A. Go Grains Health & Nutrition is the leading independent nutrition advisor for grain-foods in human health. We are a member based organisation, comprising members from across the grains industry from growers to food manufacturers as well as large research organisations. We don’t manufacture products, but we provide accurate and scientifically based information on the health benefits of grain-based foods for Health Professionals, Teachers, Students, Industry, Food Regulators and Consumers. You can use our information to learn how and why you should adopt a healthy balanced diet, including the goodness of grains for you and your family.
A. Grain-based foods are a large and varied food group. Bread, pasta, breakfast cereal, rice, semolina, couscous, noodles, tacos, porridge, crispbreads, and rice cakes are examples of grain-based foods. Biscuits, cakes and pastries are also made with grains, however they are made with additional sugar and fat, so are generally considered as ‘extra foods’.
A. The answer lies within our new ‘4+ serves a day’ logo! Australians over the age of 4 years should aim for 4+ (four or more) serves of grain-based foods each and every day. The specific amount you should eat is dependent on your age, gender and physical activity level. Click here for more info.
A. One serve of grain-based food is equal to approximately:
- 2 slices of bread
- 1 medium bread roll
- 1 cup of cooked rice or pasta
- 1 cup porridge
- ⅓ cup of flaked breakfast cereal
- 2 wheat-flake or oat-flake breakfast biscuits
- ½ cup muesli
- 4 crispbreads
A. The consumption of bread - white, mixed-grain and wholemeal is supported and promoted by Australian Dietary Guidelines - “Eat plenty of cereals (including breads, rice, pasta and noodles), preferably wholegrain”. All breads, including white bread provide protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre. Contrary to popular belief, white bread typically contains about half the nutrients contained in wholegrain bread, therefore it can be included as part of a healthy balanced diet. Of course, wholegrain is best, so for variety, try serving a sandwich with one white and one wholemeal slice. It’s also important to remember we eat bread with other foods, so use this opportunity to choose healthy fillings and toppings like salads, fish, eggs and lean meat for you and your family.
A. ‘Pulses’ is another name for legumes. Legumes are ‘the dried edible seeds of legume plants such as lentils, beans and peas’. The most common legume many of us would eat would be Baked Beans (also known as navy beans). You know the rhyme... “Baked beans are good for you heart, the more you eat the more you fart, and the more you fart the better you feel, so let’s eat baked beans for every meal.” Unfortunately, not many of us learnt this rhyme at school as Australian’s aren’t eating enough legumes. Legumes are inexpensive, easy to prepare and very nutritious - rich in protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals, also low in fat! Try introducing some legumes into your meals such as: chickpeas, red kidney beans, lima beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans and lentils. Introducing small amounts at a time gives your digestive system more time to adjust to the higher fibre content of legumes, resulting in less production of gas. You might already be eating legumes without realising it – Dahl, hummus and falafels are all made with legumes.
A. This is a widespread myth that is promoted by ‘low carb’ enthusiasts. However, there is no scientific evidence that suggests avoiding carbohydrates after 5pm will help you to lose weight. For those of us who tend to eat bigger meals towards the end of the day, reducing the size of your meal can help you to lose weight by simply reducing the amount of kilojoules you consume. Carbohydrate based foods, like breads, cereals, rice, pasta and legumes are all encouraged in Australian Dietary Guidelines. Studies show that eating wholegrain foods regularly can be an effective element of weight management when eaten in amounts suitable for your age, body size, physical activity level and gender.
A. Everyone wants to boast about the goodness of wholegrains, so you will find that most products made with wholegrains will carry a claim about its wholegrain content such as ‘wholegrain goodness’, ‘contains wholegrains’ or ‘50% wholegrain’ for example. Check the label to find the percentage of wholegrains in the ingredients list, to know which products are best for you and your family. Look for words such as ‘whole X’, ‘wholegrain X’ ‘wholemeal X’, ‘cracked X’, ‘kibbled X’, or ‘flaked X’ (when X is the name of the grain) in the first few ingredients to determine if the product is loaded with wholegrains. Of course, the wholegrain content and nutritional goodness of ‘everyday’ foods such as wholegrain bread are superior to ‘occasional’ foods, like wholegrain coated chicken nuggets.
A. Up until recently there was no recommendation for the amount of wholegrains we should eat. Go Grains has researched the scientific literature and established a daily target for wholegrain intake. Go Grains recommends all Australians aim for 48g of wholegrains per day. This target is considered an achievable, evidence-based recommendation for optimal health, also in line with US wholegrain recommendations. For more information, click here to see the 48g Daily Target Intake fact sheet.
A. People often wonder what the difference is between wholegrain foods (like multi-grain bread) and wholemeal foods (like wholemeal bread). Both foods contain all the components of the grain, the only difference is wholemeal foods simply contain wholegrains that have been milled to a finer texture. In other words, wholemeal foods are also wholegrain. So don’t be disappointed if your kids will only eat wholemeal bread, but not the ‘bread with the grainy bits’, because they are still getting the goodness of wholegrains!
