4. Mediterranean Diet Pyramid
A contemporary approach to delicious, healthy eating
(Barilla adaptation from Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust)
5. FOOD AND NUTRITION: A STORY OF COMMITMENT AND PASSION
For over 130 years, Barilla has been the Italian family Barilla’s commitment is expressed in the way it shares
company that has seen food as a communal event, the culture of the Mediterranean Nutritional Mo-
filled with flavour and love, helping people live better. del, as a positive, contemporary model for choosing
to eat foods that are good for us and the world in
Barilla is the company that helps to safeguard and which we live.
improve people’s wellbeing and health:
• by transforming high quality nutritions ingredients
into tasty, healthy foods that satisfy the daily nutri-
tional needs of the whole family;
• by developing its own products that respect the Me-
diterranean Nutritional Model and the environment.
We genuinely believe that this twofold goal of protec-
ting people’s health and the environment is achievable:
the Mediterranean Nutritional Model is the funda-
mental benchmark for promoting the right, healthy
eating habits, and the foods that are the basis for this
Model are also the ones that have the least impact on
the environment.
6. A GREAT RESOURCE FOR HEALTH
AND DELICIOUS MEALS
Whole grain means “better For centuries, whole grain cereals have played an
important role in the human diet, representing
for you”. Because whole an incredible source of energy. However, since
grain foods are an the end of the Second World War, foods made
incredible source of energy from whole grain cereals have been seen as a
and nutrients. “poor man’s food”, the antithesis of refined prod-
ucts. White bread was actually the symbol of a
move away from the poverty and hunger caused
by the war. Interestingly, the removal of the germ
4
7. was also essential to preserve the product (which
otherwise would go rancid). Today, advances in THE WHOLE GRAIN
food technology have enabled that these parts of
the whole grains, rich in nutritional components,
can be used in products, without affecting the Endosperm
flavour and preservation of the foods. (source of
carbohydrates Bran
and protein) (fibre, B vitamins,
Whole grain cereals contain a wealth of minerals and
phytonutrients)
healthy elements, including carbohydrates,
protein, fibre and micronutrients. 2 Foods contain-
ing whole grain cereals deliver a wide range of
flavours and a broad selection of products for any
occasion and tastes.
Worldwide, the most important cereals are
wheat, rice, corn, barley, rye and oats.
Germ
(essential
GRAIN IS A TREASURE TROVE OF TASTE fatty acids,
AND HEALTH vitamin E and
B vitamins, traces
Why is it good to eat whole grain foods? of minerals)
Whole grain foods contain many nutrients and
components that contribute to our health. For
example, a slice of whole grain bread contains
more than twice as much fibre and other nutri-
ents than white bread, and it’s more filling.1
The grain of all cereals is divided into three parts:
the inner endosperm (the largest part);
the bran, that forms a protective layer around
the germ;
the germ.
5
9. Foods made from whole real for breakfast, two slices of whole grain bread
and a plate of whole grain pasta for lunch or din-
grain cereals contain many ner) to:
nutritional elements, such as
fibre, vitamins, minerals and help protect your heart, with up to a 30%
antioxidants that improve reduction in cardiovascular problems such as a
metabolism and contribute heart attack; 5
to the health of our heart reduce the risk of diabetes by 20-30%; 5,6
and our whole body.
reduce the likelihood of developing certain
The United States Dietary Guidelines for Ameri-
kinds of tumours (particularly intestinal
cans 4 and Italy’s national research institute
tumours);7
for food and nutrition (INRAN)3 agree that the
health benefits of foods made from whole grain
reduce the risks of other intestinal conditions
cereals lead to a reduced risk of heart disease
(constipation, inflammation). 7
(and conditions affecting the heart and arteries),
diabetes, oxidative stress and inflammation.
PRESERVING PRECIOUS RESOURCES
Regular consumption of whole grain cereals The traditional milling process removes the bran
also clearly reduces the probability of becom- and the germ and only keeps the endosperm, los-
ing overweight. All of these benefits are not only ing 20% of the grain and a proportionally much
associated with fibre, but also the other valuable higher quantity of nutrients.
components contained in the different parts of
the whole grain.1 For example, the aleurone layer, inside the cover-
ing of the grain (which is also eliminated in the
So much so that during the 2011 American So- traditional milling process) is incredibly valuable,
ciety of Nutrition conference, experts confirmed as it contains 4 times as many vitamins and 10
that foods made from whole grain cereals are an times more minerals than the whole of the grain. 8
integral part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. All you
need is three servings a day of foods made from By removing both the bran and the germ, and
whole grain cereals (for example, whole grain ce- leaving only the endosperm, we lose:
7
10. What other countries recommend 1
IN THE USA
From the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for “All age groups should make at least half of their grains whole grain”.
Americans:
IN EUROPE
From the Guidelines for cardiovascular “The following foods should be encouraged: fruit and vegetables, whole
disease protection: grain bread and cereals, low-fat dairy products, fish, white meat”.
IN FRANCE
“It is best to eat whole grain foods that are high in fibre. Bread should
From the National Nutrition and Health
preferably be whole grain or semi-whole grain”.
Program:
80% of the fibre; fiber, reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular
more than 70% of the B vitamins; disease, decreases the incidence of type 2 diabetes,
90% of vitamin E; assists in maintaining lower body weight, and main-
50% of other antioxidants (such as polyphe- tains normal gastrointestinal function and health.
nols) and minerals (such as zinc). 1 Thus, the daily consumption of 3 servings of whole
grains foods contributes to improved health.
We also lose the variety and flavours that the range New creative cuisines delivered to our contempo-
of whole grain cereals offers. Eating whole grain rary palates will enable us to enjoy the healthful-
foods isn’t just a necessity, it is also a pleasurable ness of whole grains throughout the day” explains
opportunity. “Many studies, several systematic re- Roger Clemens, Adj Professor Pharmacology and
views and analyses published since 2004 indicate Pharmaceutical Sciences, Associate Director Regula-
regular intake of whole grains, which includes cereal tory Science, at USC School of Pharmacy.
Recommended intake of whole grain foods1
From the “2010 Dietary Guidelines for “For everyone aged 9 and up, everyone should eat at least 3 servings
Americans”: of whole grain foods a day”.
From “Whole Grains Council”: “One portion of whole grain foods contains at least 16 grams of whole
grain cereals or flour”.
8
12. Barilla and cereals:
134 years of experience,
dedicated to flavour and
wellbeing.
BARILLA’S COMMITMENT TO INNOVA-
TION WHEAT
The history of Barilla’s continuing commitment to
technological advances is now firmly established Barilla Wheat Pearling
in innovative processes for cereals, preserving nu- (Patented)
trients and producing foods that are good for you
and taste great.
Grinding (multi steps)
Barilla has adopted the milling process based on
“pearling technology”, used for many cereals (rice,
barley, oats), but until now not for wheat. Pearl-
ing is a more selective process than traditional Barilla Whole Wheat
milling. The outside of the grain is gently scraped semolina
then cleaned so the impurities that have built up
through contact with the outside world are thus
eliminated, but the rich nutrients of the whole
grain are retained. The most nutritions parts of the THE BEAUTY OF BARILLA’S WHOLE
bran, particularly the aleurone layer, are preserved GRAIN PRODUCTS
and included in the finished food products, bring- From the field to the plate: the durum wheat
ing all the natural goodness of whole grain to the production chain
table. 9 The agricultural supply chain is the network that
links all of the main activities involved in the crea-
tion, processing, distribution and marketing of a
10
13. food. The most important steps involve durum raw materials. Research is one of the key activities
wheat and common wheat, strategic raw materials involved in developing raw materials capable of
whose respective flours (semolina and flour) are meeting people’s expectations. Barilla assesses and
the main ingredients of pasta and baked products. manages every single stage of the processes that
Barilla plays a very important role in these steps create the ingredients: from sowing and buying
both on global and a European level for wheat the grain to storing and processing it. This strategy
processing. is based on over a hundred years of business: the
development of quality starts in the wheat field
The production of high quality products means and finishes on the plate.
combining the latest technology with the best
11
14. The content of whole grain was born. Today, Barilla’s range includes a signifi-
cant number of whole grain products. For example,
cereals and flour in Barilla the table below shows the quantity of wholegrain
products. cereals and flours in some products. The percen-
tages vary depending on the typical preparation
Barilla has extensive experience in the preparation methods for different foods.
of foods using whole grain cereals. The first baked
products appeared in the mid-1970s. Since then,
the range has gradually grown and, in the mid-
1980s, the first generation of whole grain pasta
% whole grain
Category Product
cereals and flour
PASTA Barilla Whole Grain pasta 51%
Wasa Whole Grain Crispbread 100%
Wasa Multi Grain Crispbread 100%
Wasa Hearty Crispbread 100%
BREAD
Wasa Light Rye Crispbread 100%
Wasa Sourdough Crispbread 73%
Wasa Fiber Crispbread 70%
For more information contact: .......................
12 www.barillagroup.com
16. REFERENCES AND SOURCES
1. European Union.The healthgrain. EU Sixth Framework Programme. http://www.healthgrain.eu/pub/background.php.
2. Anson NM, Havenaar R et al. Journal of Cereal Science 2010;51:110-114.
3. INRAN. Più cereali, legumi, ortaggi e frutta. Linea guida 2; 2010. http://www.inran.it/files/download/linee_guida/lineeguida_02.pdf
4. U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010.
5. Venn B.J, Mann JI. Cereal grains, legumes and diabetes. Eur J Clin Nutr 2004;58(11):1443-61.
6. Riccardi G, Giacco R, Costabile G et al. Effects of whole grain intake on insulin, glucose and lipid metabolism in subjects with metabolic
syndrome:a 3 month intervention. 28th International Symposium on Diabetes and Nutrition. Oslo, Norway 1-4 July 2010.
7. Slavin JL, Martini MC, Jacobs Jr DR, Marquart L. Am J Clin Nutr 1999;70(suppl):459S-63S.
8. AACC - American Association of Cereal Chemists. AACC International Defines Aleurone. www.aaccnet.org/definitions/aleurone.asp
9. Barilla. http://barillagroup.com/corporate/it/home/cosafacciamo/dai-campi-alle-persone/seminare-raccogliere.html.
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