Are you into hot cereals in the morning, and you prefer to buy your grain in a sealed box rather than out of the bins or barrels in the bulk foods section at the natural food stores or bulk foods sections or your regular grocery store? Buying right out of the bin or barrels assures you of 100% whole grain, but it takes a little more effort if you buy the boxed variety.
Check it Out
You need to read the label. The following are example of words that will assure you of 100% whole grains when you select a hot cereal.
First, look for the first ingredient to be:
• rolled oats
• whole oats
• steel-cut oats
• whole wheat
• brown rice
• stone ground grits
Secondly, look for the added sodium.
Some companies add up to 300 mg of sodium. This is especially important as cereals are usually consumed with milk, and milk right out of the cow has 140 mg of sodium. Whole grains naturally have almost zero sodium.
Bottom line? Read labels on all packaged foods, even grain products.
