Not all whole grain foods are the same. The whole grain content of foods can vary depending on the brand, serve size and ingredients used. For example, two slices of whole grain bread might contain 73 grams of whole grain or as little as 3 grams. So how much whole grain is recommended each day?
| Age | Whole Grain Daily Target Intake |
| Adults | 48 grams |
| Children 9 + years | 48 grams |
| Children 3 – 8 years | 32 – 40 grams |
| Children 1 – 3 years | 24 grams |
The whole grain Daily Target Intake (DTI) is based on the scientific evidence that people who eat at least 48 grams of whole grain each day are less likely to develop coronary heart disease.
GLNC endorses whole grain daily target intakes for small children aged 2-8 years based on extrapolations of the 48g DTI for adults and adjusted for energy requirements in young children. This encourages young children to increase the amount of whole grain in their diets gradually as they grow.
Easy ways to get at least 48 grams of whole grain in your day
- 2 whole wheat biscuits (30 grams whole grain) + one wholemeal sandwich (40 grams whole grain)
- 1 piece of multigrain toast (12 grams whole grain) + a half cup cooked brown rice (50 grams whole grain)
- 1/4 cup muesli (35 grams whole grain) + 3 whole grain crispbreads (30 grams whole grain)
Choosing Whole Grain Foods
Whole grain is not listed on the Nutrition Information Panel on food packaging, which can make it confusing for people trying to meet the 48g DTI. The best advice when providing guidance on whole grain is just to choose foods higher in whole grain. Choosing foods higher in whole grain more often will help people achieve the 48g DTI without counting grams.
Tips to choosing foods higher in whole grain:
- Look for the claims ‘high in whole grain’ or ‘very high in whole grain’* (download a list of products containing these claims here), OR
- Check the ingredient list for foods with a higher percentage whole grain, OR
- Choose foods that have the whole grain DTI statement on pack.
* Foods carrying these claims must contain a minimum of 16 grams or 24 grams of whole grain per serve according to the GLNC Code of Practice for Whole Grain Ingredient Content Claims.
Here are some examples of readily available whole grain foods and their approximate whole grain content:
| Wholemeal bread | 2 slices = 30-40g whole grain |
| Multi-grain bread | 2 slices = 5-30g whole grain |
| Wheat-flake breakfast biscuits | 2 biscuits = 30g whole grain |
| Whole grain breakfast cereal | 30-45g serve = 15-30g whole grain |
| Porridge | using 2/3 cup rolled oats = 60g whole grain |
| Brown rice | 1 cup cooked = 65g whole grain |
| Whole grain pasta | 1 cup cooked = 55-65g whole grain |
| Whole grain crispbreads | 2-4 slices = 20g-35g whole grain |
To view references click here.