AUTHOR
MIRIAM RALEIGH
Miriam Raleigh is an Accredited Practising Dietitian specialising in
Children’s Nutrition. She works in private practice helping children of all
ages with all of their nutritional concerns. For more information, visit
www.childnutrition.com.au.
HOW TO GET MORE
WHOLEGRAINS INTO YOUR DIET
Paediatric dietitian Miriam Raleigh shares her tips on eating wholegrains so
that your family has practical ways of incorporating wholegrains into their diet.
Earlier this issue, we heard from Dr Tim Crowe about the
importance of fibre for nourishing our gut microbiome thereby
supporting optimal digestive health. We also know that
wholegrains are a great source of fibre that can also help us
manage our appetites and even reduce our cholesterol.
What are wholegrains and why are they
good for you?
Many grains and cereals we eat are made of just the
endosperm (the innermost part of the grain). ‘Wholegrains’
include the endosperm, but also the germ and bran
components of the grain or cereal. This means not only extra
fibre, but also additional key nutrients such as B group
vitamins, antioxidants and good fats. Wholegrains take longer
for our body to digest, which helps to keep us fuller for longer
and can keep our blood sugars more stable.
Are we eating enough wholegrains?
Many families may not be eating enough wholegrains because
they are just not sure how to use them. Here are my top ideas
for boosting the wholegrain intake in meals and snacks.
Many parents ask dietitians about newer products like high
fibre white breads, or fibre-enriched cornflakes and whether
they really are as healthy as advertisers say.
In essence, these ‘invisible fibre’ products use added fibre in
the form of resistant starch to boost fibre content. Resistant
starch is known as a prebiotic (a fermentable fibre that
preferentially feeds the beneficial bugs in our gut). And while
it can be beneficial for gut health and regularity, it doesn’t
provide the additional nutrients to our diets that wholegrains
do. At the end of the day, these products aren’t a magic
solution that can replace actual wholegrains.
Food to eat to increase your family’s
wholegrain intake
} Choose whole oats rather than the ‘quick oats’ or try
natural muesli.
} Choose breakfast cereals that include wholegrains rather
than flours.
} Add quinoa and barley to soups and salads.
} Choose bread, rolls, wraps and crackers with visible grains
and seeds.
FEATURE ARTICLE WINTER 2020
Look for these words in the ingredient list that
represent wholegrains (the higher up the ingredient
list, the better):
• Wholegrain / multigrain / sprouted wholegrain
• Wholewheat / wholemeal
• Whole oats / oatmeal / ‘steel cut’ oats
• Brown rice / wild rice / red rice
} If you’re trying to shift kids away from white bread, try a
slow transition: first, to a smooth wholemeal or light rye
bread; next, to a more substantial wholemeal, rye or spelt
bread; and finally, to a multigrain bread.
} Make your own muesli bars and energy balls using whole
oats, nuts and seeds.
} Buy wholemeal flour, and try replacing at least half in
cakes, slices, pancakes and cookies.
YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE 21