Kids Kitchen: Whole Grains
ID
348-837
Get Smart About Fiber on Your Food Labels
Fiber is very important to everyone’s diet. It helps keep the digestive system healthy. Fiber also helps you feel full longer. It can hold off hunger for longer than junk foods or other foods that are low in fiber. This is great because you don’t have to eat as many empty calories (junk food) to feel full.
Usually, fiber is easy to find – whether it is in a whole-grain product or not. To make sure you know how much fiber you are eating, check out the food label. Choose foods that have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.
Made With Whole Grains
- contains some whole grains
- lists a whole grain somewhere on the food label
- provides at least half a serving of whole grain in each serving of food
- has 51% or more whole grain by weight
100% Whole Grains
- has only whole grains
- lists whole grain as the 1st ingredient on the food label
- provides a full serving or more of whole grain in each serving of food
Types of Whole Grains
What Doesn’t Belong?
We are trying to make sure that we include fiber from whole grains whenever we can. But some of these foods are not whole grains or don’t have much fiber. Can you circle the foods that do not contain whole grains?
BONUS: Can you name which whole grains are in the foods you did not circle?
Sources: United States Dietary Guidelines (USDA); http://www.health.gov/DietaryGuidelines/
Whole Grains Council; http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/
HealthCouncil.com “Whole Grains Guide.” http://www.healthcastle.com/whole-grains.shtml
American Dietetic Association (ADA); http://eatright.org/ada/files/Barley.pdf
Reviewed by Kathy Hosig, Ph.D., MPH, RD, associate professor, Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Rights
Virginia Cooperative Extension materials are available for public use, re-print, or citation without further permission, provided the use includes credit to the author and to Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, and Virginia State University.
Publisher
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Rick D. Rudd, Interim Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; Wondi Mersie, Interim Administrator, 1890 Extension Program, Virginia State, Petersburg.
Date
May 26, 2009