Whole grain food not always healthy Current standards for
classifying foods as “whole grain” are inconsistent and, in some
cases, misleading, researchers say. One of the most widely used
industry standards, the Whole Grain Stamp, actually identified
grain products that were higher in both sugars and calories than
products without the Stamp. The researchers from the Harvard
School of Public Health (HSPH) urge adoption of a consistent,
evidence-based standard for labelling whole grain foods to help
consumers and organizations make healthy choices. This is the
first study to empirically evaluate the healthfulness of whole
grain foods based on five commonly used industry and government
definitions. “Given the significant prevalence of refined
grains, starches, and sugars in modern diets, identifying a
unified criterion to identify higher quality carbohydrates is a
key priority in public health,” first author Rebecca Mozaffarian
said. The health benefits of switching from refined to whole
grain foods are well esta