything in whole wheat form; bread, tortilla's, flour and pasta. There are new studies showing that whole wheat isn't as good for you as whole grain product because the whole-wheat flour grain goes through a refining process that removes some of the nutritional value from the end product.

The hot new trend is whole grain products. It's not surprising that there may be confusion between understanding the difference between wheat and grain because there are many similarities between the two. The easiest way to tell the difference is through our senses...by taste and touch. Whole grain has a richer flavor than whole wheat. Whole wheat breads are generally lighter in texture while whole grain bread will have a denser texture and more nutrients. Whole grain bread will fill you up sooner than wheat bread due it's density and extra fiber, therefore you'll find yourself eating less bread.

If you're going to make the switch from wheat to grain, look for 100% whole grain bread. 100% whole grain products have a whole grain stamp on them as well, which makes it easier to determine if it's 100% or not.

So what's the biggest reason you might want to move over to whole grain products other than flavor and nutritional value...weight-loss! Studies have shown that people who consume more whole grains consistently weigh less than those who consumed less whole grain products. Whole grain tends to create less of a spike in blood glucose levels. Whether you choose whole grain, whole wheat or a combination of the two; it's better than a bologna sandwich on white bread!

Until next time...