How adding whole grain to your diet can help with diabetes

Do you know by taking this one step you can improve your health? “Carbs” (carbohydrates) have gotten a bad rap. It is not only the amount of carbohydrate you are eating but also the type of carbohydrate you are eating that makes a difference in Diabetes. 


I have clients say, “I do not eat white bread I eat wheat bread.” Although I know their intention is good and they want to do the best they can, it may just be a refined grain and not have the health benefits of a whole grain.


What is a whole grain compared to a refined grain?

Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel ― the bran, germ, and endosperm.  (See grain diagram below). It also contains dietary fiber and B vitamins and other essential nutrients. Whole grains include barley, brown rice, buckwheat, bulgar, millet, oatmeal, popcorn and whole wheat bread. This would be the better choice of a carbohydrate to eat. 



Refined grains, or processed grains, have been through a process that removes the bran and germ. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life, but it also removes dietary fiber and the B vitamins and other essential nutrients. 

Refined grains include white flour, white rice and white bread. There are many foods made with refined grains such as: Many breads and rolls, cereals, crackers, desserts and pastries are made with refined grains. This would not be the best choice of a carbohydrate to eat. 


The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends

that at least half of all the grains you eat are whole grains. If you're like most people, you are not getting enough whole grains in your meal plan.


“Researchers suggest that the refined carbs in the modern diet may encourage the growth of inflammatory gut bacteria that can increase your risk of obesity and inflammatory bowel disease.”  https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-foods-that-cause-inflammation#section4 

While refined grains can cause obesity and body inflammation. Whole grains are different. It is packed with nutrients and fiber and is good for your health. It is what is called a healthy carbohydrate. The reason carbohydrates (“Carbs”) have gotten a bad rap is mostly because many people only eat refined grains. Even though whole grains are better than refined grains, too much of a good thing is not the best either. If we eat too much grains either refined or whole, our blood sugar will rise. 


An action item for a healthy meal plan daily in regard to eating whole grains, would be to aim for 3 whole grain servings/day.


A serving for a whole grain would be 

1 slice of 100% Wheat or Whole grain bread

3 cups of popcorn

½ cup of cooked oatmeal

½ cup cooked brown or wild rice

½ cup cooked 100% whole-grain pasta


Getting whole grains in to your meals is easier than you might think. A few examples of getting 3 whole-grain servings/day would be:


  • Making a sandwich with 100% whole grain bread (2 servings) and ½ cup of brown rice (1 serving) with dinner meal (1 serving)

  • 1 cup of cooked oatmeal for breakfast (2 servings) and 3 cups of popcorn for a snack (1 serving)

  • 1 slice of Whole grain toast for breakfast (1 serving) and 1 cup of whole grain pasta for dinner (2 servings)



Some things to make note of:

  • Make sure the product you buy is not both whole grains and refined grains. Look for 100% grains only. 


  • Some cereals will have the whole grain but be aware this may not be healthy. It may have a whole grain but some of the cereals are heavily laden with refined sugar so that may not be the best choice. Look at the ingredient list to see what is in the product. 


  • Avoid instant oatmeal because it will “instantly” raise blood sugar due to the amount of sugar it has (instant oatmeal in the packages) and because the oats are more processed. Steel-cut oats or old-fashioned oatmeal is a better choice.



I was reading an article from WebMD with a catchy title called, “Diabetes Power Foods-Whole Grains and Fiber” https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/fiber-whole-grains-control-sugar#1

Wow! Power foods…..that caught my attention! The reason this is powerful is because whole grain foods and fiber tends to keep the blood sugar level steady and avoids a sharp rise. 

This is one simply step you can take toward moving to better health!


Jane Giambrone