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The team came from the University of Washington<\/a> and a French nutrition group. They used national survey data collected between 2017 and 2023. They combined diet records with health markers such as weight, waist size, and insulin levels. <\/p>\n The study also considered cost \u2013 an issue that often keeps families from choosing healthier foods. By linking nutrition scores<\/a> with affordability, the researchers could see not only which foods improved health but also which ones people could realistically buy.<\/p>\n This practical lens matters, because guidance that ignores price often fails in everyday life, leaving healthier choices out of reach for many households.<\/p>\n Scoring nutrients in grains<\/p>\n The researchers built scoring systems. One focused on whole grain content, fiber, and added sugar. Another measured nine nutrients we need \u2013 such as protein, folate, and magnesium \u2013 against three we should limit: sugar, sodium, and saturated fat.<\/p>\n Foods that performed well were tagged as healthy<\/a> grains, while those lacking balance fell short. <\/p>\n This dual approach gave a sharper view, showing not just which grains are wholesome, but also why certain fortified foods deserve recognition alongside traditional whole grain options.<\/p>\n Grains with strong nutrients<\/p>\n Cooked grains did well. So did cooked cereals and fortified grains in breads. Some ready-to-eat cereals also scored high, but only when sugar stayed low. <\/p>\n Sweet bakery goods, snack bars, and quick breads landed at the bottom. They offered calories but almost no nutrients, highlighting how certain popular items fill stomachs without delivering meaningful health benefits.<\/p>\n The contrast between fortified choices and sugar-heavy products shows why nutrient density, not just grain type, makes the real difference in improving diets.<\/p>\n Eating patterns matter<\/p>\n The study showed who eats these grains. Women and older adults ate more of them. Mexican Americans included them often too. Non-Hispanic Black participants ate the least.<\/p>\n Income made a difference: higher income groups leaned toward healthier grain choices. Regional differences also appeared, with some communities relying more on fortified breads and cereals<\/a>. <\/p>\n Still, even the best groups ate less than one-third of their grains from nutrient-dense foods, showing plenty of room for improvement.<\/p>\n More grains, better nutrition<\/p>\n Those who ate more healthy grains had better overall diets. They consumed more fruits and vegetables. They cut down on added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. <\/p>\n They also got more protein, calcium, potassium, and iron. These benefits grew stronger the more healthy grains people ate.<\/p>\n The gains extended to health outcomes. Adults eating nutrient-rich grains were less likely to have higher body weight. Their insulin levels were lower, indicating stronger metabolic health. Their cholesterol levels also improved in some cases.<\/p>\n Healthy grains don\u2019t cost more<\/p>\n Nutritious foods often cost more, but that assumption did not hold here. Healthy grains were not more expensive than less nutritious ones. In some cases, fortified cereals and breads even cost less per gram or per calorie.<\/p>\n \u201cHealthy grains are a critical component of healthy diets<\/a>,\u201d said Dr. Adam Drewnowski, Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Washington.<\/p>\n \u201cOur evaluation took whole grain content into account, along with fiber, vitamins and minerals. By delivering key nutrients such as fiber, iron, B vitamins and folate, grain foods can make a meaningful contribution to healthier eating patterns among all population groups.\u201d<\/p>\n Nutrients matter more than labels<\/p>\n This study shows that grain choices are not black and white. Whole grains<\/a> matter, but fortified refined grains can also help. What counts is nutrient density. That shift in perspective makes it easier for people to build healthier diets without higher costs or strict rules.<\/p>\n Grains will remain central to our diets. Choosing nutrient-dense ones \u2013 whether whole or fortified \u2013 can improve health without draining wallets. Balance matters more than rigid categories, and the study makes that clear. <\/p>\n Eating patterns shaped by variety and affordability work better long term. Rather than avoiding entire grain types, people can focus on smarter selections, building meals that deliver taste, nutrition, and practicality without unnecessary restrictions.<\/p>\n The study is published in the journal Nutrients<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2014\u2013<\/p>\n Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter<\/a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.\u00a0<\/p>\n Check us out on EarthSnap<\/a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls<\/a> and Earth.com.<\/p>\n \u2014\u2013<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Grains feed billions every day. Yet people still argue about which ones deserve a spot on the plate.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":118024,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[102,6636,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-118023","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-nutrition","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118023","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118023"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118023\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/118024"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118023"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118023"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118023"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}