Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, corn,

or another cereal is a grain product. Bread,

pasta, oatmeal, cornflakes, and grits are all

grain products. Check the “Grains You Eat”

section to see how many different grain

products you eat.

How many boxes did you check? You have

many choices when it comes to eating grains.

Vary your choices of grain products from day

to day and get the number of servings that are

right for you. See page 2 to find how many

servings you need daily.

Whole and refined grains—

What are they?

There are two main types of grain products:

whole and refined.

Whole grains contain the entire grain

kernel—the bran, germ, and endosperm. (See

the whole grain kernel graphic.) Examples

include whole-wheat flour, bulgur, oatmeal,

rye bread, whole cornmeal, and brown rice.

Putting the 

Guidelines 

into Practice

May 2002

Center for 

Nutrition Policy 

and Promotion

United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

Home and Garden 

Bulletin No. 267-2

“Do I eat enough grains?”

“How many WHOLE grains do I eat?” “What ARE grains, anyway?”

Grain Train

Get on the

Grain Train

Grains you eat

Check each of the following foods that you typically eat. They are all grain products.

Add your favorites Add your favorites

Bagels

Barley

Bread

Breakfast cereal

Bulgur

Cakes and cookies

Cornbread

Couscous

Crackers

English muffins

Graham crackers

Grits

Muffins

Noodles

Oatmeal

Pancakes and waffles

Pita bread

Popcorn

Pretzels

Rice

Rolls and buns

Spaghetti, macaroni,

and other pasta

Taco shells

Tortillas

Tortilla and corn chips

Bran

“Outer shell” protects seed

Fiber, B vitamins, trace

minerals

Endosperm

Provides energy

Carbohydrates, protein

Germ

Nourishment for the seed

Antioxidants, vitamin E,

B vitamins

Whole grain kernel
Refined grains have been milled—the bran

and germ are removed. This process also

removes much of the B vitamins, iron, and

dietary fiber. Some examples of refined grains

are wheat flour, enriched bread, and white rice.

Some refined grains are enriched. This means

certain B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin,

folic acid) and iron are added back after

processing. Fiber is not added back to most

enriched grains.

What’s so great about grains?

Many people around the world use grains as a

staple. In the United States, grains form the

base of the Food Guide Pyramid and help

form the foundation of a nutritious diet.

Grains are great because:

● They provide vitamins, minerals, complex

carbohydrates (starch and dietary fiber),

and other substances important for health.

● Whole grains, as part of a healthful eating

pattern, may help protect you against many

chronic diseases.

● Fiber-containing foods, such as whole

grains (and many fruits and vegetables),

promote proper bowel function.

● Fiber-containing foods also help provide a

feeling of fullness with fewer calories.

Grains differ in their nutrient content,

so it’s important to choose a variety

daily. While whole grains are good

sources of fiber, refined grains are not.

Fiber is best obtained from foods

rather than from fiber supplements.

This is because foods provide many

different types of fiber and other

protective substances. Use the

Nutrition Facts label on food

packages to help you choose grains

that are good sources of fiber.

How many servings of

grains do you need each day?

The Food Guide Pyramid recommends a

range of servings (6-11) for the Grains group.

The amount that is right for you depends on

your calorie needs. Almost everyone should

have at least 6 servings daily—several should

be whole grains. People with high calorie

needs, such as teen boys and active men, need

11 servings daily. Box 1 shows how many you

may need.

What counts as a serving?

A serving is the standard amount used to 

help give advice about how much to eat.

A portion is the amount you choose to eat.

Portions and servings are not always the same.

A portion could be more than or less than a

Pyramid-size serving. For instance, a Pyramid

serving of cooked pasta is 1

⁄2 cup. A 1-cup portion of pasta equals 2 Pyramid servings. Box 2

lists examples of what counts as 1 Pyramid

serving of grains.

Get on the Grain Train Page 2

Especially for women

Women who could become pregnant are

advised to eat foods fortified with folic

acid or take a folic acid supplement—

in addition to consuming folate-rich

foods—to reduce risk of some serious

birth defects. Folic acid is added to

enriched grains. A few whole-grain foods,

such as ready-to-eat breakfast cereals,

contain added folic acid as well. Read the

ingredient list to find out if folic acid and

other nutrients have been added. A health

care provider can help you choose foods

or a supplement to ensure that you get

enough.

Box 1. How many Pyramid servings do you need 

each day?

Calorie Number of grain servings

For level recommended

Children ages 2 to 6, women, 1,600 6

some older adults

Older children, teen girls, 2,200 9

active women, most men

Teen boys, active men 2,800 11
Get on the Grain Train Page 3

You might be surprised at the number of

grain servings you eat each day—they add up

quickly. For example, a sandwich made with

2 slices of bread counts as 2 servings. The

number of servings you eat at one time does

not matter, as long as the total for the day adds

up to the amount that is right for you.

To see how easy it is to fit in the recommended number of grain servings, look at the

sample below. It contains 9 Pyramid servings

of grains. Remember, the number of servings

that are right for you may be more or less

depending on your calorie needs. Notice that

three grains in the sample are in bold print.

These are whole grains.

How do you know if a grain

product is a whole grain?

Read the ingredient list on the food label. For

many whole-grain products, the words“whole”

or“whole grain”will appear before the grain

ingredient’s name. The whole grain should be

the first ingredient listed. Wheat flour, enriched

flour, and degerminated cornmeal are not

whole grains. Box 3 lists some ingredients that

are whole grains. Another tip for finding

whole-grain products is to look for the wholegrain health claim—“Diets rich in wholegrain foods and other plant foods and low in

total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol may help

reduce the risk of heart disease and certain

cancers”—on food product labels. Foods that

bear the whole-grain health claim must:

● Contain 51 percent or more whole grains

by weight

● Be low in fat.

Box 2. What counts as 1 Food Guide Pyramid serving?

Whole-grain choices

1 slice whole-grain bread (such as 

whole-wheat bread)

About 1 cup (1 ounce) ready-to-eat,

whole-grain cereal (such as wheat flakes)

1⁄2 cup cooked brown rice

5-6 whole-grain crackers

3 cups popped popcorn

Enriched choices

1 slice white bread 

1 small white roll 

1⁄2 cup cooked white rice or pasta 

9 3-ring pretzels

1 4-inch pancake 

1 7-inch flour tortilla

Box 3. To increase your intake of whole grains

Choose foods that name one of the following ingredients first on the label’s

ingredient list. These are all whole grains.

brown rice oatmeal whole-grain corn whole wheat

bulgur pearl barley whole oats wild rice

graham flour popcorn whole rye

Try these tips for ways to include a variety of whole grains.

● Try a snack mix made from ready-to-eat, whole-grain cereals.

● Choose a whole-grain (whole-wheat or oatmeal) muffin.

● Use whole-grain bread or cracker crumbs in a meatloaf.

● Try brown rice stuffing (cooked brown rice, onion, celery, and seasonings) in baked

green peppers or tomatoes.

● Choose cookies made with some whole-grain flour or oatmeal.

● Try a whole-grain snack chip, such as baked tortilla chips.

● For a change, try brown rice or whole-wheat pasta.

● Use whole grains in mixed dishes, such as pearl barley in vegetable soup and

bulgur in casseroles or salads.

Sample: Grains in 1 day’s meals 

Grains should fit into a 2,200-calorie meal plan.

Whole grains are in bold print.

Breakfast:

1 cup whole-wheat flakes 1 1⁄2 English muffin 1

Lunch:

1 turkey sandwich (with 2 slices 

whole-wheat bread) 2

Afternoon snack:

9 3-ring pretzels 1

Dinner:

1 cup white rice 2

1 dinner roll 1

Evening snack:

3 cups popcorn, popped 1

Total Pyramid grain servings 9
Did you know?

● Most grain products, including whole

grains, are low in fat, unless fat is added in

processing, in preparation, or at the table.

For example, English muffins and bagels are

low in fat, while cookies, pastries, and

croissants tend to be rich in fat.

● Color is not an indication of whole grain.

Bread can be brown because of molasses or

other ingredients, not necessarily because it

contains whole grains.

● Food products labeled with the words

“multi-grain,”“stone-ground,”“100%

wheat,”“cracked wheat,”“seven-grain,”or

“bran” are usually not whole-grain

products.

● Some processed foods such as rye or

whole-wheat crackers and some ready-toeat cereals (e.g., whole-wheat flakes) are

whole grains.

● You can tell how much fiber is in a food by

checking the Percent Daily Value on the

Nutrition Facts label.

Get on the Grain Train Page 4

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

The Dietary Guidelines offer sound advice that will help to promote 

your health and reduce your risk for chronic diseases such as 

heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, stroke, and osteoporosis.

The 10 Guidelines are grouped into the ABC’s of nutrition:

A: Aim for fitness

• Aim for a healthy weight.

• Be physically active each day.

B: Build a healthy base

• Let the Pyramid guide your food

choices.

• Choose a variety of grains daily,

especially whole grains.

• Choose a variety of fruits and

vegetables daily.

• Keep food safe to eat.

C: Choose sensibly

• Choose a diet that is low in saturated

fat and cholesterol and moderate in

total fat.

• Choose beverages and foods to

moderate your intake of sugars.

• Choose and prepare foods with

less salt.

• If you drink alcoholic beverages,

do so in moderation.

To order Dietary Guidelines publications,

call 888-878-3256. Ask for the Dietary

Guidelines for Americans (40-page

bulletin, $4.75 per copy) or Using the

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

(5-panel brochure, $.50 per copy).

You can also find out more about 

the Guidelines and download these

publications by visiting USDA’s Center 

for Nutrition Policy and Promotion

website at www.cnpp.usda.gov.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability,

political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for

communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC

20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

The TheBottom Line Bottom Line

● Build a healthy base by making a 

variety of grain products the 

foundation of your diet.

● Include several servings of

whole-grain foods daily.

● Aim to get the amount of grains you 

need based on your calorie needs.

Check Box 1 again to see how many 

servings are right for you.