Grains

Quick Tip: Choose whole grains for better health. All grains are not created equally. At least half of our grain servings for the day should be derived from a whole grain like: 100% whole wheat, bran, oat or barley. Because these foods are primarily left in their natural state, little processing is involved. Processed, enriched foods are white breads, cereals, pastas, and rice. These foods have had their wheat germs removed during processing, which means many essential nutrients were also taken out. Despite the fact that processed foods are enriched (some nutrients have been put back in), whole grain foods tend to have more fiber, vitamin E, and B-vitamins.

Why do we need them?
Grains are an excellent source of carbohydrates, which is our primary fuel for energy. Carbohydrates are stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen (carbohydrate storage form). When we go out for a walk, or ride a bike or jog down the street, our body uses carbohydrates as it's primary source of fuel. These foods also provide our main sources of fiber, B-vitamins and chromium. This is why a low carbohydrate diet is unhealthy. Not only does this type of diet deplete our body of it’s main source of energy, increasing our risk of dehydration and muscle cramping, but it also deprives us of some of our favorite foods including breads, cereals, rice and pasta.

How much do we need?
Carbohydrates should make up approximately 60% of our total calories every day (this would include grains, fruits & vegetables). How many grams does that equate to? That would depend on your daily caloric requirement:

Total Calorie Requirement	Grams per day
1200	180
1400	210
1600	240
1800	270
2000	300
2200	330
2400	360
2600	390
2800	420
3000	450

It isn't necessary to meticulously count your grams daily, but instead, we recommend keeping track of your number of servings to ensure that you are consuming enough. If you are not extremely active, you need 6-11 servings per day.

What are some good grain sources?
Remember that one serving is: