Diet

8 Unsettling Facts Food Companies Don't Want You to Know

Find out where wood fibers, bugs and other strange ingredients are lurking in commonly consumed foods.

by Diana Kelly | COMMENT

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Your Multigrain Bread Isn't Whole Grain People associate the word "multigrain" with a healthy choice, like a more wholesome pasta, bread or cracker, says Shelke. But they are confusing that term with "whole grain," which is a truly healthful product. Whole grain products are generally higher in fiber and nutrients than refined products, which strip out the most nutritious parts -- bran and germ -- of the grain. For instance, whole-grain pasta contains fewer calories and has about three times as much fiber and 25 percent more protein than traditional pasta.

In order for a food to be labeled "whole grain," the first three ingredients must also say whole grain. Look for a whole grain stamp, language that says "100% whole wheat," or the following words: whole wheat, whole [other grain], stoneground whole [grain], brown rice, oats, oatmeal (including old-fashioned oatmeal, instant oatmeal), and wheat berries.

Phrases like "wheat," "durum," and "multigrain" can (and do) appear on good whole grain foods, too. But none of these words alone guarantees whether a product is whole grain or reﬁned grain.

Bottom line: The order ingredients appear on a label shows how much of the product is made up of that. Beware of "wheat bread" or "multigrain products" that list "enriched flour" or "multigrain" as a primary ingredient on the label.

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