1. WHAT ARE WHOLE GRAINS?  Whole grains consist of the entire cereal grain seed or kernel. The kernel has three parts—the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. Whole Grain Kernel Illustration © Pam Stephan

2. WHOLE GRAINS  1/2 cup brown rice  1/2 cup whole-grain pasta  1/2 cup oatmeal  1 slice whole grain bread  1 small whole grain muffin  1 cup whole grain cereal  2 cups popcorn Foods to eat 3 to 5 servings a day

3. EASY WAYS TO ADD WHOLE GRAIN  Replace one third of the flour in a recipe with oats.  Add half a cup of cooked wild rice, or barley to bread stuffing.  Add three-quarters of a cup of uncooked oats for each pound of ground meat when you make meatballs, burgers or meatloaf. 

4. Benefits of Whole Grains  Reduce risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some forms of cancer  Improve digestive health  Reduced risk of asthma  Healthier blood pressure  Less gum disease  Healthier arteries