Grains especially whole grains have a very important role in your children’s diet. The difference between wholegrains and refined grains is as the name already tells that one has not been refined. Refining grades does take away important nutrients from the grains so that there is no good part left anymore. 

For better explanation a whole grain has 3 parts the outer layer called the bran which has Vitamin b, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium and antioxidants it is also full of fibre. Then there is the germ the core of a whole grain. It is filled with healthy fats, vitamin E and B phytochemicals, and antioxidants. The endosperm is the only part that a whole grain and a refined grain have in common but other than some protein and a bit of vitamin B it mostly just consists of carbohydrates. 

All these ingredients have some specific effects on our body.  

The bran and the fire let you have a consistent blood sugar instead of sudden spikes. 

The fibre takes control of your cholesterol levels and helps your digestive system and it also prevents the formation of little blood clots that could lead to you having a stroke or a heart attack. 

With industrialised roller mills the bran and the germ get stripped away and only the endosperm is left. This mase it more chewable and also let our bred be so soft and airy. But with this process the nutritional value of the grain is going down almost half of vitamin b and 90% of vitamin E and the fibre are then gone. Some companies add the nutrients back in but most of the health promoting ingredients can not be putten back int the refined grain. 

As you can see an unprocessed whole grain has the most health benefits and is the best choice for your and your children’s health. These are some whole grains that are promoting for a well-balanced diet: Amaranth Kamut, Spelt, Barley, Millet, Teff, Brown Rice, Quinoa, Triticale, Buckwheat, Rye, Wheat Berries, Bulgur, Oats, Wild Rice, Corn and Sorghum.  If you buy food at the supermarket and you want to buy something made with whole grain instead of refined grain it is very important that you look at the ingredients of the products instead of the whole grain label as this label does not necessarily mean that the product is healthy as there is often added sugars or fats that are not good for the diet. As it can be complicated to understand the ingredient list of a product it is the best if you choose foods that have not many more ingredients than whole grains and the best would be if you try to buy and eat the whole grains without any other ingredients. 

Sources:

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/whole-grains/ https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/kids-healthy-eating-plate/