As educated shoppers, we have all seen or heard the research that we need to boost the amount of whole grain in our diet regimens. Whole grain IS very good for you, that is true. The question remains, however, when you trust the super market and labels as you search for them are the whole grains at their best? This answer may amaze you.

The paradox of buying whole grains goods from a grocery store is a slippery slope. It's almost like you need a decoder ring or a law degree to see exactly what you are buying.

The phrase 'made with whole grains' or 'a good source of whole grain' makes us have the sense that we are buying items that are all around better for our well-being. The truth is, phrases like these should be read as their precise meaning rather than the key terms of 'whole grain' leaping out at you. As we look at the phrases in the light of ingredients, we will see that very few items are actually completely whole grain on the grocery shelf.

When we look at the list of ingredient, if key words such as bleached or enriched are listed, then the colon clogging goop is still in what you are hoping to be healthy even though it is also 'made with whole grains'. Likely there are some whole grains in the item too, but it does not have to be more than 51% of the flour to be considered a source or made with whole grains.

So, now what? We don't have the secret decoder ring or pocket dictionary for legal jargon to take to the grocery store! How can we get real whole grains in our diets? If we want to be healthy and actually have those whole grains in their best form, we need to mill our own flour from real WHOLE kernels of grain.

By the time I've read all the labels and double checked the ingredients, I could have made loaf of fresh bread at home - from milling the wheat kernel to taking it out of the oven. With as few as 5 ingredients, all of which I can articulate, I am able to make: hamburger/hot dog buns, bread for sandwiches, whole wheat bagels, pita pockets, sub rolls and more! The options are endless!