Journey to a Healthier Heart Week 3: Why Choose Whole Grains?

Welcome to Week 3 of the Journey to a Healthier Heart provided by Penn State Extension. This program is based on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Eating Plan and is designed to help improve heart health. This week will focus on whole grains with recommendations on how much to eat, health benefits, and tips for adding more of these fiber-filled foods to your day!

DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Recommended Daily Amount

6 to 8 servings of grains each day

Serving Size Examples:

• 1 slice of bread
• 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal
• ½ cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal

What are Grains?

Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain is a grain product. Bread, bagels, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and crackers are examples of grain products. Grains are divided into two subgroups: whole grains and refined grains.

What is a Whole Grain?

Whole grains contain the entire kernel of the plant, which includes the germ, bran, and endosperm. The bran and germ in the whole grain are nutrient-rich and supply B vitamins, protein, fiber, magnesium, iron, and vitamin E. Current scientific evidence shows that whole grains play an important role in lowering the risk of stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, some types of cancer, and help with weight control.

What are Refined Grains?

Refined grains have been milled to remove the bran and germ layers, a process that gives grains a finer texture and improves their shelf life. But in doing so, it removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. Since the nutrients they contain have been removed through food processing, less than half of the grains that you eat should be refined.

Tips for Incorporating More Whole Grains

• Substitute a whole-grain product for a refined one. Try eating whole-wheat bread instead of white bread, or brown rice instead of white rice.
• Use whole grains in mixed dishes. Add barley in vegetable soups or stews, or use bulgur wheat in casseroles or stir-fries. Try adding quinoa to salads.
• Meal prep with whole grains. Cook extra brown rice or quinoa when you have time. Refrigerate what you don’t eat, heat and serve later in the week.

Know what to look for on the ingredient list. Read the ingredient list and choose products that name a whole grain ingredient first on the list. Look for "whole wheat," "brown rice," "bulgur," "buckwheat," "oatmeal," "whole grain cornmeal," "whole oats," or "whole rye".

Did you know?

Whole grains are an important source of dietary fiber. High-fiber diets may lower the risk of certain cancers, heart disease, and even obesity. Learn the benefits of fiber and how to get more of it in your diet.

Whole Grains Goal

To get started, write down a whole grain goal to work on this week, using the example below as a guide.

Example Goal: I will choose whole-grain products instead of refined-grain products at least half the time each day this week.

Learn More

How to Add Whole Grains to Your Meals

Finding Fiber in Plant-Based Foods

Recipe of the Week:  Couscous With Carrots, Walnuts, and Raisins

References

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2025). DASH health benefits. National Institutes of Health and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.