With daily schedules more hectic than ever and meals often becoming grab-and-go occasions, it can be challenging for people to get the vitamins and minerals they need. While dietary supplements are one way to increase nutrient intake, small changes in eating habits, such as including more nutrient-dense foods, can go a long way toward increasing our nutrient consumption.
Grains serve as an essential building block for getting the proper amount of daily nutrients. The Grain Foods Foundation (GFF) recently assessed national consumer consumption data sets (known as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, or NHANES) to showcase how much grains and grain-based dishes contribute to the nutrient consumption of the average American. The findings were staggering, with grains providing nutrients such as calcium, folate, iron and potassium, as well as vitamins A, B and E, in significant amounts. In addition, grains provide approximately 40 percent of fiber in the diet—more than fruits and vegetables combined.