Some of our top elite military troops have a new weapon to help them keep fit and ready to defend our country: whole grains. At a recent intensive training camp, troops enjoyed hummus on whole grain wraps, whole grain bagels with natural peanut butter and all-fruit jams, whole grain sub rolls, whole grain crackers and chips with salsa and Kashi cold cereals.

“They loved it,” says Lori Tubbs, an innovative nutritionist who works to bring a new appreciation of good food to the military. “These guys are no longer as afraid of carbs making them fat as they used to be, due to the all-around nutrition they get from these whole grain products. One local restaurant owner who catered a healthy Mexican-style dinner at the training site insisted I come back the next day to educate him on improving his menu for the well being of his customers! He stated that, ‘if the military cares about serving healthy, high performance foods, so should we for our customers!’ That is huge in that he is not only willing to change the menu for my troops, but now he wants to promote these ideas to the whole community!”

How cool is it, that our military leaders understand the advantages of whole grains for overall health — and that the military’s support of whole grains is creating a ripple effect in civilian circles! (Cynthia – May 15, 2008)