Though at first they may seem too “heavy” to be a diet food, whole grains have been proven to help with weight control. A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health showed that eating 40 grams (equivalent to about 1 cup of oatmeal or 3/4 cup of brown rice) of whole grains a day could significantly reduce middle-age weight gain. It’s thought that the fiber and protein in whole grains helps to regulate blood sugar, increase satiety and delay the return of hunger. The body also uses more calories to break down high-fiber foods.

Just because a food sounds or looks "grainy" doesn’t mean it’s made from whole grain. For example, “brown” bread can actually get its color from molasses or food dye. Words like “multigrain” and “stone ground” can also be misleading. “Multigrain” simply means that the food has more than one grain – refined or otherwise, while “stone ground” only refers to the technique used to prepare the food – not the ingredients.

The Whole Grains Council offers the following tips when trying to choose whole grain products:

Read the ingredient list – If the first ingredient listed contains the word “whole” (such as “whole wheat flour” then the product is predominantly whole grain.

Look for the Whole Grain stamp – As of March 2005, food companies have the option to add this stamp to their whole grain products.

Look for an FDA health claim – Foods that contain 51 percent or more of whole grain ingredients by weight may make the following claim: “Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods, and low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.”

Check the fiber content – You can find this on the Nutrition Facts panel on the packaging. A true 100 percent whole grain product will have at least two grams of fiber per serving, and often five grams or more.