Grains Food Group — Whole vs Refined + Ounce Equivalents
What foods are in the grains group, whole grains vs refined grains, what counts as a 1-ounce-equivalent, and how many ounce-equivalents you need a day (5–8) by calorie level, per the USDA Dietary Guidelines 2020–2025.
What foods are in the grains group?
The grains group includes any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, or barley — bread, pasta, rice, tortillas, oatmeal, cereal, crackers, and popcorn. The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025 splits grains into whole grains, which keep the entire kernel, and refined grains, which are milled to remove the bran and germ. Grains are measured in ounce-equivalents: 1 slice of bread, ½ cup of cooked rice, pasta, or oatmeal, or 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal each count as one. Most adults need 5 to 8 ounce-equivalents a day, at least half of them whole grains.
- 5–8 oz-eq — grains a day for most adults
- ½ — at least half should be whole grains
- 1 slice — of bread = 1 ounce-equivalent
Whole grains vs refined grains
Grains split into two subgroups. Whole grains keep the whole kernel and its fiber and nutrients; refined grains are milled to remove the bran and germ. Aim to make at least half your grains whole.
Whole grains
Whole-wheat bread and pasta, brown and wild rice, oats and oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa, bulgur, barley, whole cornmeal, millet, whole rye, and whole-grain breakfast cereals.
Refined grains
White bread, white rice, regular (non-whole) pasta, flour tortillas, corn grits, most crackers, and many breakfast cereals. Look for 'enriched' refined grains, which add back some B vitamins and iron.
What counts as 1 ounce-equivalent of grains?
| Food | Amount that counts as 1 oz-eq |
|---|---|
| Bread | 1 regular slice |
| Cooked rice or pasta | 1/2 cup (Choose whole-grain options when possible) |
| Tortilla | 1 small (6" diameter) |
| Oatmeal | 1/2 cup cooked |
| Ready-to-eat cereal | 1 cup flakes or rounds |
| Popcorn | 3 cups popped |
Daily grains by calorie level
Daily targets from the USDA Healthy US-Style Pattern across all 12 calorie levels — the MyPlate Plan calculator finds your level in under a minute.
| Calorie level | Daily grains (ounce-equivalents) |
|---|---|
| 1,000 cal | 3 |
| 1,200 cal | 4 |
| 1,400 cal | 5 |
| 1,600 cal | 5 |
| 1,800 cal | 6 |
| 2,000 cal | 6 |
| 2,200 cal | 7 |
| 2,400 cal | 8 |
| 2,600 cal | 9 |
| 2,800 cal | 10 |
| 3,000 cal | 10 |
| 3,200 cal | 10 |
Whole vs refined grains by calorie level
The USDA pattern splits your daily grains into a whole-grain minimum and a refined-grain maximum. Here's the daily split in ounce-equivalents by calorie level.
| Calorie level | Whole grains (aim for at least) | Refined grains (limit to) |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 cal | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| 1,200 cal | 2 | 2 |
| 1,400 cal | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| 1,600 cal | 3 | 2 |
| 1,800 cal | 3 | 3 |
| 2,000 cal | 3 | 3 |
| 2,200 cal | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| 2,400 cal | 4 | 4 |
| 2,600 cal | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| 2,800 cal | 5 | 5 |
| 3,000 cal | 5 | 5 |
| 3,200 cal | 5 | 5 |
Make at least half your grains whole grains: the whole-grain column is a daily minimum, the refined column a daily maximum. Amounts in ounce-equivalents per day.
How many ounce-equivalents of grains do I need a day?
Most adults need 5 to 8 ounce-equivalents of grains a day, at least half of them whole grains. The daily-amounts table above shows the target for each USDA calorie level — 3 ounce-equivalents at 1,000 calories up to 10 at 2,800 calories and above.
Run the free MyPlate Plan calculator for your exact daily grain target.
What's the difference between whole and refined grains?
A whole grain keeps all three parts of the kernel — the fibrous bran, the nutrient-rich germ, and the starchy endosperm. Refining removes the bran and germ, which strips out most of the fiber, B vitamins, and minerals. That's why the guidelines say to make at least half your grains whole.
How do I know if a food is a whole grain?
Check the ingredients list: a true whole grain names 'whole' before the grain, such as 'whole wheat flour' or 'whole grain oats,' as the first ingredient. Words like 'multigrain,' 'wheat flour,' or 'stone-ground' don't guarantee a whole grain. Whole examples include whole-wheat bread, brown rice, oats, popcorn, and quinoa.
The other MyPlate food groups
- Fruits food group
- Vegetables food group
- Protein Foods food group
- Dairy food group
- All five MyPlate food groups
Grains food group — frequently asked questions
Is bread a whole grain?
Only if it's made from whole-wheat or another whole-grain flour listed first in the ingredients. Regular white bread is a refined grain. Aim to make at least half your grain choices whole.
What counts as one ounce-equivalent of grains?
One slice of bread, half a cup of cooked rice, pasta, or oatmeal, one cup of ready-to-eat cereal flakes, a small tortilla, or three cups of popped popcorn each count as one ounce-equivalent.
Is popcorn a whole grain?
Yes. Popcorn is a whole grain — three cups popped is one ounce-equivalent. Air-popped or lightly oiled popcorn without a lot of added butter or salt is a whole-grain snack.