This infographic will help you understand how eating more whole grains can improve your health, especially since a majority of Americans do not consume enough fiber which is necessary to support heart health. 90% of Americans fall short in meeting recommendations for dietary fiber intake. By simply eating a bowl of cereal or slice of wheat bread, you can incorporate whole grains and fiber into your daily diet.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevent, one in four American deaths is caused by cardiovascular disease. Around 600,000 people die from cardiovascular disease in the United States every year.
Whole grain foods including bread, buns, tortillas, pasta and brown rice can help keep your heart healthy and contribute to your daily fiber needs. Compared to the fiber found in fruits and vegetables, fiber from cereal grains may be uniquely beneficial for heart health. When you are adding whole grains to your diet, at least half of the grains on your plate should be whole grains. Fill approximately one quarter of the plate with grains. In other words, a serving of whole grains should be a half cup of cooked brown rice, 100% whole-grain pasta or cooked hot cereal such as oatmeal. A one cup serving of ready-to-eat cereal, one slice of 100% whole grain bread, one small (tennis ball sized) muffin and one quarter cup of uncooked pasta are all great measurements for a serving of whole grains.
Adding whole grains into a diet has been found to help people maintain healthier body weight and lower the amount of dangerous abdominal fat.
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