Myth 5
Brown equals whole-grain.
Truth: There are lots of whole-grain poseurs out there.
"People buy caramel-colored wheat bread and think they're getting a whole-grain product," Harvard's Rimm says, "but that's not always the case."
He advises looking for labels where "whole-wheat" or "whole-grain" top the list. It's worth the extra effort: More and more research is finding that whole grains reduce your risk of many chronic ailments, from obesity and diabetes to cardiovascular disease. The extra fiber in whole grains is key. "It leads to satiety and reduces the speed with which the meal is absorbed," Rimm says.
In essence, fiber makes you feel full, which means you eat less. It also helps level out the peaks and valleys of insulin that a meal produces. An added boost: Whole-grain foods tend to be higher in vitamins B and E than refined grains. So forget those barely grainy cereals and breads, and switch to ones that are truly whole-grain (with at least 3 grams of fiber per serving), making sure you get the recommended three servings a day.
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