Just as I'm starting to understand all the buzz about whole grains, I'm faced with a new lesson, and it's all about "old-world" grains. Here's what I'm learning.

Once only found in health food stores, these grains -- amaranth, spelt, and quinoa are a few -- are popping up on the shelves of local grocery stores. The good news, besides greater availability, is that these tasty treats may be even higher in disease-fighting nutrients than your average whole wheat, rice, and oats.

Want to give these great grains a try? Here are some tips:

• Pick bread with more than seven grains -- these are more likely to include some "old-world" alternatives, like millet and amaranth.
• Visit the rice and pasta aisle and give these a try: Boxed quinoa and Kamut pasta. Quinoa has a nutty taste, the pasta has a wheat flavor, and both cook in 20 minutes or less and can be swapped for rice or noodles in pilafs and soups.
• Try small substitutions by using these grains in foods like muffins, pancakes, even salads.

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Love them or not, you can't argue that Jon and Kate Gosselin of Jon and Kate Plus 8 have captured the nation's attention. Not only are they parents of two sets of multiples -- twins Mady and Cara, plus sextuplets Alexis, Hannah, Leah, Aaden, Collin, and Joel -- but they also manage to feed their kids a steady diet of nutritious, organic, homemade foods. That's no easy task.

Kate recently shared some of her tips with LilSugar, including her philosophy that, if you feed it (and don't offer any other options), eventually they will eat it. Aside from that, though, Kate has also teamed up with the Grains Foods Foundation to encourage people, but especially families, to return to the time-honored habit of brown-bagging it. "We've been brown-bagging for years," said Kate, "And I'm working with the Grains Foods Foundation to show other families how packing lunches can be an easy and fun way to save money and eat healthy."

With kids back in school, this is timely advice. At our school, the menu consists mainly of pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, and chicken nuggets -- all for $2.00 a pop. When I pack my daughter's lunch, she eats things like sandwiches on whole wheat, fruit, raw veggies, hummus, and leftovers like salmon and spaghetti. That's a lot better variety at a significantly lower cost. And brown-bagging isn't only for kids. Adults can avoid fast food temptation at lunch time by packing themselves a nutritious lunch at home in the morning, and families can save money by packing a cooler when on the road.

The only thing I disagree with is Kate's statement that when she feeds her kids snacks, it's usually a grain. Grains are good, especially when they're whole grains, but kids need plenty of fruits and veggies and high-quality protein sources too. I'd pick apples and peanut butter over pretzels any day.

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I try to incorporate as many whole grains as possible into my family's diet. We always opt for whole-grain pastas, crackers, and most of our cold cereals are whole grain (we slip a few treat cereals in now and then). We also eat plenty of oatmeal, brown rice, and whole-grain cous-cous. But, other than adding barley to soups now and then, I run a little short on ideas for other healthy whole grains.

There are so many delicious whole grains to try -- such as quinoa and triticale. The Whole Grains Council has a library of recipes to try.

Eat Better America has a recipe for tabbouleh with fruit that sounds wonderful. I'm a big fan of tabbouleh and this is a new twist I can't wait to try. Some of the ingredients include bulgar, fresh herbs, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, as well as olive oil and cinnamon.

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Love the rich, flavourful, fresh cuisine of Greece and Italy? Eat up! Not only is the Mediterranean diet effective and recommended by medical professionals, but a recent study shows that it protects against all major chronic diseases, according to this article from the Daily Mail.

That's a pretty bold claim, but it seems to be legit. Researchers in the UK analyzed data from 12 different studies worldwide that took place over time periods of up to 18 years and found that those who followed a Mediterranean diet closely had a significantly longer lifespan and a lower risk of diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and heart disease.

The Mediterranean diet is high in nuts, fish, whole grains, healthy fats, fresh fruits and veggies and even red wine in moderation. To find out how you can incorporate it into your diet, click here.

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Are you already stressing today about what you'll do for lunch tomorrow? Here's an idea: Pass on the temptation to eat out -- it's much healthier and much more affordable to brown-bag it -- and consider throwing some of these items together. Don't wait until the craziness of morning arrives, though -- do it today so all you'll need to do as you head out the door for work is grab your lunch and go.

• Think fruits and vegetables, and drop a few servings in your lunch box. Portable fruits, like apples, oranges, and bananas, are great for snacks throughout the day.
  
• Top sandwiches with cucumbers, tomatoes, and spinach.
• Work in some whole grains but vary your choices from day to day so you don't get bored. Try popcorn, whole grain crackers and bagels, rolls, pitas, and tortillas.
  
• Consider making extra portions of healthy dinners so you can pack up leftovers for work the next day.
  
  

The message here: Plan ahead to beat the lunch rush -- and eat well too.

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Each week, we'll be naming a Super Food and offering unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

Growing up, my mother always told me whole wheat bread was better than white bread. She could never explain exactly why--it was just one of those things that was. And now, the benefits of whole grains aren't just touted by mothers. Doctors, researchers, nutritionists -- everyone who has a say in the world of healthy living is speaking out about how important whole grains are to your diet.

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I'm on board for this whole grain thing. If it's the best for my body, then I'm game. And yes, I'm just now committing to it. I happen to be one of those people who considers her diet a work in progress. I can't change everything at once and amazingly, while I've known certain things are bad for me for quite some time -- excess sugar, lots of fat, loads of sodium -- other Aha! moments strike me long after others catch on. Case in point: Whole wheat.

I guess I've known for longer than I let on that whole wheat is the way to go. Maybe it's just that I like the whiter versions of breads better. Perhaps preference and habit have kept me grabbing at that honey wheat bread for so long. Well, no more. Because yesterday, while grabbing my two loaves at the grocery store, I checked out not only the nutritional label but the list of ingredients too. My kid's school newsletter tells me this week that the word "whole" should be listed first on the healthiest of products -- manufacturers must list ingredients in descending weight order so you want your whole grains to be tops -- and sure enough, things just didn't read this way on my bag of honey wheat bread, which also happened to hide the bad words "high fructose corn syrup" amidst the tiny typed paragraph I tried to decipher. So the bread went back on the shelf. And whole wheat, without any of that fructose stuff, became content in my cart. One-hundred percent whole wheat, I should add.

Today, I'll have a sandwich for lunch on my new bread. So will my kids. Not so sure how they'll react but it's just got to be this way. For my health. And theirs.

For a bunch of whole grain guidance and inspiration, check out The Whole Grains Council here.

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I'm on a mission to better understand whole grains because as we all know and Maggie recently told us, it's kind of confusing trying to figure out what counts as a whole grain and what doesn't. Slowly but surely and with some help from The Whole Grains Council, I'm unraveling the mystery. And so I thought you might want to know what I'm learning.

First, a definition from The Whole Grains Council: Whole grains or foods made from them contain all the essential parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed. If the grain has been processed (e.g., cracked, crushed, rolled, extruded, and/or cooked), the food product should deliver approximately the same rich balance of nutrients that are found in the original grain seed.

And now, here are examples of whole grain foods and flours.

Amaranth
Barley
Buckwheat
Corn (including whole cornmeal and popcorn)
Millet
Oats (including oatmeal)
Rice (both brown rice and colored rice)
Rye
Sorghum (also known as milo)
Teff
Triticale
Wheat
Wild Rice

This list is not comprehensive but serves as a general guide of whole grains most familiar to consumers.

Oilseeds and legumes -- flax, sunflower seeds, soy, and chickpeas -- are not whole grains.

This is just a snippet of what The Whole Grains Council has to offer. I'm definitely going back for more. I'll let you know what else I discover.

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You've hear it before: Eat smaller portions. Use smaller plates. A little friendly reminder never hurt, though, and to drive these points home, consider this: A muffin once weighed 1.5 ounces and housed about 210 calories. Today's muffin is not so dainty with its hefty four ounces and 500 calories. I know. I know. I ate a pumpkin muffin recently and was appalled at what actually went into my body.

The point here, according to the Publix Greenwise magazine is that everything, from bagels to burgers, is ballooning in size. So are our waistlines. It's more important than ever then to watch ourselves. Watching how we distribute the food on our plates is a good starting point. So start with a nine-inch plate and proceed as follows.

Divide your plate into quarters. In three of your quarters, pile on the whole grains, the veggies, the fruit. Fill the remaining quarter with lean meat, fish, or poultry. That's it. The smaller plate, dominated by plant-based foods, is key for keeping calories in check. Simple stuff, right?

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While visiting family over the holidays, I was treated to a piping hot bowl of oatmeal made with steel cut oats -- perfect for the freezing temps that kept us holed up inside, swarming around the warm fireplace. I kept hearing about how healthy the "steel cut" part of this oatmeal was.

Isn't oatmeal just oatmeal? Does the type of oats used to make this tasty treat really matter?

Yes, it does matter.

Steel cut oats, also known as Irish or Scotch oats, are less processed than their rolled counterparts. These longer-to-cook oats are heartier, healthier, and come with a chewier texture. Steel cut oats are a definite oatmeal upgrade and come with these stats: 150 calories, 4 g fiber, 2.5 g fat, and 1 g sugar.

Grains, like steel cut oats, are the way to go. Here are some others you might add to your menu.

Wheat Germ
It contains more nutrients than any other vegetable and more protein than most meats. Sprinkle on a smoothie or add to your favorite (healthy) cookie batter and you'll fill yourself with 102 calories, 3 g fiber, 3 g fat, and no sugar.

Bulgar
Often used in tabouli, this one is has a low glycemic index and is far healthier than rice or couscous. It's quick to cook and can be added to almost any recipe. The basics: 151 calories, 8 g fiber, no fat, and no sugar.

Quinoa
Pronounced keen-wah, this protein-packed grain is complete -- this means it supplies the body with the amino acids it can't make on its own. Considered a rice substitute, this go-to grain is gluten-free, easy to digest, and high in all sorts of good stuff. Eat it like oatmeal or add it to stew for starters. The lowdown: 159 calories, 3.5 g fiber, 2 g fat, and 1 g sugar.

Flax Seed
Check out the fiber packed into this omega-3 gem: 11 g. And check this out: Flax might fight certain cancers and can be added to just about any food or snack you can dream up. Anyone aiming for weight loss or a boost in energy ought to try this grain with its 190 calories, 13 g fat, and .4 g sugar. Did I mention the fiber? 11 g. Wow.

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We all know what foods to avoid--trans and saturated fats, refined sugars, white carbs, etc. But do you know which foods you should make a regular part of your diet? eDiets recently counted down the seven foods you should be eating every day. Every day sounds like a lot, but making these your staples will improve your overall health and help you live your best life.

Curious to know what they are? Click on the images below:

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Maybe all I need to deflate my small but stubborn belly roll is a healthy dose of whole grains.

In a study of obese adults at risk of heart disease, researchers found that those who trimmed calories and increased their whole-grain intake shed more belly fat and lowered their risk of heart attack and stroke. Those who ate refined grains -- like white bread -- still lost weight but trimmed less fat from their middles. They also didn't shave off any heart risks.

This study, the first to prove that whole grains can lead to weight loss and fewer chronic diseases, might just get me eating more oatmeal, brown rice, and barley. How about you?

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Many diet books always suggest eating a certain number of ounces of food or a fraction of a cup. These portion suggestions may be easy to follow when you're preparing the food yourself, but what about when you're not eating at home? Unless you carry around one of those mini food scales and a measuring cup, your best guess is all you have to rely on.

That's why you should try to make your guesses as educated as possible. To assist you in that effort, here are a few common portion estimation tips you can try.

~ 3 ounces of lean meat is about equal in size to a standard deck of 52 cards

~ 1.5 ounces of cheese is about the size of three dominoes

~ 1/2 cup of fruit, veggies, or grains is equal to about the size of half a baseball

If your portions sizes are larger than those listed above, you can simply adjust the size of the comparison object accordingly.

A little while back, I posted on the progress being made by scientists in their efforts to create an allergen-free peanut. Most of you were extremely pleased to hear of this news, pointing to how your nut allergy has prevented you from enjoying peanuts and peanut butter. Other responders, however, saw this permutation as yet another example of science creating "Frankenfood," which some believe may ultimately do mare harm than good.

Not to fan that flame on that debate to the point of wildfire, but I thought some of you might be interested in hearing about the University of California at Davis' 'super wheat.' By cloning a gene found in a rare and very nutritious form of wheat and then transferring it to a commercially used wheat, the scientists created a wheat that has 15 percent more zinc, iron, and protein than the average wheat. Though this new super-wheat is not yet available, is expected to reach stores in the form of pastas, cereals, and breads some time next year.

Okay, people ... fire away with those comments!!

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Many people will be resolving to get healthy in the new year -- are you one of them? If so, read this article from eDiets -- they have a great list of things to toss from your cupboard ... and your life. But don't worry, they've also listed things to stock up on.

Here's what to get rid of in 2008:

• White stuff. We're talking bread, pasta, rice and sugar.
  
• Processed meats. Ick!
• Anything with high amounts of sodium. Frozen dinners and canned vegetables are a common offender.
  
• Sugar-laden fruits -- including canned fruit, sweetened applesauce and strawberry ice cream. These may have fruit but they're not healthy.
  

Here's what to pick up at the store:

• Whole grains, and whole grain products like bread and pasta.
  
• Lean protein like fish and poultry
• Fresh fruits and veggies.
  

Want more advice? Click here.

12 "healthy" foods that really aren't:

Why? Click to find out!

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