Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD Brunilda Nazario, MD Eating more
whole grains is an easy way to make your diet healthier. Whole
grains are packed with nutrients including protein, fiber, B
vitamins, antioxidants, and trace minerals (iron, zinc, copper,
and magnesium). A diet rich in whole grains has been shown to
reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and
some forms of cancer. Whole-grain diets can also improve bowel
health by helping to maintain regular bowel movements and
promote growth of healthy bacteria in the colon. Yet the average
American eats less than one serving per day, and over 40% never
eat whole grains at all. Young adults get less than one serving
daily. Why? For one thing, it's not always easy to tell just
which foods are whole-grain. Scan the bread, cereal or snack
packaging, and virtually every one promotes its whole-grain
goodness. But not all of them actually are whole-grain. Terms
like "multigrain," "100% wheat," "cracked wheat," "organic,"
"pumpernickel," "bran," an