The term ‘multigrain’ is something you’ll see all over different food products. It’s often touted as a benefit to many types of food as something that is essential for your diet.
From cereal to bread, this is something we see constantly in supermarkets or on various food ads.
It’s easy to just accept it as something that is beneficial without knowing what it actually means.
But what exactly is multigrain? Is it positive? How does it benefit the human body?
If you find yourself asking these questions, you wouldn’t be the first! Don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article we’re going to take you through everything there is to know about multigrain: what it means, what food it’s most common in, and whether or not it’s something you should be looking for.
We’ve also included a short Frequently Asked Questions section that will help answer any questions you may have left over by the end.
What Is Multigrain?
We’re going to start off with a simple explanation. The term “multigrain” simply means a food product that includes multiple kinds of grain.
For example, a loaf of multigrain bread might contain barley, wheat, millet, flax, and oats – or some combination of these.
Generally, the only thing that a multigrain product must contain to be classified under this banner is more than one type of grain.
Because of this, the term “multigrain” can be difficult to pin down, and often requires a little extra care from the consumer if they want to figure out what it means.
Different grains offer different things to your body, so if you’re watching your diet and general nutritional intake you’re going to want to make sure you know what you’re consuming.
Health Benefits Of Multigrain
There is a lot of misinformation around multigrain products, so we thought the best way to illustrate the health benefits is to simply explain some of the most common grains and what they do for your body.
This way, you’ll be able to make your own decisions on whether or not it’s something that you want to introduce to your body by reading food information labels.
Barley
This is an excellent source of fiber, commonly classified as a cereal grain that is commonly eaten in different parts of the work in various forms of cuisine.
Some of the main health benefits to barley include a series of B vitamins and beta-glucans.
Millet
This is a common grain consumed by people who are looking to reduce the amount of gluten in their diet. Millet contains a lot of different sources of protein and fiber.
Wheat
This is another extremely popular cereal grain and is used in so many foods it would be impossible to list them all.
It contains a large number of carbohydrates, but also a lot of vitamins and minerals such as selenium, copper, phosphorus, and manganese.
Oats
Oats are another cereal grain that typically contains carbohydrates, protein, fat and fiber.
They contain a lot of nutrients per serving and as a result, are a cheap food that has been eaten for centuries.
General Health Benefits: Multigrain foods are typically thought to be packed with a series of different nutrients.
The combination of different grains give you a lot of vitamins, minerals, and sources of fiber and carbohydrates.
How healthy they are for you depend entirely on the additional contents of the food product in question, so it can be difficult to tell.
Your best bet is to keep a close eye on the label and see what is includes.
How Are Multigrain Products Made?
Multigrain products are prepared in vastly different ways depending on the food item in question.
You’ll often see the term alongside “whole grain,” which basically means that grains are taken from whole kernels.
This is a beneficial process for humans as it optimizes the number of nutrients in the food.
It’s important to note that sometimes bread or other multigrain products are labeled as multigrain even if they contain refined grains or flour.
There are lots of different types of multigrain food products, here is a short list:
- Bread
- Cereal
- Rice
- Pasta
- Flour
Because multigrain can be applied to a lot of different types of food, how they are made is going to differ slightly.
It’s important to look at the product you’re consuming to understand what has gone into it.
Sometimes the term can be deceptive.
For example, whilst you might find a multi-grain cereal that presents itself as healthy, it could also contain additional ingredients such as sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Is Fiber Good For Your Diet?
Fiber can be great for your diet as it will aid in the digestion process.
More than this, it can also help improve your overall cholesterol levels and help to regulate blood sugar – all of which are essential for preventing certain diseases like heart disease, bowel cancer, and diabetes.
Why Can White Bread Be Bad For You?
One of the common problems with white bread is that its high doses of simplistic carbohydrates (due to refined grain) are quickly absorbed into your bloodstream.
This means that you can have fast spikes in blood sugar. Constant consumption of white bread in large quantities is thought to cause lots of different health issues.
Final Thoughts
So in conclusion, the term “multigrain” is a slightly deceptive word that can mean a lot of different things.
Without looking at a package you won’t know much about the real contents of the product – so it’s best to properly inspect the ingredients to make sure you’re getting the nutrients fit for your diet.
Generally, multigrain is a good thing and can be an essential part of a varied diet, but it’s important to take a closer look at what you’re consuming.
We hope that this article has given you a good overview of what multigrain means and that you’re not more confident about the term.
If you still have some questions, check below for our short FAQ section.
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