Whole Grains

Understanding Grains

Grains are seeds people harvest from grasses grown for food, often called cereals. Each grain seed, or kernel, has three main parts: the bran, germ, and endosperm.

• Bran is the tough outer layer. It has most of the fiber along with vitamins and minerals.
• Germ is the part that can grow into a new plant. It holds healthy fats, vitamins, and other important nutrients.
• Endosperm is the large, starchy section in the middle. It supplies energy for the seed and contains mainly carbohydrates with a little protein and vitamins.

Examples of common grains are wheat, oats, rice, and corn.

Key Nutrients in Whole Grains

Whole grains provide many nutrients important for good health. Unlike refined grains, whole grains keep the bran and germ, so they have more nutrients, including:

Nutrient	Role in the Body
Fiber	Supports digestion, helps manage blood sugar, and keeps you feeling full.
B vitamins	Helps the body use energy and keeps nerves and skin healthy.
Iron	Needed for healthy blood.
Magnesium	Supports muscles and nerves.
Selenium	Strengthens the immune system.
Vitamin E	Works as an antioxidant.
Phosphorus	Builds bones and teeth.
Folate	Makes new cells, especially important during pregnancy.

Whole grains also offer phytonutrients and antioxidants, such as polyphenols, that may protect cells from damage.

Different Kinds of Grains and Their Forms

People use grains in several ways in food. It helps to know the differences:

• Whole grains keep all three parts of the kernel. Foods made with these include brown rice, quinoa, millet, and oatmeal. Whole-wheat bread or pasta, barley, rye, wild rice, bulgur, spelt, and buckwheat are also whole grains.
• Refined grains lose the germ and bran. White rice, most white breads, pastries, and cakes are examples. These lose most of their fiber and nutrients.
• Enriched grains have some nutrients added back after refining. For example, vitamins and minerals may be put back into white rice, but the fiber is usually not replaced.
• Fortified grains get extra nutrients added that might not have been in the original grain, like folic acid in some breakfast cereals.

Grain foods also include pseudocereals, such as quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat. These aren’t true cereals, but they have similar uses and health benefits.

Examples of Common Whole Grains

• Wheat (whole wheat breads, pasta, flour)
• Oats (oatmeal, muesli)
• Barley (hulled barley, soups)
• Brown rice, wild rice, black rice
• Bulgar wheat
• Rye (whole-rye bread)
• Millet
• Quinoa (gluten-free complete protein)
• Spelt, farro, einkorn, triticale
• Corn (whole corn, popcorn)
• Teff, fonio, sorghum

Health Perks of Eating Whole-Grain Foods

Eating whole grains daily brings several health benefits. They offer fiber, plant nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that play a role in good health.

• Better Heart Health: Diets high in whole grains can lower cholesterol levels and improve heart health.
• Helps with Blood Pressure: Eating fiber-rich grains supports healthy blood pressure.
• Improved Blood Sugar Control: Whole grains help keep blood sugar steady, which may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Weight Management: Foods full of fiber, like whole grains, help you feel fuller and may make weight loss or weight control easier.
• Better Digestion: Fiber supports gut health and regular bowel movements.
• Reduced Risk of Chronic Diseases: Eating enough whole grains may lower the chance of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer, and obesity.
• Anti-Inflammatory Effects: Whole grains have components that may protect against inflammation.

A high-fiber diet with whole grains can also lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

Tips for Picking Nutritious Whole-Grain Foods

Aim to make at least half of your daily grains whole grains. When you shop, look for products labeled “whole grain.” There are many tasty choices:

Common Whole-Grain Foods

• Brown rice, wild rice, black rice, red rice
• Whole-wheat bread, pasta, crackers, and rolls
• Oatmeal and steel-cut oats
• Whole-grain breakfast cereals (such as bran flakes or shredded wheat)
• Popcorn (plain, air-popped)
• Barley, bulgur, millet, farro, amaranth, teff, quinoa, spelt

Tips

• Try dishes from different cultures that use grains like quinoa, freekeh, bulgur, or millet.
• Explore gluten-free whole grains if you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity—rice, buckwheat, millet, corn, and amaranth are good examples.

Eating a wide variety helps you get a range of nutrients, flavors, and textures.

How to Check Food Labels for Whole Grains

Spotting whole-grain foods isn’t always easy just by looking at the package. Some breads look brown but are made with refined flour and coloring.

Label Reading Tips

• Check the ingredient list: Ingredients are listed from most to least.
• Look for “whole wheat,” “whole grain,” or the actual grain name (like “whole rye”) near the beginning.
• If the product has more than one whole grain, both names should be listed near the top.
• Just because a product is labeled “wheat” or “multi-grain” does not mean it’s whole grain.
• “Enriched” and “fortified” grains may have added nutrients, but fiber is usually not replaced.
• For extra nutrition, choose bread and cereals that are also fortified with folic acid and iron, especially for people who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

A sample table for comparing bread labels:

Product	First Ingredient	Whole Grain?
100% Whole Wheat Bread	Whole wheat flour	Yes
Wheat Bread	Enriched wheat flour	No
Multi-Grain Bread	Enriched flour, oats	Maybe
White Bread	Enriched wheat flour	No

Simple Ways to Add More Whole Grains to Meals and Snacks

Adding whole grains is easy, and small changes can make a big difference. Here are some ideas:

To Start Your Day

• Choose oatmeal, whole-grain cereal, or whole-wheat toast.
• Try breakfast sandwiches on whole-wheat English muffins or bagels.

For Lunch

• Make sandwiches with whole-wheat bread or rolls.
• Use whole-wheat tortillas for wraps.

Snack Ideas

• Enjoy plain, air-popped popcorn.
• Try granola or whole-grain crackers.

At Dinner

• Swap white rice for brown rice, wild rice, bulgur, barley, millet, or quinoa.
• Add cooked whole grains to soups, stews, salads, or casseroles.
• Try whole-grain pasta instead of regular.

Cooking and Baking

• Use rolled oats or crushed whole-grain cereal in place of bread crumbs.
• Add cooked whole grains to meat or poultry dishes for more fiber and texture.

Tip: Try new grains like amaranth, spelt, teff, or farro to keep meals exciting and varied.

Including more whole grains helps support heart health, digestion, and overall well-being for people of all ages.