Eating whole grain foods is one of the healthiest ways to add more protein and fiber to your diet. But if you’re not paying attention, it’s also one of the fastest ways to get an unexpected dose of sugar and calories, according to a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health. In particular, it seems that the familiar “100% Whole Grain” stamp—a bright yellow label that appears on around 7,500 products—isn’t a reliable indicator of a product’s nutrition. By law, any product that advertises itself as “whole grain” must be at least 51% whole grain by weight. The remaining 49%, however, can include refined grains, sugar, sodium, dyes, and other questionable ingredients. And plenty of products do, researchers concluded. They compared 545 whole grain products that fell into one of these five different whole-grain marketing schemes:
Products carried the Whole Grain Council’s “100% Whole Grain” stamp, which isn’t regulated by the federal government. Rather, companies pay the council a fee to use the stamp.Products had a whole grain listed as their first ingredient.Products had a whole grain listed as its first ingredient, and did not list any added sugars in the first three ingredients on their labels.The word “whole” appeared before any ingredient on the product’s ingredient list.Products met the American Heart Association’s 10:1 ratio, meaning that the ratio of total carbohydrates to fiber per serving was at least 10 to 1; lower than 10 means that you’re getting more fiber per serving, while a number higher than 10 means you’re eating more carbs than fiber.
Products bearing the “100% Whole Grain” stamp were among the worst in the study. They typically contained more calories, sugar, and, sometimes, almost double the trans fats of other products. As a final insult, products bearing the yellow stamp were also among the most expensive. “Our findings call into question the usefulness of the industry-supported Whole Grain stamp and several USDA-recommended criteria available to consumers and organizations to identify healthful whole grain products,” the authors write. So what can you do? The study found that products meeting the American Heart Association’s 10:1 ratio were lowest in calories and highest in fiber. But since there’s no stamp or seal to certify such products—and you don’t always carry a calculator when you shop—here are your best bets: Read labels. Look for products that list whole grains as the first ingredient and do not list a form of sugar anywhere in the first three ingredients. Such products came in second, right behind those that met the American Heart Association’s standards, in terms of calories, sugar, and fiber levels. Eat outside the box. The best way to ensure you’re getting whole grains, and nothing else, is to ditch processed grains. Stick with whole oats, brown rice, quinoa, and other grains that you cook yourself. Need some hints on where to find them? Check out our list of The Healthiest Whole Grains. More from Prevention: Whole Wheat Pasta Versus Gluten-Free Pasta Questions? Comments? Contact Prevention’s News Team!
