Actually, I think "whole grain" refers to leaving in all parts of the grain - like the bran and germ - which get stripped out in refining. Refined grains are pure endosperm - starch.

Nikkil, that wild rice is one of the few grains I miss, I loved that stuff!

Willet -- the guy of Harvard fame -- actually recommends that the term 'whole grain' be reserved only for intact kernel. And there is actually VERY little you can buy that remains that way.

Yes, whole wheat bread or pasta does contain some of the nutrients of the 'whole' grain, but the glycemic index isn't all that different from the white stuff. It shoots up blood glucose almost as much. It's a lot like refined flour with some sawdust mixed in.

What about everything in moderation? High protein/low carb is not for everyone!

But the low-fat and vegan pundits are telling everyone that low carb is not for ANYONE. If they have their way, what are you going to eat on your Protein Power plan -- tofu?

I don't miss the pasta, or the rice, and I can live without breakfast cereal, crackers, cookies, popcorn etc. but I still miss bread....I loved bread, I don't mean styrofoam Wonderbread, I mean...gorgeous, lucious, crunchy, sunflower and multigrain bread right out of the oven, and baguettes, and panini, and farmer's rye and ..oops sorry...did someone say lamb chops? Green beans...bread..what bread!

Mollymom...I guess it depends on what program you are doing. Bread can be o.k. (I know I am going to get blasted for this)...but you have to include it in your carbs....what about the new low carb breads...they are not too bad. I am in phase 2 of P.P. and I allow myself once slice of a low carb or 12 grain bread once in a while. And Dean4Prez...what is wrong with tofu....I also eat a lot of bison, chicken (skinless), pork etc....

I do have bread...finally our grocery got in the Dempster's Low Carb Whole Wheat...6 net carbs per slice. (I eat one slice a day and a sandwich once a week) It is good for putting stuff between or on LOL. I never ate stuff like sliced bread...but I could go through a whole baguette with sweet butter and jam in an evening if I was on a real binge. Hmmm wonder how I ended up in these forums. I was never a sweet eater, I was a bread eater...not chocolate, but cheese...we all had our downfalls..mine was bread...sigh

The arnold low carb multigrain bread is quite delicious and only 6 grams for a slice.

The funniest thing about this whole grain thing is cereals. I was in the grocery store the other day and i walked past a huge display of cocoa puffs with WHOLE GRAIN touted in gigantic letters. I immediately burst out laughing.

MMMmmmm Cocoa Puffs as a health food... life is good.

I proclaimed loudly to my fiancee that anyone who thought cocoa puffs was healthy was smoking something and a nice woman walked past who started laughing as well. she said, 'yep, its better to just stay away from the stuff'

it made my day.

Im looking right now at a box of cereal my cube mate has on her wall: Peanut Butter Toast Crunch -WHOLE GRAIN! She also has her quaker oatmeal squares, which she likes cuz "they make her poop". These arent so bad. And hard for me to yell at her cuz shes like 25 and super skinny. And from singapore. What can you do?

I gave her the readers digest version of how it works, and she eats more eggs, meats and cheese now-and finds shes not hungry anymore, likes it a lot.

Interesingly enough, the label reads like this: 23 g carb, 1g fiber (so much for whole grain) 10g sugar and 12g "OTHER CARBOHYDRATE. What could that be? What other kind is there?

I know that I eat grains on a daily basis. Probably not the kind I should have, but it's hard to find quality grains. I don't think humans are supposed to eat grains either, but it does serve the purpose of fiber. However, vegetables can do that as well...but I could never give up grains completely. I like Grape Nuts cereal:

Total Carb 47g, Dietary Fiber 6g, Sugars 5g, "other" carb 36g...but I look past that and see: Vit. A 15%, Iron 90% Folic Acid 50%, Vit. B12 25% etc...

As you can tell, I only have this cereal when I'm in a hurry, and when my daily calorie intake allows it.

Theres a difference between grapenuts and all bran vs cocoa puffs and honeycombs. HUGE! I dont think anyone can imagine comparing the two as equally healthy.

I still wanna know what these "other" carbs are.

Probably starches.

Rosebud

I feel so much better on low carb and I know my body loves it. The pain and numbness in my hands and feet, which can be just awful, goes away after about two weeks, day 19 now and pain is pretty much gone. I have only one problem with low carb, constipation. I have tried flax seed but it gave me gas so bad I was bloated and in severe pain, wont' touch the stuff. I have to admit when on a high fiber diet my body did much better that way lol !!But I just cannot eat that much grains. I am working on getting my veggies up and allow myself one slice a day of a bread I buy in the health food store called bran for life. It has five grams of fiber and 17 carbs before the fiber is deducted. Other than veggies and the carbs in eggs, this is the only carbs I get now and it makes my breakfast more pleasant and my body seems a bit happier. If it causes the pain in my hands to come back, out it goes. I have only been doing it a few days, so we will see. It is a very small slice of bread, but I am still testing it out on a partial loaf I had in the freezer, if I do not like my weight loss or I find the pain coming back, I will not ever buy it again. Low carb is my way of life now, and I will not do anything that will mess with it. Diabetes runs in my family and it is when not if but when I will get it, if I do not stay on track. After numerous attempts, this is the keeper. I have made the decision that this is how i have to eat and I there is no options. When I crave something I can't have, I eat something I can have and forget about it. I feel that it is a decision I made and I will stick with it. I am worth the commitment.
I do feel that grains cause a lot of havic in our bodies, my husband cannot eat any wheat he gets very severe heartburn if he eats if for any extended periods, so he was already avoiding it, so going full low carb was no stretch for him.He is happier too.
It is hard as we are raised as children on so many bad carbs, breakfast cerials, pop tarts, peanut butter and jelly, mac and cheese, just to name a few. Let alone the fast food and convience frozen foods. How many people live on those these days. Have you seen the ice cream isle lately, it is insane how many ways they try to get you !!! Cookie isle, same way. I know when I was not eating low carb, I ate a lot of that junk. I ate very little healthy food. I either eat healthy and low carb, or I did not eat healthy at all. I am choosing healthy and low carb for the rest of my life !!! Stephie

A very good point Karen and one that is often hard for me to reconcile. Grain is a strong symbol in the Catholic religion and as most Catholics know, its even embrodered into the Eucharist cloth, etc...
(before anyone responds, I am not speaking of the transubstantiation. I understand and recieve .)
Its that its always been such a holy and virtius symbol to me, the grain/bread.