Why whole grain is preferred in your diet?
Whole grain is an important source for natural fibre, minerals, vitamins, phyto-oestrogens, antioxidants and other components and is also low in saturated fatty acids. The highest concentration of nutrients is located in the germ and bran layer though they are not distributed uniformly.

The three components that make a kernel are:
=>> Bran: rich in B vitamins, phytonutrients (flavonoids, indoles), fibre, minerals; small amount of protein
=>> Endosperm: predominantly carbohydrate, also proteins, small amounts of B vitamins
=>> Germ: rich in minerals like iron and zinc, B vitamins, phytonutrients and vitamin E

So what is natural fibre that we see in some of the products’ labellings?
Natural fibre means the edible parts of a plant that can not be digested or absorbed in the small intestine. It is normally found in whole grain products like bran and oat bran cereals, whole and mixed grain breads or wholegrain breakfast cereals.

Natural fibre is divided into two classes known as soluble and insoluble fibre:
=>>Soluble fibre supposed to slow digestion and absorption of carbohydrates and therefore help people with diabetes and high blood cholesterol levels improve thus control their blood glucose and blood lipid levels. Whole grain products provide 20-50 % of their fibre in the soluble (or viscous) form.
Soluble fibre is found in oats, barley, rye, fruits, vegetables and pulses.
=>>Insoluble fibre found in whole grain cereals and wholemeal bread which is important for bowel function and regularity.

And so please note that products with labels like multi grain, cracked wheat, seven grain, stone-ground, 100 percent wheat, enriched flour and processed cornmeal are not considered whole grain food.

Refined grains means they have gone through the process of being milled to remove the bran and germ. This is done to give the grains a finer texture and prolong shelf life of the products. The disadvantage is the natural fiber, iron, and many B vitamins have been removed, examples like white flour, white bread, white rice and cornmeal.

Most refined grain products have to be added back with B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid) and iron after processing which is known as ‘enriched’, but fiber is left out and this makes carbohydrates turn into glucose very fast and enter the blood stream which is why diabetics have to be watchful with their diet. If the fiber is intact, it would regulate the blood sugar as carbohydrates are not absorbed quickly.
Also, you won’t feel hungry quickly and this is ideal for maintaining a healthy weight.

It is advisable to check the ingredient list on refined grain products to make sure that the word ‘enriched’ is included next to the grain name. Note that there are some food products being made from mixtures of whole grains and refined grains too.

It is also noted that whole-grain cereals have three to seven times more fiber to a serving than refined cereals. Do keep in mind to include whole grain products in your diet because of the whole package of nutrients contained from the whole grain kernel!