“If we plan wisely, that which is most conducive to health can be secured in almost every land. The various preparations of rice, wheat, corn, and oats are sent abroad everywhere, also beans, peas, and lentils. These, with native or imported fruits, and the variety of vegetables that grow in each locality, give an opportunity to select a dietary that is complete without the use of flesh meats.” –Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 314

This month we will explore another section of Canada’s Food Guide, the originally named cereals and breads category. This section has remained in the food guide with some minor revisions since the first food guide in 1942.

I like looking at the evolution of food guides, as they are an indicator of the evolving science of nutrition. I am focusing on the Canadian Food Guides; however, many countries have their own food guides and have changed in similar ways over the years. From 1942–2019, the Canadian Food Guides have evolved in many ways; however, in some ways they have remained the same. The intent of the food guides has not changed in “guiding food selection to promote the nutritional health of Canadians.”

The original food guide instructions were to have “one serving of a whole-grain cereal and 4 to 6 slices of Canada Approved Bread, brown or white.” In 1944, the guide changed the bread description to “Canada Approved Vitamin B Bread, whole wheat, brown, or white, with butter.” In 1949, the guide removed the reference to Canada Approved Bread, and just indicated to consume 4 slices of bread with either butter or margarine. Then later the quantity of bread required was removed. However, what remained throughout all the guides was the recommendation to eat whole-grain cereals. In 1977, this group now stated, cereals to be “whole grain or enriched”. This suggested that if you did not eat whole grains, enriched grains were an adequate substitute. Enriched grains were fortified with different vitamin B’s yet they lacked the fibre content of whole grains. In 1982, again a slight change in which whole grains and enriched grains remained as part of the bread and cereals group; however a new statement was added, “whole grain products are recommended.”  In 1992, the food guide had a significant change. Now the food groups were lined up as in the colours of the rainbow. The outside arc of the rainbow, the largest food group, was the newly named “grain products” category. This indicated that grains should be eaten in bigger quantity than the other food groups.  The specific reference to bread was now removed. Interestingly, the next food guide that was issued in 1997 still used a rainbow; however, the outside arc of the rainbow was no longer grains, but fruits and vegetables, recognizing that this category plays the most important role in the health of Canadians. The grain category was now the second outer arc of the rainbow.

Finally, in 2019, the food guide arranged the categories onto a plate, to show the size comparison each group should have to one another in terms of eating patterns. The grain section comprises ¼ of the plate; ½ of the plate is the of the vegetable and fruit group, and the protein group is another ¼ of the plate. The heading on the diagram states “choose whole grain foods.” The word “enriched” has been removed.

WHAT ARE GRAINS?

First of all, let us establish what a grain actually is. The official name for grains is “cereal grains”, which is why the word cereal is seen on many food guides. They are “small, hard and edible dry seeds that grow on grass-like plants called cereals.” Some examples of grains are wheat, rice, corn, barley, oats, millet, spelt, and rye. Grains are used worldwide as a food staple because of their durability, they can be stored and transported without spoiling. The hard outer husk of the seed protects the inner edible portion of the seed. Of all the food groups, grains are the main energy food source used by people around the world. Grains can be milled into flour or pressed into oils. Grains are used in many food products, including bread, oatmeal, pasta, breakfast cereals, popcorn, and tortillas. Several foods are known pseudo-cereals. They are not grains, but are prepared and eaten like grains, including amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat.

HISTORY OF BREAD

Grains have been used throughout history. In searching the Bible, we find many references to grains and bread. The first time it was mentioned was in Genesis 3:19, “In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat bread.” Ever since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, bread was a part of man’s diet. Initially bread was made by mixing crushed grains with water and spreading the mixture on stones to bake in the sun, the result being a type of flatbread. Once yeast was discovered, it changed the method of bread-making. Already in Exodus 12, leaven, another name for yeast, is mentioned, in the context of leavening bread. This would indicate that the Israelites used leaven which allowed their bread to rise and become softer and more palatable. According to history, the ancient Egyptians also used yeast.

As time went on, many other countries developed their own versions of bread. In 450 BC, the Romans developed the milling process, and were able to create a bread that eventually became an art form. Even from earliest times, the rich class of Romans considered white bread as higher quality and thus was used by the educated and wealthy. In Britain, in the medieval times, bread baking became a status symbol. The upper classes preferred the fine, white loaves, and could afford the costs associated with producing white bread. Those who were poorer consumed rye, bran, and coarser breads. It was not until the steel roller mill was invented by the Swiss in 1834, instead of crushing grain, the roller system broke it open, exposing the different parts of the grain including the endosperm, germ, and bran and easily separated them.

Early in the 1900’s, bread began to be milled to “improve” its flavour, to the point where the flour that was milled was so fine, pure white flour that it became very low in nutrition. The endoderm would remain and the rest of the wheat grain, the bran and the germ which contains most of the nutrients would be removed. White bread was looked on as the bread of the rich because most working class people would make their own bread, which was made by using the whole wheat grain.

Canadians developed a taste for white bread, which was looked on by nutritionists as not much more than empty calories. When WWII came, the Canadian government decided to improve the food value of white bread in order to provide better nutrition when other food sources were not available during the war. Canadians were reluctant to eat brown “whole wheat” bread. The Canada Approved flour, milled from flour from the “wheat berry” was to contain more of the B vitamins that were lost in the regular milling of white flour. The flour was also available for consumers to buy to make their own bread. This flour, the wheat grain, was introduced in 1942. It was not much better than the white bread already available, and Canadians did not like the slightly rougher texture, thus the Canada Approved Vitamin B bread was soon discontinued.

As time went on, bread was no longer confined to wheat grains, but breads could be found using many different grain products such as rye, spelt. For many people, removing bread from the diet does not reduce the amount of grains that are consumed, as people eat more prepared grain foods such as rolls, donuts, muffins, and many other sweet desserts

By the 1949 Food Guide, the bread category only indicated to have at least four slices of bread. In 1952, nutritionists and the Canadian Government decided to introduce vitamin-enriched flour to Canada. The flour would have the same appeal as white bread, but it would be enriched with the B vitamins and iron that were missing from white flour. By 1955, 90% of all Canadian white bread was made using enriched flour. Over the years, with various messaging, including the benefit of gluten-free diets, and removing bread from

one’s diet as a means to lose weight, bread is losing its appeal for many consumers. As I am presenting the grain food group today for its value that the nutrients provide, I will address the topic of gluten in another article.

WHOLE GRAINS

All grains as they grow are whole grains. The grain kernel or seed contains three parts–the bran, germ, and endosperm.  When making whole grain products, they are used in their whole form or ground into flour, while still keeping all the three parts of the seed.

Each part of the seed has its own health nutrients. The bran is the outermost layer that supplies B vitamins, iron, copper, zinc, folate, selenium, potassium, magnesium, antioxidants and phytochemicals. The bran is also rich in fiber. The germ of the seed is where growth occurs; it is rich in healthy fats, vitamin E, B vitamins, phytochemicals and antioxidants. The endosperm is the interior layer that contains carbohydrates, protein, a small amount of some B vitamins, and minerals. Of all three parts, the endosperm is the least nutritious. Whole grains can be single foods such as brown rice and popcorn, or as ingredients in food products such as the oats in oatmeal, or whole wheat flour in bread. A food product must contain 100% of the original kernel to qualify as a whole grain.

Grains contain a significant amount of starch, which is a complex carbohydrate that provides the body with fuel for energy. Complex carbohydrates are long chains of sugar (glucose) molecules. Because of their length, they break down more slowly in our body than simple carbohydrates such as are found, for example, in fruit. Thus, they have a lower glycemic index, a value which is assigned to foods based on how slowly or how quickly a food causes increases in blood sugar levels. The glycemic index of foods is important to diabetics in order to maintain normal sugar levels; however, sugar spikes in our bodies which then quickly drop, should be avoided by all people because of the damage that high sugar levels cause.

When looking for whole grain products, be careful as whole wheat and multigrain foods may not be whole grains. Multigrain just tells the consumer that there are a number of different types of grains in the product. Some foods look like whole grain because of the colour, but this is not a good test either, as often molasses or caramel is added to bread to darken it. In order to know you are getting whole grains, read the nutrition label. Look on the ingredient list and choose foods that have the words ”whole grain” followed by the name of the grain as the first or second ingredient. For example whole grain oats, or whole grain wheat. To ensure that the food is healthy, also avoid foods that have any form of sugar as one of the top four ingredients. The less ingredients other than the whole grain in a food product makes it that much healthier. Also, avoid the ingredient “high-fructose corn syrup”, as the word “corn” is misleading. It is a highly processed unhealthy sugar. Eating whole grains in their whole forms, such as brown rice, barley, oats, corn and rye, and avoiding processed foods provides all the benefits of whole grains without any additional ingredients.

Whole wheat foods are not always whole grain, according to Canadian labelling rules. Up to 70% of the germ can be removed, and the manufacturer is still allowed to label the product as whole wheat. If the product contains the name “whole grain whole wheat” it will contain 100% of the kernel. Another way to tell if the product contains mostly whole grains is by looking at the amount of grams of fiber per serving. If a product is 100% whole grains, the amount of fiber per serving should be 16g or higher. In Canada, many products use the “Whole Grain” stamp; however, ensure that the stamp states 100% and 16 or more grams of fiber. A Whole Grain stamp can be used on labeling even if the product has less than 50% of its grain as whole grains. But, the stamp will indicate 50%.

REFINED GRAINS

The invention of industrialized roller mills late in the 1800s, allowed grains to be processed in a new way, producing refined grains. The milling process made it easy and cost effective to have the germ and the bran removed, leaving only the endosperm. The bran is removed so that it is easier to chew; it gives a finer texture to flour. Removing the germ, which has a high fat content, allows for a longer shelf life. However, the germ and the bran contain most of the nutrients and all of the fiber.

The process removes about a quarter of the protein, 80% of its thiamine, more than half of its riboflavin, 80% of its niacin, 90% of the Vitamin E, half to two thirds of magnesium and 77% of iron, as well as valuable phytochemicals, ash, protein and all the fiber. Eating refined grains is considered consuming “empty” calories. The biggest source of refined grains is from white flour; other sources include white rice and white pasta. Refining wheat creates a fluffy flour that makes light, airy breads, cereals, crackers, desserts and pastries. However, refined grains cause a rapid sugar spike in the blood followed by a large drop. When blood sugar drops it makes people feel hungry and they often eat when they are not truly needing to eat, leading to weight gain. Refined grains are linked to significantly increased risk of many diseases, including obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. “For use in breadmaking, the superfine white flour is not the best. Its use is neither healthful nor economical. Fine-flour bread is lacking in nutritive elements to be found in bread made from the whole wheat.” –Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 320

ENRICHED GRAINS

Because refined grains lacked significant and necessary nutrients, consumption of these grains caused a rise in deficiency diseases such as pellagra (lack of niacin B3) and beriberi (lack of B1). Therefore, many governments required that refined grain products be “enriched.”

Enriched grains are refined grains where some of the nutrients lost during processing is replaced. Most enriched grains add back Vitamin B’s: B1, B2, and B3. However, this enrichment process only adds back very few of the many missing nutrients; many other nutrients are lost from the refined product. Often refined grains will also be “fortified”, which is adding a nutrient that did not exist naturally in the original food, or replaced at levels that did not occur naturally in the original food. These can include certain other vitamins and minerals including folate and iron. However, enrichment cannot replace the fiber content or the many phytochemicals which were lost in the refining process.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF WHOLE GRAINS

Whole grains have been shown to have many beneficial health effects on the human body. The bran component of the grain seed contains fiber, which slows the breaking down of the complex carbohydrates into sugar, which prevents sugar spikes in the blood. Refined grains have a much lower glycemic index. This is important for diabetics especially. Fiber is also important in helping to lower total cholesterol, “bad” cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin levels. Fiber also helps keep bowel movements regular by increasing its bulk and weight and softening it, thus allowing the movement of stool through the intestines more readily, treating and preventing constipation. It has also been shown to be beneficial in reducing the risk of colon cancer because fiber helps move waste more efficiently through the intestines. It also prevents the formation of blood clots which can cause heart attacks or strokes. The fiber in whole grains is known as a prebiotic, which helps to feed, grow, and sustain healthy bacteria in your intestines, ensuring a healthy gut microbiota.

Studies show that people who ate 2.5 or more servings of whole grain foods per day had a 21% reduction in cardiovascular disease than those who ate less than 2 servings a week. Whole grains reduce inflammation and infections. These prevent diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, ulcerative colitis, and gout. People who ate at least 70g/day of whole grains had a 22% lower risk of total mortality, with a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality and a 20% lower risk of cancer mortality. Eating 2 to 3 servings a week of whole grains, the risk of diabetes dropped by 30%. Switching from white rice to whole grains reduces diabetes risk also, by 11%. Another study showed that in women who eat the highest amount of whole grains, at least 2 servings a day, their risk of diabetes type 2 was reduced by 43%. Because whole grains break down slowly during digestion, it helps keep blood sugar levels on an even keel. Phytochemicals, and essential minerals such as magnesium, selenium and copper found in whole grains may protect against some cancers. In general, people who regularly eat whole grains live longer than those who did not consume whole grains on a regular basis.

The recommendation is to eat three servings (3 ounces) of whole grains per day. Whole grains are packed with so many different nutrients that are beneficial to our health, few foods can offer such diverse benefits.

“There is more religion in a good loaf of bread than many think. Food can be prepared simply and healthfully, but it requires skill to make it both palatable and nourishing.” –Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, p.49