Ready to give your kids a good start in life? Choose more whole grains! Most kids aren’t getting enough, which means they’re losing out on a variety of nutrients and health benefits. Thankfully, it’s easy to give them more whole grains. Here’s why they’re important, and how you can get more into your home.
What’s a Whole Grain?
Grains grow in kernels. A whole grain retains all three parts of the natural kernel: the bran, germ, and endosperm. The bran has fiber and B vitamins. The germ has vitamin E, healthy fats, and some minerals. The endosperm has starchy carbohydrates.
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While whole grains have all three parts, refined grains only retain the endosperm. The bran and germ are stripped away during processing. That means whole grains have more natural nutrients. Though most refined grains are fortified with iron and some B vitamins, whole grains have a wider variety of natural nutrients.
Here are examples of whole and refined grains.
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Why Whole Grains Matter for Kids
Whole grains are a great source of fuel, or energy, for growing kids, but they are more than calories in the form of starchy carbohydrates. They’re sources of essential and beneficial nutrients, and they’re linked to short-term and long-term benefits for weight and health.
Essential Nutrients in Whole Grains
Whole grains are natural sources of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. Most Americans are low in fiber, but it’s linked to better digestive health, weight management, blood sugar control, cholesterol levels, and heart health.
Here are a few of the essential nutrients in whole grains.
- Alpha-linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid
- Vitamins: thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid, vitamin B6
- Minerals: copper, iron, selenium, magnesium
More Nutrients in Whole Grains
Like fruits and vegetables, whole grains have antioxidants and other phytonutrients, or “plant nutrients,” that aren’t on the standard list of essential vitamins and minerals. Some phytonutrients in whole grains probably haven’t even been discovered yet! That’s an even better reason to opt for whole grains regularly; a refined grain or multivitamin and mineral supplement can’t provide all of the potentially beneficial components in whole grains.
Weight Benefits of Whole Grains
Low-carb diets may be popular, but keep reading before you keep grains away from your kids! Scientific evidence shows that people who regularly consume whole grains are more likely to have better weight control over time.
Researchers have found these relationships between whole grain consumption and body weight.
- The potential for more weight loss in children who are overweight
- Increased weight loss in the long-term among adults who are overweight and in weight loss programs
- Lower BMI (body mass index) in adults over time
- Lower risk for overweight and obesity
- Lower risk for overweight babies among mothers with gestational diabetes who consume more whole grains during pregnancy
Fiber in whole grains may be partly responsible for these benefits. Fiber is considered a filling nutrient because it slows the emptying of food from the stomach, so you feel full for longer after a meal. Plus, fiber helps reduce blood sugar fluctuations and sudden, severe hunger.
Whole grains can help with weight control by providing stable energy, which allows for more active play. In addition, balanced meals with whole grains can lead to more balanced energy intake.
More Health Benefits of Whole Grains
Decades of research point to health benefits of whole grains. People who eat more whole grains have a lower risk for:
- Chronic inflammation
- Colorectal cancer
- Type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and insulin resistance
- Heart disease
- Cognitive decline and memory loss during aging
If you’re ready to arm your children to fight these and other chronic conditions, see how you can help them eat more whole grains.
Here’s How Far Short Kids Fall in Whole Grain Consumption
Whole grains seem to have clear benefits, but American children fall sadly short of recommendations. The Dietary Guidelines suggest making at least half of all grain servings whole grains. For most kids, that works out to 3-5 daily 1-ounce servings of whole grains.
More than 1 in 3 children don’t eat whole grains on a given day. The average child consumes only 1 serving of whole grains a day. To add to the challenge, most adults don’t eat enough whole grains, either. That means kids aren’t learning this healthy habit from their parents.
Quick and Easy Ways to Choose Whole Grains
It’s probably easier than you think to get your kids to eat more whole grains. They’re inexpensive and widely available. They’re also easy to use; in most cases, just swap your regular refined grain for a whole grain counterpart.
Here are some examples.
- Make sandwiches on whole-wheat bread instead of white
- Stuff whole-grain pita or tortillas instead of white pita or white flour tortillas
- Serve whole-wheat pasta with sauce instead of white pasta
- Steam or stir fry brown rice instead of white
- Pop popcorn for snacks instead of serving chips
Stay tuned for easy ways to choose whole grains, with simple tips and recipes.
How do you get your kids to eat whole grains?
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