What Counts as a Serving of Grain
Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites
How Much Grain Does Your Body Require Per Day?
How many grain foods does your body need daily to remain healthy, wealthy & wise?
Well, let's amend that to 'healthy & wise' because who needs to be wealthy when they have good health, right? Right.....
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Daily Amount of Grain Dependent Upon Personal Health Factors
The amount of grains that your body requires depends on many factors including: age, sex, activity level, muscle mass, current weight.
The USDA recommends the following amount of daily grains based on age and a moderate physical activity level.
Active individuals may be able to consume more grains while remaining within their body's daily calorie (energy) requirement and strongly recommends consumption of whole grains over refined grains, and that at least 1/2 of the daily grains consumed come from whole grains.
Recommended Daily Amounts for the Grain Food Group
| Amounts Based on ounce equivalents |
Age |
RDA Refined & Whole |
RDA Whole Grains 1/2 of Total Grains |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Toddlers
|
2-3 |
3 |
1 ½ |
|
4-8 |
4 5 |
2 2 ½ |
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Girls
|
9-13 |
5 |
3 |
|
14-18 |
6 |
3 |
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Boys
|
9-13 |
6 |
3 |
|
14-18 |
7 |
3 ½ |
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Women
|
19-30 |
6 |
3 |
|
31-50 |
6 |
3 |
|
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51+ |
5 |
3 |
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Men
|
19-30 |
8 |
4 |
|
31-50 |
7 |
3 ½ |
|
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51+ |
6 |
3 |
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What counts as an ounce equivalent of grains?
Opt for whole grain goodness over refined grains for maximum nutritional benefits.
In general, 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal, or ½ cup of cooked rice, cooked pasta, or cooked cereal equals 1 ounce equivalent from the grains group.
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Grains |
Amount that counts as 1 ounce equivalent of grains
|
Common portions and ounce equivalents
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|---|---|---|
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Bagels
|
1 mini bagel
|
1 large bagel = 4 oz equivalents
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Biscuits
|
1 small (2 diameter)
|
1 large (3 diameter) = 2 oz
equivalents
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Breads
|
1 regular slice
1 small slice French 4 snack-size slices rye bread |
2 regular slices = 2 oz
equivalents
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Bulgur
|
½ cup cooked
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Cornbread
|
1 small piece (2 ½ x 1 Ό x 1 Ό)
|
1 medium piece (2 ½ x 2 ½ x 1 Ό) = 2 oz
equivalents
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Crackers
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English muffins
|
½ muffin
|
1 muffin = 2 oz equivalents
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Muffins
|
1 small (2 ½ diameter)
|
1 large (3 ½ diameter) = 3 oz
equivalents
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Oatmeal
|
½ cup cooked
1 packet instant 1 oz dry (regular or quick) |
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Pancakes
|
1 pancake (4 ½ diameter)
2 small pancakes (3 diameter) |
3 pancakes (4 ½ diameter) = 3 oz
equivalents
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Popcorn
|
3 cups, popped
|
1 microwave bag, popped = 4 oz
equivalents
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Breakfast cereal
|
1 cup flakes or rounds
1 Ό cup puffed |
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Rice
|
½ cup cooked
1 oz dry |
1 cup cooked = 2 oz equivalents
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Pasta
|
½ cup cooked
1 oz dry |
1 cup cooked = 2 oz equivalents
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Tortillas
|
1 small flour tortilla (6 diameter)
1 corn tortilla (6 diameter) |
1 large tortilla (12 diameter) = 4 oz
equivalents
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