Wholegrain
Wholegrain contains the entire grain, including the germ and bran – with the fibre, vitamins and minerals that white flour lacks.
Ausführlich erklärt
Wholegrain means the entire cereal grain is used – the endosperm, the germ and the outer bran layers. For white flour, the germ and bran are removed, leaving mainly starch. But along with the bran, most of the fibre, B vitamins, iron, magnesium and zinc are lost. Wholemeal bread provides about 8 grams of fibre per 100 grams, white bread only around 3.
Because wholegrains are digested more slowly, blood sugar rises more gently and you stay full for longer. Large observational studies link regular wholegrain consumption with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and overweight. That's why the German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends choosing the wholegrain version of bread, pasta, rice and flour whenever possible.
Don't be fooled by appearances: dark bread isn't automatically wholegrain – the colour often comes from malt extract. Labels such as “multigrain bread”, “seeded rolls” or “farmhouse bread” say nothing about the wholegrain content either. The word “wholegrain” in the name is reliable: according to the German guidelines for bread, wholegrain bread must consist of at least 90% wholegrain cereal. Incidentally, there's also finely ground wholemeal flour – wholegrain doesn't necessarily mean coarse.
The switch works best step by step: mix pasta half and half, have oats for breakfast, wholemeal toast instead of white toast, brown rice or bulgur as a side. Children get used to it quickly when the adults join in – and when the bread tastes good.