When Whole Grain Isn’t Whole Grain

People are very critical of the FDA, but it does a pretty good job with food labeling. That’s to say, it tries to keep up with those rascally marketers. Ever since the health benefits of eating whole grains have been published, food manufacturers have tried to jump on the latest bandwagon of health-conscious consumers. The move to buy ‘whole grain’ products has led some manufacturers to add a few grains to their refined products and then label them ‘whole grain’.

To qualify for a ‘whole grain’ label, the FDA guidance requires the food to contain the three principal parts of the fruit of the grain – starchy endosperm, germ of the kernel, and fibrous bran shell. Products from legumes (soy), oilseeds (sunflower seeds0, and roots (arrowroot) don’t count. However, manufacturers can get a ‘whole grain’ label if they add the three critical constituents in the same proportions as they are found in nature. Bravo, FDA! It may take time, but the labeling it’s authorized in recent years have helped consumers fight their way through some of the hype that’s often based on questionable health claims.