What is a whole grain serving?
The serving terminology can be a bit confusing when it comes to whole grains. Typically a grain serving is referred to as 1 oz for breads, crackers, pitas, tortillas and dry cereals. For cooked grains it is ~ ½ cup. When referring to a whole grain serving however a serving is defined as providing 16 grams of whole grain. A 1 oz or ½ c portion of whole grains could technically provide > 16 grams of whole grains per serving. An athlete’s best bet to identifying whole grain foods is to read the food labels and the ingredient lists carefully. Look for the words WHOLE GRAIN in large print on the front of the package. Look at the ingredient list for the terms whole grain flour as the first ingredient. Look for whole grain health claims on packages. JH_Whole_Grain_stamp.jpgAthletes can also keep an eye out for the “Whole Grain Stamp.” This symbol will help identify which foods offer 8 to 16 grams of whole grains per serving. For more information on the Whole Grain Stamp and foods that are app
