The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) heard comments on behalf of the Grain Chain, an industry collaboration of 10 organizations representing grain producers, millers, bakers and allied manufacturers, on Jan 14 in Washington, DC. Joanne Slavin, R.D., Ph.D., a registered dietitian and professor at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Food and Nutrition, Minneapolis, commented on the nutritional value of grain and endorsed the extension of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, which recommend Americans consume six servings of grain foods daily, at least half of which are whole grain.
“Whole grains are widely recognized for their health benefits, and enriched grains offer a unique nutritional package that has proven to reduce diseases and some birth defects,” Slavin told the committee. “Both play an important, positive role in the American diet.”