Walking down the aisle at the grocery store can be daunting to anyone who is concerned about health and weight loss.

Trying to decipher all those labels and pretty packages to determine what’s good and what’s not can be more than a little confusing, right?!

Companies tend to get quite creative when attempting to lure customers to their products, using terms like “whole grains” to make them more appealing to the health conscious.

And, many people buy into it, thinking they’re getting something that can help them lose weight while benefiting their health.

The reality?

Whole grains are one of the most heavily marketed, and even medically recommended foods on the market.

I know what you’re thinking – aren’t whole grains good for you?

After all, they make up the largest part of the government food pyramid, which recommends six to eight servings a day for adults.

The answer isn’t all that cut and dry. When it comes to “whole grains,” the FDA doesn’t define what percentage of grain must be whole in order to use that claim on a food label.

Often times, a product labeled as such actually contains refined flour as the first ingredient – and ingredients are listed from most to least.

Many “whole grain foods” aren’t even made from whole grains, but are actually grains that were pulverized into a very fine flour that causes spikes in blood sugar just like refined grains.

If you’re purchasing a packaged food, odds are, it was also highly processed which means it might contain all sorts of additives, preservatives and other chemicals that are bad for your health and can harm your weight loss efforts too.

Processed foods are generally manufactured in such a way that the original nutrients in them are largely zapped, which means you’re not getting much in the way of nutrition advertised either.

Even if it does contain whole grain wheat, our modern-day wheat is known to contribute to inflammation, heart disease, diabetes, cancer AND obesity.

When comparing the glycemic index (a measure of how quickly foods spike blood sugar) of regular white bread to whole wheat bread, you’ll find that there really isn’t much difference.

Many experts believe that wheat is actually a big factor in the skyrocketing rate of obesity and chronic illness.

But, going totally grain free means we may not be getting the important vitamins, mineral and fiber we need.

So, what do you do when you’re trying to do the right thing for your body?

First of all, avoid processed foods as often as you can, no matter what that label says.

Secondly, there are whole grains out there that are a much better choice than modern wheat. Farro, also known as emer, is an ancient strain of wheat that was rationed to Roman soldiers centuries ago.

It contains more vitamins, antioxidants, essential fatty acids and other nutrients as compared to wheat, and, just a half-cup contains more fiber and fewer calories than quinoa or brown rice, yet it can be used in similar preparations to those old standbys.

And, great news for pasta lovers, like other varieties of wheat, farro can be ground into flour and used to make pasta! Other great alternatives include brown rice pasta and ezekiel bread.

Now that you know what “whole grain” really means, you’ll be prepared to make the very best choices the next time you’re in the supermarket.

Yours in Health,

Danette