1. 1 Tips for Using MyPyramid Meet the Grain Group

2. 2 Grains are good for you! Eating foods rich in fiber, such as whole grains, provides several health benefits: Reduces the risk of heart disease Decreases the incidence of constipation Helps with weight management

3. 3 MyPyramid Recommendations: Grains Eat six 1 ounce-equivalents of grain products daily (for a 2,000 calorie diet): Make at least half of grains whole grain The rest of your grains should come from enriched or whole grain products.

4. 4 Definition: 1 ounce equivalent grains food group In the grains food group, a 1 ounce-equivalent is the amount of a food counted as equal to a 1 ounce slice of bread. Equivalents include: 1 slice bread 1 slice bread ½ cup cooked pasta, ½ cup cooked pasta, rice or cereal rice or cereal 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal 1 mini bagel 1 mini bagel ½ English muffin ½ English muffin 1 small (2-½ diameter) muffin 1 small (2-½ diameter) muffin 3 cups popcorn 3 cups popcorn 1 small (6) flour or corn tortilla 1 small (6) flour or corn tortilla

5. 5 Definition: Whole grains entire grain seed Whole grain foods are made from the entire grain seed (usually called the kernel) which consists of: Bran Germ Endosperm If the kernel has been cracked, crushed, or flaked, it must retain nearly the same relative proportions of bran, germ, and endosperm as the original grain to be called whole grain.

6. 6 Gains with whole grains the bran and germ are removed. This process also removes much of the B vitamins, iron, and dietary fiber Refined grains have been milled the bran and germ are removed. This process also removes much of the B vitamins, iron, and dietary fiber. Graphic from http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/food/grain/train.pdfhttp://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/food/grain/train.pdf Most refined grains are enriched. This means certain B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid) and iron are added back after processing. Fiber isnt added back to most enriched grains.

7. 7 Examples of whole grains Whole wheat Whole oats/oatmeal Whole grain corn Popcorn Brown & wild rice Whole rye Whole grain barley Buckwheat Tritacale Bulgur Millet Quinoa Sorghum

8. 8 Label reading and whole grains first Choose foods with a whole grain ingredient listed first on the labels ingredient list. Ingredients are listed in descending order of weight (from most to least).

9. 9 Which is the whole grain bread? Whole wheat flour, water, brown sugar … Wheat flour, water, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, wheat bran …

10. 10 Answer: has WHOLE wheat as the first ingredient! Whole wheat flour Whole wheat flour, water, brown sugar … Wheat flour Wheat flour, water, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, wheat bran …

11. 11 Color and whole grains Color is not an indication of a whole grain. Bread can be brown because of molasses or other added ingredients. Wheat flour Wheat flour, water, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, wheat bran … Read the ingredient list to see if grain is a WHOLE grain.

12. 12 Nutrition Facts label and grains Use Nutrition Facts label to help choose whole grain products with a higher % Daily Value (%DV) for fiber. The %DV for fiber is a good clue to the amount of whole grain in the product.

13. 13 Which grain food is higher in fiber?

14. 14 Answer: with 3 grams of fiber!

15. 15 Watch wording on grains! Foods are usually not whole grain products if labeled with these words: Multi-grain Stone-ground 100% wheat Cracked wheat Seven-grain Bran While bran provides fiber which is important for health, products with added bran or bran alone are not necessarily whole grain products.

16. 16 Calculate recommended amounts of foods for a personalized MyPyramid Plan for YOUR calorie level at MyPyramid.gov

17. 17 THE END Thanks in part to the University of Nebraska division of Agriculture and Natural Resources in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.