By Kristi Tamaki, RD / Best Teen Diets Contributor

The Test:
1.  Take a piece of 100% whole wheat bread and place it in a clear bowl.
2.  Put a piece of white bread in a second bowl.
3.  Pour orange juice into each bowl, just enough to cover each piece of bread.
4.  Let sit for 10 minutes.  Then observe what happened to each. 

The orange juice represents the acid in our stomach that breaks down food.  Whole grains foods are good for us because they stick around longer than white flour products... can you see why from this experiment?

Identifying Whole Grains 
With so many labels and food products out there, it can be rather difficult to determine if something is actually made with whole grain ingredients, how much of it is whole grains, or if what you are eating counts as one of the recommended servings of whole grains.  For instance, we've picked up a loaf of multigrain or seven-grain bread thinking we were making the healthiest choice.  Come to find out, the first ingredient on the list was "enriched wheat flour," which meant we weren't getting one of our whole grain servings in. 

Here is a little deconstructing of packaging terminology from the Whole Grains Council.   

The best thing to look for is a whole grain stamp to ensure whole grain nutrition.  This is an easy way to know if you are getting a serving of whole grains.  Otherwise, it can be difficult  to tell if your product is made with just 1% or up to 100% whole grains.  You can also use this "stamped product" search tool to look at specific products you may already have in your cupboards.  And remember, just because it has fiber, does NOT mean it is whole grain!




Chart courtesy of the Whole Grain Council: "Identifying Whole Grain Products"

Best Teen Diets recommends healthy well balanced eating that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low-fat or fat-free dairy. We offer nutrition information for teens, parents and educators that emphasizes the importance of healthy eating for teens. For more information visit www.bestteendiets.org