Posted on 02/16/2006 6:45:24 PM PST by neverdem
AP FOOD AND FARM WRITER
WASHINGTON -- Multigrain, oat bran, cracked wheat, or seven-grain. Which has the heart-healthy whole grains recommended by the government?
To answer that question, the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday came out with a new definition of whole grains.
The agency wants to make it easier for people to choose foods made from whole grains. The choice is not easy, given the bewildering array of slogans and logos in the supermarket.
For example, Cheerios and other General Mills cereals have their own "whole grain" emblem. Companies from Bruegger's Bagels to Snyder's of Hanover pretzels use black-and-gold labels shaped like a postage stamp saying a product is a "good source," an "excellent source" or a "100 percent source" of whole grains. Quaker Instant Oatmeal has a small green banner saying, "Made With Whole Grain Oats."
"It's very important that consumers are able to have a consistent and uniform terminology of what constitutes a whole grain," said Barbara Schneeman, director of the FDA's office of nutritional products, labeling and dietary supplements.
Whole grains are vital to a healthy diet, according to federal guidelines. They say three servings each day of whole grains will cut the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. A serving is about an ounce - a half-cup of oatmeal, a slice of bread, a cup of cold cereal flakes.
While the FDA is trying to make things clearer for consumers, the agency seems to be causing confusion in the food industry. The definition is just a draft, but if the FDA makes it permanent, many companies may have to change their food labels.
The FDA says a company can make factual statements, such as saying a product has 100 percent whole grains or 10 grams of whole grains. But the agency says a product should not claim to be an "excellent" or "good" source of whole grains.
The FDA did not say whether companies should start changing their labels.
"We would have to look at a particular product to understand whether something is being used appropriately," Schneeman said.
The agency recently refused a request from General Mills to define an "excellent" or "good" source of whole grains, saying those terms apply to specific nutrients but not to whole grains.
The industry reacted cautiously.
People are bewildered by the clutter of claims in ads and on packages, said K. Dun Gifford, president of Boston-based Oldways Preservation Trust, a think tank. Gifford helped create the black-and-gold Whole Grains Council stamps, which he said offer simple descriptions, not scientific health claims, to help consumers.
Robert Earl, senior director of nutrition policy at the Food Products Association, said the FDA's move is "something we're going to need to digest and discuss among our members."
"The agency has certainly been clear in this document about what is a whole grain and what is not a whole grain," Earl said.
It is not clear whether the definition will last. The FDA opened a two-month comment period on it, but officials said they did not know when, or if, the change would go into effect.
The definition says a whole grain must retain its basic structure. It applies to corn, rice, oats and wheat and lesser-known cereal grains, such as bulgur, millet and sorghum. It does not include soybeans, chickpeas, sunflower seeds and other legumes or oilseeds.
The tricky part is what's done to the grain during processing. If it's intact, ground, cracked or flaked, it still is a whole grain. Rolled or "quick" oats are still whole grains. Popcorn is a whole grain. Pearled barley is not a whole grain; too much of its bran layer has been removed.
In addition, pizza or bagels labeled as "whole grain" or "whole wheat" ought to have dough made entirely from whole wheat or whole grain flour, the FDA said.
On the Net:
Food and Drug Administration: http://www.fda.gov
Whole Grains Council: http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org
Food Products Association: http://www.fpa-food.org
I suppose every little bit helps, but.... but... "whole grain pizza"???
Do Doritos count?
When I was born, 40 years ago, science said tonsils out, 1970, tonsils in. 1990, tonsils out.
Those born after me got the innoculation "mark" on the tricep. My son born in 94, no mark.
Last week coffee good. Today, coffee not so good.
Last year wine good for the stomach. 2000 years ago the Apostle Paul said to Timothy, "A little wine good for the stomach". Today, not so good.
1970's, earth 1 million years old. 1980, 500 million years old. 1990, 1 billion years old. 2000, 200 billion years old.
1970, Big Mac good. 2000, Big Mac bad.
1970-1990, salad good. 2000, salad with dark green lettuce only good.
50's, smoking good. 70's, smoking, well, O.K. 80's, smoking not so good. 90's, the evil tobacco empire. 2000, the biggest taxed LEGAL item in the U.S.
Yesterday, whole grain good. Today, certain whole grains good. Tomorrow, ???.
After following all of the Government's warnings and instructions, jumping through all of these hoops to 'be healthy and fit', I'm 5'10", 265 lbs, and probably gone die in a truck accident on the south side of Chicago.
Go figure.
"Do Doritos count?"
Probably not, but Cheatos do. Cheatos - the breakfast of plagarists.
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