Healthy Weight Loss

Do You Believe This Common Myth?

Myth:  I should avoid grain products such as bread, pasta and rice when trying to lose weight.

Fact:  Unless you have a particular allergy or digestive issue, grains can be considered a healthy part of any diet, including a weight loss diet.  A grain product is any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain.  Some are healthier than others, however.  Grains are divided into two subgroups:  whole grains and refined grains.  Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel – the bran, germ and endosperm.  Examples include brown rice and whole-wheat bread, and certain cereals and pasta.  Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ.  This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life, but is also removes dietary fiber, iron and many B vitamins.  People who eat whole grains as part of a healthy diet may lower their chances of developing some chronic diseases.  To lose weight, reduce the number of calories you take in and increase the amount of physical activity you do each day.  Follow an eating plan that replaces less-healthy options with a mix of fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein foods and low-fat dairy foods.

–Source:  National Institutes of Health