Is it really whole grain? Check the ingredients

Whole grain foods include all parts of the grain, so they have more fibre than refined grains. Eating foods higher in fibre can help lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and colon cancer.

The catch is that packaging can be confusing. Health Canada notes that whole wheat and multigrain foods may not be whole grain, and a food's colour doesn't tell you either.

How to check:

1. Flip to the ingredient list.
2. Look for the words "whole grain" followed by the name of the grain, like "whole grain oats" or "whole grain wheat," as one of the first ingredients.
3. Use the % daily value for fibre on the nutrition facts table to compare products, and choose the one with more.

Whole wheat foods aren't whole grain, but they contain fibre and can still be a healthy choice.

Easy whole grains to try: oatmeal, brown or wild rice, quinoa, barley, whole grain pasta and whole grain bread. Mixing brown or wild rice into white rice is a gentle way to start.

Try this today: Check the ingredient list on the bread or crackers you already have at home.

Sources

• Canada's food guide: Eat whole grain foods (opens in a new tab)