11 Feb
Uncategorized

FDA DEFINES GLUTEN-FREE

It’s official: FDA has defined how the term “gluten free” can be used on food labels. This ruling has been a long time coming; Congress asked FDA to set a standard in 2004 and FDA published a proposed rule in January 2007–and here we are, 9 years later, with a ruling!

According to the new rule, foods may be labeled with the words “gluten free” if the food is inherently gluten-free and/or if it contains less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten.

This level came as no surprise, as it was the level talked about for some time, and is in line with levels already adopted by Canada and the european union. Because the 20 ppm level has been talked about for so long, most commercial products on the market are thought to be already observing the “new” FDA definition.

The rule becomes effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, but foods currently in the pipeline may still appear on grocers’ shelves for up to a year, as long as their labels are truthful and not misleading. The new standard is voluntary, which means that gluten-free foods are not required to be labeled as such – just that, if the term gluten-free is used, it must meet this definition.

FDA is not mandating any particular format or positioning of these words on the label; they’re not part of the Nutrition Facts Panel, for instance. There’s also no official government logo or symbol being proposed.

Just as we saw “cholesterol free” slapped on fruits, vegetables and other foods with no cholesterol a few decades ago, we can now expect “gluten free” to appear on foods that are inherently gluten free, as companies try to cash in on interest in gluten free foods. (FDA gives the example of bottled spring water.) In the case of gluten, however, labeling makes more sense. Cholesterol doesn’t cross-contaminate nearby foods, and we’ve never heard of anyone who gets sick if they accidentally eat a tiny amount of cholesterol. 

It’s different with gluten. Although gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and triticale) is not a problem for most people, an estimated one percent of the population has celiac disease, a condition in which even small amounts of gluten can cause serious health problems. Another small percentage of people have what’s called non-celiac gluten sensitivity; while they do not react to gluten as seriously as do celiacs, they feel better when they avoid gluten. Even foods inherently gluten-free – including most whole grains – could be contaminated with gluten during processing or manufacturing or even during the growing process. 

So this ruling is good news for everyone with gluten intolerance of any level. The Whole Grains Council is delighted that the FDA has at long last finalized this important standard.

21 Dec
Uncategorized

Health benefits of Whole Grains and Pulses

Nearly every cuisine has its own variation of “rice and beans” or “whole grains and pulses.” Pulses (the food group that includes beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas) are natural partners for whole grains from both a culinary and a nutrition science perspective. Long before researchers discovered the health benefits of combining complementary proteins (methionine in grains, and lysine in pulses) to provide all essential amino acids, dishes like lentil daal with whole wheat roti, black beans with corn tortillas, and black-eyed peas with brown rice or sorghum were commonplace.

Today we know that the liver can store amino acids, so it’s not necessary to worry about combining these powerhouse food groups at every single meal. And yet whole grains and pulses continue to be the cornerstone of flavorful, balanced dishes around the world.

17 Dec
Uncategorized, Whole Grain

WHOLE GRAINS AND PLANT-BASED DIETS: 19TH-CENTURY EDITION

According to a NCHS brief released this month, whole grain intake as part of total grain consumption is slowly but steadily increasing among adults aged 20 and older in the United States. Though we still have work to do to get closer to making half of our grains whole and meeting the Dietary Guidelines recommendations, this is heartening news. Keep up the whole grain choices! As scientific understanding of the health benefits of whole grains has increased, more people have begun seeking whole grain products. In fact, 86% of respondents to our 2018 survey indicated health as a main driver in choosing whole grains. Companies are responding to mounting scientific evidence and consumer demand as well. To date, nearly 13,000 products have been registered to carry the Whole Grain Stamp, which requires products contain a minimum of half a serving of whole grains (8g) per labeled serving in order to qualify!

The eating patterns of past generations were equally influenced by advancements in knowledge. America was rapidly changing in the mid-19th and 20th centuries, and a trip down memory lane reveals some surprising influences, who not only impacted what people ate then, but continue to influence what people eat today.

19th Century Nutrition
Nutrition science was still very young in 19th century America. Though the idea that food choice had an impact on health was largely accepted, the specifics of how and why this was true were a matter of speculation. Meat, thought to be more easily digested than vegetables, was often prescribed for ailments along with healthy doses of wine. One man saw a different, plant-based path to health. Sylvester Graham’s thoughts on nutrition were largely influenced by his observations on the impact the increasingly industrialized and urban world had on health. He believed, and promoted, avoidance of all “stimulating” foods and habits and encouraged eating food as close to its natural state as possible. He was an early proponent of a vegetarian diet, and his teachings highlighted the importance of whole grain consumption. Though considered one of the founders of vegetarianism in America, he is perhaps even better known for his whole grain advocacy. 

Graham proselytized grinding grain at home, creating a minimally-processed flour for baking. When Graham’s popularity skyrocketed in the mid-1800s, many shop owners started selling products using coarsely-ground whole grain flour marketed with his name—graham flour, graham bread, and a bit later, the graham cracker. Advancements in the milling process in the late 20th century drastically changed flour production, and what was once ground either at home or by huge stones at the local grist mill was now being crushed in factories by huge porcelain and cast-iron rollers. This roller technology, invented in Hungary in the early 19th century, enabled more of the grain’s endosperm to be extracted from its bran and germ, making the milling process more efficient and the refining process more effective. Refined flour had historically been more expensive, and therefore desirable, due to the extra labor involved in sifting, but now roller mills made this sought-after refined flour cheap and accessible. Despite the boom of refined grain products that followed, Graham’s ideas about the importance of whole grains remained in circulation and continued to influence the next generation of Americans.

Modern Impact
John Kellogg, influenced by Graham’s teachings, created his own health and wellness sanatorium in the late 19th and early 20th century. His method was based around the promotion of health through diet, for which whole grains played an important role. He is perhaps best-known for inventing the corn flake, originally served as a health food at his sanatorium. The resulting rave reviews helped launch the popularization of the breakfast cereal. Charles Post, a patient in Kellogg’s sanatorium and a believer in his methods, soon became his competitor and created his own cereals made with the whole grain flour Graham so strongly believed in.

The health sciences have come far since the 19th and 20th centuries, but the ideas and technology from that era still live on in our current food culture. Roller milling is still used, now efficiently processing both whole and refined grains. Kellogg Company and Post Consumer Brands continue to produce breakfast cereals, including many that carry the Whole Grain Stamp. Graham flour, to this day, is defined by the USDA as a coarsely-ground whole grain wheat flour. While graham flour is defined as a whole grain, graham crackers are not, so make sure you check for the Whole Grain Stamp on your favorite fireside snack, or in an homage to Graham himself, make your own! Have a favorite historic food influencer? Share with us below! (Abby)