Identifying whole-grain foods in the supermarket can be tricky.
All grains are whole before they are milled or refined.
When grains are milled, the germ and bran often are removed and the starchy endosperm is left. That's what you eat when you enjoy white rice or foods made with white flour. The range of protective substances in whole grains is impressive. Many of the healthful compounds found in whole grains also are present in fruits and vegetables, but certain phytochemicals are more concentrated in whole grains. Phytochemicals are biologically active plant substances that may protect the body from heart disease and certain cancers.