Look for whole grains that have been fortified with folic acid, such as some ready-to-eat cereals. While most refined-grain products are fortified, whole grains are not typically fortified with folic acid. If all of the grains you eat are whole grains, you may need to take extra care to get sufficient folic acid, a B vitamin. So if you prefer the taste and texture of white bread, but want the nutritional benefits of whole wheat, choose white whole-wheat bread over refined white bread. White whole-wheat bread also is nutritionally similar to regular whole-wheat bread. It may seem like it doesn't add up, but actually white whole-wheat bread is made with whole grains, just as is regular whole-wheat bread. Look for the word 'whole' on the package, and make sure whole grains appear among the first items in the ingredient list.

If you're not sure something has whole grains, check the product label or the Nutrition Facts panel. For instance, a brown bread isn't necessarily whole wheat - the brown hue may come from added coloring. It's not always easy to tell what kind of grains a product has, especially bread. Whole grains may or may not be fortified. Most refined grains are enriched, and many enriched grains also are fortified with other vitamins and minerals, such as folic acid and iron. Fortifying means adding in nutrients that don't occur naturally in the food. Some enriched grains have replaced the B vitamins lost during milling. Enriched means that some of the nutrients lost during processing are replaced. Many breads, cereals, crackers, desserts and pastries are made with refined grains. Refined grains include white flour, white rice and white bread. The refining process also removes many nutrients, including fiber. Refined grains are milled to have had the germ and bran removed, which gives them a finer texture and extends their shelf life. Whole grains are either single foods, such as brown rice and popcorn, or ingredients in products, such as buckwheat in pancakes or whole-wheat flour in bread. Compared with other types of grains, whole grains are better sources of fiber and other important nutrients, such as B vitamins, iron, folate, selenium, potassium and magnesium. These grains are either present in their whole form or ground into a flour while retaining all parts of the seed (bran, germ and endosperm). Grains and whole grains come in many shapes and sizes, from large kernels of popcorn to small quinoa seeds. It's a concentrated source of nutrients.Īlso called cereals, grains and whole grains are the seeds of grasses cultivated for food. The germ is the part of the seed from which a new plant sprouts. It contains small amounts of vitamins and minerals. The endosperm, also called the kernel, makes up the bulk of the seed. The bran is the outer layer of the seed and contains most of the seed's fiber. Whole grains include the bran, germ and endosperm.

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