Buying Beyond Organic {Part I: Whole Grains}

So your label says "organic," huh?  That must mean that its good for you, right?  I mean, companies wouldn't use a buzz word like "organic" unless the product is good for you, right? ... *sigh*

What organic means is that there weren't any pesticides, herbicides, GMOs, or other artificial ingredients used in the processing of the product.  So, yes, you are at least avoiding most toxic chemicals and icky additives by buying organic.

If we're getting technical, the USDA defines "organic" as food that is

produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations.  Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones.  Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled ‘organic,’ a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards.  Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

Consumer Brochure, USDA National Organic Program.

So, by means of reverse reasoning, food that is not certified organic may be treated with "fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge" and may involve bioengineering or ionizing radiation.  Fabulous.  I think I'll stick with my organic/grass-fed or locally-raised foods.  Yeah, thanks.

While buying organic is a huge step in the right direction (I haven't seen any organic Twinkies on the shelf lately), it's not the end-all, be-all in healthy eating.  There is so much more to consider!

I plan on doing a multi-part series on this topic (buying beyond just "organic").  Today's post is on Whole Grains - why they're important and how to spot them.

I originally planned on also detailing they whats and whys of whole grains myself, but then I happened upon this post by Lisa Leake of the 100 Days of Real Food blog.  She has so much good stuff there that it just seems unnecessary to rewrite almost the same exact info out here.  You really, really need to click over and read her entire post!  For the purposes of this post, though, here are a few whole grain basics that you really need to understand:

• There are 3 parts of a "grain" - the germ, bran, and endosperm.  The germ and the bran contain the majority of the nutrients and fiber and all the "goodies" of the grain.  The endosperm is full of calories and low in nutrients.
• Whole grains contain all three parts of the grain.
• Refined grains have had the germ and the bran removed.  All a refined grain is left with is the endosperm.
• Although, for example, white flour and whole wheat flour are both made from the same plant, the processing and the removal of the healthy parts of the grain render two products with vastly different nutrient compositions.

The refined grains are in a state that our bodies were simply not designed to process.  The starches are much simpler and are stored by our bodies at a much higher rate.
So, how do you know for sure what  you're getting when you buy flour, corn, rice and oat products?

First, you CANNOT trust the wording on the front of the packaging.  In reality, words like "multi-grain" and "whole grains" on the packaging mean little to nothing.  "Multi-grain" simply means that multiple types of grains were used in making the products.  It has nothing to do with whether or not those grains are whole grains.  And, "whole grains" can simply mean that some of the grains used in the product are whole grains, but the food can still be mostly or nearly all processed grains.

The first thing you should do is flip your package over (ignore the nutrition label and all other package markings), and look for the ingredient list.  If the words "whole grain" are not in the name of each grain ingredient, it is NOT a whole grain.  "Wheat flour" does NOT equal "whole wheat flour."
That's it!  There's really not big secret, it's just a matter of getting past what the manufacturer wants you to think their product is and getting to what it actually is.  Your biggest (and easiest) weapon in picking good, wholesome whole grains is the ingredient list.
Here are some examples of sneaky labels and exactly what you should be looking for:



Kids' snacks with whole wheat AND refined white flour.



Refined flour and whole wheat flour side-by-side. The refined flour (left) has a very tricky label: "Certified 100% Organic Hard Red Spring Wheat" is really just plain ol' refined white flour that meets the organic certification standards. NOT healthy!

Whole Wheat Pasta

Processed, refined pasta

Rice won't say "whole grain" on the packaging, but "brown rice" is the whole grain version. If the package just lists "rice" without "brown," it's the unhealthy refined white rice.

 NOTE:  Oats are almost NEVER refined.  Whether they're instant, rolled, steel-cut, or quick oats, they are almost guaranteed to be whole grain (even oat flour)!