Extension Family Files

by Beverly Peters, Franklin County Extension Education Director

 Beyond The Bran

Most of the attention to whole grains is focused on the fiber provided by the bran portion of grain.   Beyond bran, however, whole-grain foods contribute positively to the diet in many other ways as well.

 Whole grains also are important sources of several of the B vitamins, which break down protein, carbohydrates and fat for effective use by the body.  In fact, B-complex vitamins are necessary for almost every reaction in every cell of the body.

 Among minerals found in whole-grains is iron, well known for its role in helping to build and maintain healthy blood.  Trace minerals supplied by whole grains, such as zinc, copper and magnesium, also are essential for normal growth and health.

 Whole grains also provide proteins although they are considered incomplete proteins, which means that certain essential amino acids are missing.  However, when the proteins of whole grains and vegetables are combined, they become complete proteins comparable in quality to those from animal sources.

 Finally, whole grains do indeed provide fat, which is often a surprise to the label reader.  However, it is a small amount of fat and is primarily of the unsaturated types. 

picture of a whole grain crust on that pie is from flickr.com 

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