Family Food and Nutrition Education Program
Learn at Home
Grains group
Lesson 4
“Make half your grains whole”
A Healthy Diet Includes 6-9 ounces for
the average adult of Grains each day.
Grains are important because they
have:
♦
COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES for energy
FIBER for regularity
B-VITAMINS like folate, to help
the body use energy and keep the
skin, nervous system, and digestive
system healthy.
MINERALS, like iron, for many
important body functions.
PROTEIN for growth and repair
of cells
♦
♦
♦
♦
bohydrates. Foods high in simple carbohydrates (refined sugars) often provide calories but no other nutrients.
Most people in the United States need
to eat more complex carbohydrates and
less fat. Diets balance in this way help
prevent diabetes, heart disease, and
cancer.
Fiber…
Is very important in your diet. Foods
What counts as one ounce of grains?
1 slice of bread
1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice or pasta
1 cup ready-to-eat cereal
How many servings each day?
14 yrs-Adult = 6-10oz.
9-13 yrs = 5-9oz.
4-8 yrs = 4-6oz.
They include starch and natural sugars
found in foods. Also, some sugars are
a type of carbohydrate added to foods
to make them sweet.
Grains contain many nutrients. Grains
contain starches which are complex
carbohydrates. Sugars are simple car-
Mini-Goals
1.
2.
♦
♦
Fiber is found in the outside part of
grains of wheat, corn, rice, barley,
oats and other grains.
Foods prepared with whole grains
or whole grain flours are rich in
fiber and several nutrients.
For more fiber, substitute whole wheat
flour for white flour in baking. Substitute brown rice for white rice.
You need at least six ounces of grains
daily.
Carbohydrates…
Are the body’s main source of energy.
The Inside Story
with fiber include whole-grain breads
and cereals, fruit skins, vegetables and
beans. Fiber is found only in plant
foods.
Fiber helps food move through your
body faster, decreasing constipation
problems and lowering blood cholesterol. You need to drink fluids to help
fiber work effectively. Increase the
fiber in your diet a little at a time so
your body can adjust.
To increase fiber, choose whole wheat
and corn tortillas, brown rice, and oatmeal. Oatmeal can also be added to
meatloaf, meatballs, and casseroles.
Add barley to soups. Choose high fiber
breakfast cereals by reading the Nutrition Facts label on each box. Select
cereals with three or more grams of
fiber per serving.
Begin with baby steps
1 cup white flour = 1/2 cup white
flour + 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup white flour =
1/2 cup white flour + 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
Mini-goals are the first step to making healthy changes. Choose at least one minigoal option from the list below to complete before your next lesson. Record your
choice on page one of the handout.
Eat a whole-grain food twice during the next week
Substitute whole-wheat flour for part of the white flour in muffins, pancakes, biscuits, or some
other baked products.
more$
Adapted from the
University of Massachusetts Cooperative
Extension LEARN
AT HOME curriculum.
3/99
Lesson 4 – Page 2
Choosing and Preparing Grains…
Most gain products are low in fat: but most croissants, muffins,
cornbread, biscuits, and granolas can be high in fat. Low-calorie
foods can be turned into high-calorie foods by adding butter,
margarine, icing or oil.
Label Sense
FACT: Carbohydrates have less than half the calories of an
equal amount of fat:
Carbohydrates=4calories/gram
Protein=4 calories/gram
Fat=9 calories/gram
Choose pasta with tomato sauce instead of a cream sauce, which
has more fat.
When preparing pasta, stuffing, or sauce from packaged mixes,
use half the butter or margarine suggested. Use low-fat milk
instead of whole milk or cream.
FACT: Some brown breads have food coloring added to
make them look like they are made with whole wheat. If the
word “whole” is one of the first three ingredients on the ingredient section of the label, you know the product contains a
considerable amount of whole grain.
Food Fun
WORD FIND
See how many of the 10 different fiber-rich foods from the
grains group you can find in the puzzle below. Names run up,
down and across.
V B B R O W N R I
K U D A I
C E Q B Y Z
M K P O P C O R N L
Shopping Tip
M C R I
Whole-grain products can vary in cost. Save money by buying
the store brand or going to a bakery thrift shop. Buying large
packages or buying from bulk bins can also save money.
U K 1 S N F A P V J
It is sometimes hard to get children to eat whole-grain breads.
Start with fine-textured breads and work up to the whole-grain
varieties. In time, your children can learn to like these foods.
Be patient...
F E Y B I
H W U I
W H O L E W H E A T F
D T N R H
K P T M E O W P F I
O
G H S N A O B A R L E Y L T U
S R T D P O T A I
I
T A W R P W A X U S C E K C R
S T I
A J
W N G O A T M E A L
C O R N T O R T I
L L A S L K
N W D O D U P R F C P L Z E S
Barley, Bran Flakes, Brown Rice, Buck Wheat, Corn Tortillas,
Oat Bran, Oatmeal, Popcorn, Raisin Bran, Triticale, Whole
Wheat.
After you have carefully read this lesson and handout information, answer the following questions:
1. Starches are_______ carbohydrates and sugars are ________ carbohydrates.
2. Both animal and plant foods have fiber.
3. The main function of carbohydrate in the body is _________________.
4. Three cups of cooked pasta is equal to six ounces of grains.
5. One way to increase fiber in your diet is to ______________________.
True False
True False
~Answers 1) Complex, Simple 2) False 3) To provide energy 4) True 5) Use whole grain breads and cereals or add whole wheat flour to recipes or
The University of California, in accordance with applicable Federal and State law and University policy, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, medical
condition (cancer-related), ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or status as a Vietnam-era veteran or special disabled veteran. Inquiries regarding the University’s nondiscrimination policies
may be directed to the Affirmative Action Director, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 1111 Franklin, 6th Floor, Oakland, CA 94607-5200 (510) 987-0096.
Family Food and Nutrition Education Program
Learn at Home
Grains Group
Lesson 4
“Make half your grains whole “
♦ Grains are loaded with complex carbohydrates, our best source of energy and MyPyramid recommends that we make half our grains whole.
♦ You need at least 6 ounces of grains in your diet each day.
♦ Whole-grain breads and cereals contain fiber. Some types of fiber help prevent constipation, and
other kinds may help lower cholesterol. A diet high in fiber may also lower your risk of getting
colon cancer and heart disease.
♦ Most grain products are low in fat and calories.
Bread, English muffins, rice, cereals and pasta are
healthy, low-fat grain choices.
What counts as one ounce of grains?
1 slice of bread
1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice or pasta
1 cup ready-to-eat cereal
How many servings each day?
14 yrs-Adult = 6-10oz.
9-13 yrs = 5-9oz.
4-8 yrs = 4-6oz.
My mini-goal for this lesson is:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Add More Fiber To Your Diet
♦
Use whole-wheat flour in almost any recipe calling for white flour.
♦
In breads, muffins, and pancakes, use whole-wheat for half of the white enriched flour.
♦
Include 3 ounces a day of whole-grain products such as whole-wheat bread, hot oatmeal, or other whole-grain cereal.
LOWER IN FIBER
HIGH IN FIBER
Whole Wheat Bread
GRITS
White Flour Pancakes
Oatmeal
White Flour
Bran Muffins
Whole Wheat Flour
White Bread
White Flour Muffins
Brown Rice
Popcorn
White Rice
Flour Tortillas
Corn Meal
Degermed
Corn Meal Whole
Germ
Whole Wheat or Corn Tortillas
♦
It is best to get fiber from foods rather than from fiber supplements. In addition, taking too many fiber supplements can lower the
way our body uses some other nutrients.
♦
Choose more fiber-rich foods when you are doing your grocery shopping. Read the Nutrition Facts label. Look for the foods that
contain 2 grams of fiber or more to improve the fiber content in our diet.
The University of California, in accordance with applicable Federal and State law and University policy, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, medical
condition (cancer-related), ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or status as a Vietnam-era veteran or special disabled veteran. Inquiries regarding the University’s nondiscrimination policies
may be directed to the Affirmative Action Director, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 1111 Franklin, 6th Floor, Oakland, CA 94607-5200 (510) 987-0096.