Whole Grains: Definition, Dietary Recommendations, and Health Benefits This paper is the first in a series that will be published in Cereal Foods World with the purpose of providing a unified grain health message. This installment focuses on whole grains. Whole grains are defined as “consisting of the intact, ground, cracked, or flaked caryopsis (fruit or kernel) of the grain whose principal components, the starchy endosperm, germ, and bran, are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact grain.” Dietary recommendations on whole grain consumption vary widely among countries and organizations and can come in three stages: first, a recommendation for the consumption of grain foods in general; second, the inclusion of a nonspecific reference to whole grains to encourage consumption; and third, a recommendation for a specific amount of whole grains in the diet. Upon recommendation, defining “whole grain” becomes important. Most academic and government sources abide by the definition put forward by AACCI and the FDA, but the definition can lose clarity with regard to foods that mix whole and refined grains. Whole grain definitions are used in health claims, product characterizations, ingredient content labeling, dietary guidelines, and research. The health benefits of whole grain consumption are discussed. |