here’s no denying that whole grains are beneficial. And since the natural food craze began in the 1970s, it’s become much easier to get your whole grain fix in everything from cookies to pizza. But what exactly is whole grain and how do you incorporate it into your diet?

What are Whole Grains?

For any grain to be a whole grain, the entire grain seed has to be retained: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. When grains are refined, the bran and germ are usually removed, leaving the endosperm. While the endosperm is full of energy, it lacks the many nutrients that the bran and germ have. And while refining takes away a lot of the nutrients, manufacturers have good reason to refine their products because it makes it easier to use the grains in packaged foods and gives foods a longer shelf life.

Health Benefits of Whole Grains

From losing weight to preventing cancer and heart disease, there are a staggering amount of reasons to eat whole grains. Multiple studies have found that consuming at least three servings of whole grains a day:

• Reduces the risk of heart disease by 21-30%.
• Reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25-28%. (the fiber reduces the amount of insulin your body produces, and decreases the development of insulin resistance)
• Aids in weight loss and weight maintenance by providing a feeling of fullness with fewer calories
• Helps digestion
• Promotes regularity
• Reduces instances of constipation and diverticulitis

In addition, whole grains contain vital nutrients including thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin, which regulate metabolism and are essential for a healthy nervous system. Folate, a B vitamin, helps the body form red blood cells, which reduces the risk of neural tube defects and spina bifida in pregnant women. Whole grains also contain antioxidants, some of which can’t be found in fruits and vegetables, and magnesium and selenium, which are important for a healthy immune system.

How to Choose Whole Grains

Supermarket shelves are bursting with products advertised as containing whole grains to promote health, but do they really? In order for something to be whole grain product, the grains in the product have to be intact and unrefined. The whole grain in the product should be the first item on the ingredients list.

Manufacturers sometimes use phrases such as “100% wheat” to make a product sound healthier than it is. This means that wheat is the only grain found in the product, it doesn’t mean it contains whole wheat. “Multigrain” is another term that connotes healthy eating, but only refers to the fact that the product contains more than one type of grain. And don’t be fooled by appearances—just because the loaf of bread you pick up is brown, doesn’t mean it’s whole grain. Look for the Whole Grain Stamp from the Whole Grains Council. A “good source” stamp means the food contains at least half a serving of whole grains, while the “excellent stamp” contains a full serving.

How to Incorporate Whole Grains into Your Diet

According to FDA guidelines, half of the grain in a balanced diet should be whole grains. That translates to eating at least three ounces of whole grain foods each day. Luckily, incorporating whole grains into your diet is remarkably easy:

• Replace white bread with whole grain bread.
• Change your breakfast cereal to whole grain options like Kashi or Grape Nuts.
• Substitute half the white flour in your regular recipes with whole wheat flour.
• Add brown rice, wild rice, or barley to your vegetable soup.
• Snack on popcorn instead of chips.
• Switch to whole grain pasta.

It’s not that hard to make the switch. And your whole body will thank you for it.