Refined grains are often highlighted as a food that is over-consumed by Americans, with recommendations to limit or reduce intake in healthy dietary patterns. However, enriched and fortified refined grain food products, including bagels, tortillas, rolls, and bread, are a key source of micronutrients in the U.S. diet. Modeling the Contribution of Enrichment and Fortification […]
folate/folic acid
White Paper: History and Public Health Benefits of Enrichment and Fortification of Refined Grains (March 2025)
Explore the rich history and role of refined grain enrichment and fortification in improving public health.
Grain Foods in US Infants Are Associated with Greater Nutrient Intakes, Improved Diet Quality and Increased Consumption of Recommended Food Groups (November 2019)
Grain foods may play an essential role in the diets of U.S. infants, according to an analysis of infant data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The study examined relationships between grain consumption, nutrient intake, diet quality, and food group consumption among infants aged 6 to 23 months.
Grains Contribute Shortfall Nutrients and Nutrient Density to Older US Adults: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2011–2014 (April 2018)
The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans have identified several shortfall nutrients in the U.S. population, including fiber, folate, and iron (women only). Intake of some shortfall nutrients can be even lower in older adults. The present analyses determined the contribution of grain foods for energy and nutrients in older U.S. adults and ranked to all other food sources in the American diet.
Low carbohydrate diets may increase risk of neural tube defects (January 2018)
Folic acid fortification has significantly reduced neural tube defects (NTDs) in the U.S., but the rise of low-carbohydrate diets raises concerns about adequate folic acid intake among women avoiding fortified foods.
Grain Foods Are Contributors of Nutrient Density for American Adults and Help Close Nutrient Recommendation Gaps: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2009–2012 (August 2017)
This analysis examined the role of grain foods in providing energy and nutrients for U.S. adults using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2009–2012). Grain foods were analyzed for their contributions to both total energy and shortfall nutrients identified by the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), including dietary fiber, folate, iron, and magnesium.
