You’ve heard for years how important and beneficial Whole Grains are, and if you are like most Americans you’ve actually started including them in your daily foods. We all know how important they are in helping cut cholesterol and aid in the prevention of heart disease. But did you know that they might just be the 2008 answer to cutting our waistlines?

A new study from Penn State University says that increasing one’s intake of whole grain products, in combination with a reduced calorie diet, can lead to the loss of dangerous abdominal fat and cut levels of C-reactive protein (a protein associated with heart disease).

That’s great news, but each week I get emails from shoppers who are still a bit confused about just what constitutes a whole grain, and what to look for on the labels.

All grains, like wheat, corn, rice, oats, rye, barley and even popcorn, actually start out as whole grains. In their natural state, whole grains include the entire seed of a plant. That seed, or kernel, is made up of three edible parts – the bran, the germ and the endosperm – and each part contains important nutrients.

While whole grain products include the entire seed of the plant, refined grain products do not. White bread, for example, is made from only the endosperm (the bran and germ are removed). This removal results in a loss of about 25% of the grain’s protein and many other important nutrients. Whole grains consistently provide more protein, fiber and valuable vitamins and minerals than refined grain items, and thus, are considered healthier.

Until this study, there appeared to be three main benefits of whole grains.

• Cardiovascular benefits include reducing bad cholesterol and raising good cholesterol, lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart attack or stroke.
• Diabetes benefits include reducing Glycemic load and therefore, reducing strain on the pancreas.
• Lastly, inflammation benefits include keeping the body’s inflammatory responses in balance, reducing the incidence of allergic reactions, and reducing the onset of auto-immune diseases.

And now, perhaps we can add fighting fat to the list!

Technically, any product that uses the term “whole grains” on the label is required to have close to the same proportions of bran, skin and endosperm as the kernel does prior to processing. Whole grains can be consumed whole, cracked, split or ground, milled into flour, or made into breads, cereals and tons of other products. But the kernel does not have to be intact to count as “whole” grain.

Products can only say 100% whole grain if all their grain is whole grain, and they contain at least 16 grams – a full serving – of whole grain per labeled serving. Products bearing the basic Whole Grain logo stamp must contain at least 8 grams – a half serving – of whole grain. They may also contain some refined grain.

Another confusing label is “whole WHITE wheat flour” and is often confused for a refined flour. Whole white wheat flour is actually a whole grain flour made from WHITE wheat (as opposed to red wheat), yet still containing the bran, germ and endosperm of the original kernel. So it's critical to read the ingredient label carefully as some brands may contain both refined white flour and whole white wheat flour.

And here’s a tip you might not know: Whole grain products labeled “quick” or “easy” – like instant oatmeal or 90-second brown rice – generally offer the same healthy nutrients as their slower-cooking counterparts. Foods like these are simply pre-cooked or cut into smaller pieces to speed up the cooking process.

Remember when it was all about “fat”?

Just a few years ago, you couldn’t walk into a supermarket and not be attacked by thousands of packages touting their low, no, or "less than" Fat Labels. These days, it seems that our obsession to avoid fats has been replaced with more positive claims including whole grains, rich in antioxidants and, of course, all those miracle herbal ingredients.

Fats are a mystery to consumers, says a recent International Food Information Council (IFIC) report. Based on research conducted in mid 2007, IFIC found that while many of us do recognize common fats labeling and ingredient terms, many of us are unclear as to which fats to eat more or less often. So as we look around and continue to see our waistlines increasing, perhaps its time to rediscover “fats”.

Certainly the perception of fats as “bad” is a feeling held by many of us. In fact, the 2007 IFIC Foundation Food & Health Survey has been trending consumer attitudes toward fats for a couple of years and the findings are very illuminating. Concern with the amount of fat consumed is on the rise, up 6% from 2006. Awareness of certain types of fats, like trans fats, is up from 2006 too. Yet the awareness of other fats, like polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, is down significantly. So it appears that its time for a refresher from the American Heart Association:

Saturated fat
Saturated fat is the main dietary cause of high blood cholesterol. Saturated fat is found mostly in foods from animals and some plants. Foods from animals include beef, beef fat, veal, lamb, pork, lard, poultry fat, butter, cream, milk, cheeses and other dairy products made from whole and 2 percent milk. All of these foods also contain dietary cholesterol. Foods from plants that contain saturated fat include coconut, coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil (often called tropical oils), and cocoa butter.

Hydrogenated fat
During food processing, fats may undergo a chemical process called hydrogenation. This is common in margarine and shortening. These fats also raise blood cholesterol. The saturated fat content of margarines and spreads is printed on the package or Nutrition Facts label.

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats
Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are the two unsaturated fats. They're found mainly in many fish, nuts, seeds and oils from plants. Some examples of foods that contain these fats include salmon, trout, herring, avocados, olives, walnuts and liquid vegetable oils such as soybean, corn, safflower, canola, olive and sunflower. Both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats may help lower your blood cholesterol level when you use them in place of saturated and trans fats in your diet. But a moderate intake of all types of fat is best. The AHA recommends keeping total fat intake between 25 and 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils.

Trans-fatty Acids and Hydrogenated Fats
Unsaturated fatty acids can be in one of two shapes — "cis" and "trans." These terms refer to the physical positioning of hydrogen atoms around the carbon chain. The cis form is more common than the trans form. Trans-fatty acids (TFA) are found in small amounts in various animal products such as beef, pork, lamb and the butterfat in butter and milk. TFA are also formed during the process of hydrogenation, making margarine, shortening, cooking oils and the foods made from them a major source of TFA in the American diet. Keep trans fat intake to less than 1 percent of total calories. For example, if you need 2,000 calories a day, you should consume less than 2 grams of trans fat.

When asked about the perceived healthfulness of specific oils, a majority of the IFIC survey respondents correctly identify olive and canola oils to be healthful. However, remember the most important rule – all oils are 100% fat, and for most of us consuming less fat is a good thing.