With the occasion of the World Day of Whole Grains Nestlé launches the call for a healthier diet

A diet rich in whole grains reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and even some forms of cancer and the ideal consumption for this purpose is at least 48 grams per day, but Romanians consume on average only a third of this quantity. Today, on International Whole Grains Day, Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage company, and its breakfast cereal division Cereal Partners Worldwide CPW, are drawing attention to the role and contribution of whole grains in healthy diets, highlighting the importance encouraging sustainable eating habits from childhood.

Public health authorities, nutritionists, and health organizations, including the WHO, recommend that we eat whole grains over refined ones. A whole grain food is defined as a food with at least one gram of fibre per 10 grams of carbohydrates. Nutritionists say we should serve three servings of whole grains a day. A serving is about 16g of whole grains – this could be a slice of wholemeal bread, 2 oatcakes, 3 cups of popcorn or three heaping tablespoons of cooked wholemeal pasta.

Romanians consume an average of 16.95 grams of whole grains per day (women 17.5 grams and men 16.4 grams), according to a study published by the European Commission. Whole grain cereals include whole barley, rice, buckwheat, bulgur, millet, corn, as well as whole wheat flour. Foods made with these ingredients are also sources of whole grains and include bread, pasta, or crackers, with important nutrients including B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and dietary fibre.

“Whole grains are the number one ingredient in over 90% of our breakfast cereal recipes (and 99% of our ready-to-eat cereals for kids and teens). That’s one of the reasons we’re partnering with the Whole Grains Initiative to support International Whole Grains Day. As a breakfast cereal company, we’re in a unique position – we’re on the tables of millions of families every morning. We can help our consumers increase their consumption of whole grains with a simple meal”, says Nicoleta Tupiță, licensed dietitian and Nutrition and Internal Communication Manager Nestlé Romania, Bulgaria, and the Adriatic Countries.

While whole grains are a good source of fibre, not all whole grains have the same amount of fibre in them. For example, brown rice has 3.4g of fibre per 100g compared to whole wheat, which has 12.2g per 100g. The recommended fibre intake is at least 48g per day, so to increase your intake of fibre, you can choose a high-fibre breakfast cereal (like those made by Nestlé Breakfast Cereals!), add vegetables to your meals, and choose more whole grains (like whole wheat pasta).

Nestlé, and CPW goal is to make breakfast better for everyone. Nicoleta Tupiță explains: “for the past 20 years, we’ve been leading the industry – improving our recipes to increase whole grains and fibre. Thanks to the hard work of our dedicated team of researchers, scientists, and nutritionists, we have reduced the total amount of sugars by 20% and increased the whole grain content by over 50% on average, without affecting the taste. More than 80% of our cereals have equal to or less than two teaspoons of sugar (7.5g) per 30g serving and 95% of our cereals have less than 450mg of sodium per 100g”.

Whole grains are also a good basis for a balanced planetary diet, which can consist mostly of plant-based foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes, along with a small proportion of but important, meat and dairy. A report in The Lancet (https://eatforum.org/eat-lancet-commission/) and research from WWF suggests that a planetary diet could contribute to a more sustainable future by reducing wildlife loss by up to 46%, slowing deforestation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from food by at least 30%.